Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-07-09
UOuRBOES ARE NOT DEMOCRATS.

the more tuily are we convince"
that it is the chief evil that aiillcts
and menaces the country. Hence,
without ceasing we cry out against
it, and intend to do so until 1T
hides a diminished head from
aroused public opinion and action.
So far from being Democracy,
BOurbOnism is really the enemy OF
all free and popular government
and it must be put down, or else
liberty will utterly perish from
amongst US. OF course it is a very
Objectionable and tiTesOme thing
to Bourbons that we should so con.
stantly pursue them, with expo
sures of their aims, tendencies and
methods ; but we know our duty,
and we shall continue to perform it
to the best of our ability, no mat
ter how loudly and frequently
Bourbons and BourbOnism may
protest against it ; and, if it be
merely playing one tune upon one
string, as the alleged Richmond
Wing suggests, we shall play 1t
skilfully and with infinite yara-
tons upon our theme,-not like
the harpers on a thousand strings,
who, so far from playing any tune
whatever, are incapable of even SO
much as tuning their instruments.
1t is very true, no doubt, that
there are many DemOcratS-real
Democrats in the sO.called Demo
cratic party. Names are things to
many persons, and it is readily un-
derstood how men who are honest
ly in favor of Democracy whose
convictions and sympathleS are
all Democratic-are allured to the
party whose banner carries the title
of Democrat. Yet it is uudeniable
that the Democratic party, in the
South at any rate, is led, managed
and controlled by men who are in
no sense Democratic. The ruling
elements in the Southern Demo
cratic party disavow the very basis
of all true Democracy. They do
not hesitate to arrogate to them
selves a superiority to the masses.
so far from recognizing the com
mon rights of all the people they
claim that they have paramount
right to rule of, for and by them
selves, because they are "the best
people" who engross "wealth, vir-
tue and intelligence" At Rich
mond, Staunton and elsewhere in
Virginia these insolent and dan
gerous pretensiOns, so at war with
Democracy no less than with Re
publicanism, have constrained
many true Democrats to revolt
against the imposture which uses q
good name only for the purposes
of usurpation and tyranny; and
if all true Democrats can be
brought to see and feel how Bour-
bons and BOurbonism are betray-
ing them and Democracy to an
oligarchy which contemns the
wishes, rights and interests Of the
people, they will speedily abandon
the fraudulent organization which
makes them accomplices in their
own undOing.
We do not hesitate to proclaim
that it is one of our principal OBJ
jects to strip BOurbonism Of the
Democratic disguise in which it
deludes so many people. 1t is
certain that honest Democrats can
not support mere name when
they discover that it is employed
merely to mask the most undemO-
cratic designs. Surely no earnest
Democrat can wilfully and knowing
ly serve the enemies of true DemOc-
racy, albeit these may bear the
Democratic name and wear the
Democratic livery. We are not
lighting these earnest Democrats,
for they and Republicans are
identical in all fundamental and
essential things that pertain to
common right and benefit. The
mutual enemies Of the people,
whether Democratic or Republican,
are BOurbons and BourbOnism; and
against these foes we shall continu-
ally and vigorously endeavor to
rally the free and intelligent man
hood of Virginia. The tune we
play is one to which patriotism
must take step, or real Democracy
and true Republicanism will alike
60 down before tho Bourbon usur-
pation.-State Republican,