, 1888-06-14
KENTUCKY DEMOCRATS.

thought YOU were republican" "Did
YOU evor see Kentuckian who was
republican, No indeed; am DEM
ocrat," was the reply. The incident
amounts to nothing in itself; but 1t
suggests some remarkable changes IN
political thought and action, and the
lady in question was unable to ac-
count for the fact, although well
versed in political affairs.
HAMILTON and JEFFERSON first led
the contending political forces OF the
nation. and moulded the political
thought and action OF their day. Ihey
did more than this: They laid broad
and deep the foundations upon which
have rested the two great
political organizations OF the country
from the adoption of the constitution
to the present day.
The same principles were contended
for by the generation following these
great leaders, HENRY CLAY and
DANIEL WEBSTER succeeding HAMIL-
TON, and JOHN G. CALHOUN and his
co.laborers succeeding to the JEFFER-
soNIAN championship. The contests,
compromises and struggles OF these
leaders became so bitter in their old
age that when the mantle of CLAY fell
to the lot of LINCOLN, and JEFFERSON
DAVIS became the successor, to CAL
HoUN, the contending forces would no
longer listen to debate, and the con-
flict was transferred to GRANT and
LEE. These two generals ended at
Appomattox the contest begun by
HAMILTON and JEFFERSON.
OF all the enemies ever encountered
by the democratic party, HENRY CLAY
was the bitterest the most unrelenting,
the most persistent. WEBSTER might
falter; others might waiver or tremble
in the presence Of defeat, but the gall
liant HARRY of the west was always
the same. He was always for protec-
ton to home industries, always a
whig, always ready to knock chip
off of any democratic shoulder. He
was the spirit of the whig party, and
it was at the magnificent Kentuckian
that the democracy fired its heaviest
batteries without effect for more than
fifty years.
During the "old commoner's" life,
Kentucky's loyalty to his fortunes was
his pride and the state gloried in his
achievements. He was her pet child
and she loved him with the fondness OF
a mother. Others might malign and
traduce him; others might file their
charges of corruption and dishonesty /;
others might hunt down and pursue
him, bit Kentucky would be loyal.
Her arms were ever open to receive
him and his voice was music to her
ears. In his political career she mover
failed him. His majorities were fig
ured by the thousands, and were given
when he called for them.
When his battle of life was over
Kentucky laid his worn and lifeless
body to rest amid the homes he had
known so well, surrounded by the
! friends of his life time. Kentucky
wept at his grave, and now above all
earthly treasures, she prizes the mem
ory of her greatest son.
Sleeping by the side of the great
leader and in the same narrow grave
are the ashes OF the whig party. After
leading the whig columns for thirty
years; after fighting democracy in
every form and on hundred battle
fields; after repudiating every princi-
pie ever advocated by the democracy
a thousand times, Kentucky turns
from the grave of her illustrious son
and embraces his old enemy and her
ancient foe-the democratic purity.
To-day Kentucky repudiates CLAY,
TO the extent that she abandons his
teachings in every essential feature of
government, and follows in the foot
steps OF his old antagonists. just how
Kentuckian can reconcilc'this action
with consistency and fixed political
principle we do not understand. AS
for us, the great Kentuckian dead is
more powerful than the living ex-
sheriff.
rNEpNTIIINC I1cEn IN RI1II DINO.