The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-03-07
The Democratic Party.

Some months ago the Press said that the
Democratic party seemed its control Of the
Southern STATES, and thereby its majority in
Congress and its chance OF a majority in
the electoral college by systematic crimes of
violence and fraud. The Argus impugLed
the honesty of the writer of the statement,
but subsequently withdrew the imputation,
giving us, as it said, credit for honesty, but
at the expense of our intelligence. Now,
Democratic testimony from the heart of
Mississippi confirms, as to that State, what
we asserted. Neither Mississippi nor Louis.
lana, Alabama nor the Caroinas. would be
D mocratic today but for series o. mon
strous CT lines, If which those lately proved
beyond dispute, in Copiah county, are just
example. But for these horrible crimes, by
which the voice of the majority is suppress
ed in the South ard q minority enabled to
pre'a the Democratic party would be in a
hopeless minority in Congress AID the Elect
oral College.
Take from the Democratic party the votes
OF those who attempted TO destroy the Un-
ion, and IL could not carry single Southern
State. Take from it the votes of foreigners.
who have but an imperfect knowledge Of
American institutions, and it could not cat
~ single Northern State. 1t was the par
ty of ignorance and slavery; it is the party
OF ignorance, oppression and fraud. lis
stronghods in every Northern city are Il g
wards where rum and vice conspire to pre-
do onC fe Iaada,c nd
| at The North are in league with the oliear-
| chy in the South, which triumphs by vio-
leDce and fraud. 1t cannot BE- the party of
progress, because its few sagacious leaders
are constantly compromised and thwarted
by the dead weight of its ignorance. If a
TiIden or a Perdleton tries to lift it to \
higher plane and give 1t direction away
from its mire, he is promptly jumped upon
and dragged down by a Kelly OF a McLeBn.
When any bilious Butler, or Plaislei, OF
Deering forfets the confidence of the hon
orable and controlling element of the Repub-
lican party, he goes into the Democratic
ranks to be greeted as a reformer
The Democratic party is the party repre-
| sentative of the destructive forces at work
in The Republic, while the republican party
is representative of the conservative forces.
Il is the party Of reaction, while the Repub-
lican party is The par y OF progress. 1t is
the party of the doubters and caylers,
while the Republican party is the party of
the C nfdent and the trustful. 1t is the
party of decrepitude and imp otence, while
the Republican party is the party of youth
and aboundng vigor. 1t is the party Of
quack nostrums and patent pa aceas, by
which the ignorant are deludtd and the
leaders hope to profit, while the Republican
party is the party of broad prime pies an /
great achievements for humanity. 1t is
III party of an oligarchy, while the Repuh-
lican party is the party Of liberty and equal
| rights.
Thousands of young men all over the land
| have to decide this year with which of the
great parties of the nation they will ally
themselves. Unless they wish to unile
themselves With body of death they will
: join the Republican, parry rather than the
party which dares not condemn, but is w,l-
ling to profit by, such crimes as those of The
Mississippi Democracy.