Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-07-11
A PARTY OF VITALITY.
The Democratic Party Bound to Live he.
cause True to Its Principles

The Democratic Party Bound to Live be-
cause True to Its Principles
1t is a perpetual surprise to many people
as they look back upon the political history
OF the last twenty-five years that the Dem
ocratic party should still be so vital, so
strong, so courageous and so enthusiastic.
And if one look at the surface Of things
merely, it is strange and surprising But
to understand the Democratic party one
must look not only at the surface, but be-
meath the surface, not only over the last
twenty-five years, but over the fifty years
preceding.
The Democratic party came first into
power in the year 1900, and held the Feder-
al Government for twenty-four years; then,
after an interval of four, for twelve years
longer, and then, with intervals of four,
for four and eight years longer, down TO
1850, when, rent by internal dlssenssions
ON the slavery question, it suffered great
defeat.
1t was founded by jefferson, and his
famous inaugural formulated it's principles.
Those were, briefly, the greatest personal
freedom consistent with the freedom of
others, the distribution of power in the Gov
ernment TO its widest limit, and sharp
distinction between State and Federal au-
thority. 1t was the party of the Nations
youth, of progress against tradition, of hope
against experience.
1t struck with the power of youthful
giant against the Federalists and their tory
dogmas, and won it's first victory over
Adams aud the alien and sedition laws.
Then gathering strength it utterly de-
stroyed its antagonist and carried the Gov
ernment through the war of 1872 and down
to the days of jackson.
Under jackson it fought for popular
North, and routed notification in the South.
Keen TO interpret and prompt to lead the
popular thought, it never wanted for sa-
gacious leadership until the slavery ques-
tion set mems minds on fire and reason lost
its sway
During all these wears it was the party of
constitutional government, believing in the
constitution as it is, and that honest and
devoted loyalty TO the fundamental charter
would carry the Nation safely through even
the difficulties of the slavery problem. No
member of the Democratic party ever said
that the constitution was "a league with
death and covenant with hell" No men,
ber of the Democratic party ever said or
even thought that Z" the Union.was not worth
a rush without little blood-letting."
When the war for the Union came, the
Democratic party stood for the Union. No
man can look at the roster for the Union
army and call that party false to the coun-
try. On policies it opposed the extreme
methods of Republicanism, but in reality
more Loyalty supported Mr.. Lincoln than did
his own party. But sometimes it was placed
in a false position before the country, and
sometimes had bad leadership, but at heart
all Democrats were as patriotic and as true
as any man in the country. Had it not
been so the Union would never have been
preserved.
To-day, says the Chicago Herald, it is faith
full to the principles that have ever guided
it, personal freedom and constitutional
liberty, opposition to monopoly and defen-
sive of the rights of the people. 1t looks
back upon history splendid as cloth of
gold And that history, ever its pride, will
only stimulate it to nobler endeavors in be-
half of popular rights