Los Angeles herald., 1890-06-21
FOL DE ROL DE DIDO.

Perhaps one of the most farcical ideas
that ever emanated from press, pulpit or
rostrum is that which assumes that the
Democratic party is carried away by q
lust for Office and power. This notion is
suggested by our esteemed contempo-
rary, the Tribune, in its issue of yester-
day. AS matter of fact, if the Demo-
cratic party had cared only for money
and place, it would have enjoyed undis-
puted possession of power from the open
ing of the present century, with the ex-
ception of the abnormal episodes of the
election of John Quincy Adams and Will
| liam Henry Harrison. Instead of being
deficient in convictions, as suggested by
the Tribune, it has possessed them in
great plentitude, and has stuck to them
like grim death.
One great and distinguishing aspect of
the Democratic party has been the
diversity of views not only tolerated but
encouraged amongst its members, The
animating principle of that organization
has been that of the oldest Christian
| church, sin essentials unity, in non
essentials liberty, in all things charity"
A party which is simply held together
by the cohesive power of public plunder
which rejoices in the axiom of "addi-
ton, division and silence" as the prop
osition was put by one of the party's
great chieftains in Pennsylvania-can
have no idea of the pervading and
pulsating principle of a great and patri-
otic organization like the National Dem
ocracy.
No party ever existed in the United
States that has been so absolutely de-
voted to principle as against expediency
as the Democratic party. Divided into
two great wings in the old days, the free
soil and the pro-slavery, each faction,
while recognizing certain general princi
pies of constitutional Interpretation, has
hung obstinately to its own views. Act
ing under strong convictions, the presi-
Dental election of 1S4S was deliberately
thrown over to the Wings. Precisely
the same overmastering devotion to prin-
ciple on the one side and the other, and
Indifference to power and place, threw
the presidential election to the Repub
licans in 1860
On the other hand, when has there
ever been a real split in the Republican
party, or in its predecessor, the Whig
party? When were there ever two
presidential nominations in either of
those organizations? Inspired by lust
for Office and emolument, the members
of both of those organizations have al
ways closed their ranks and accepted
any platform and any candidates in
their eager desire to loot the national
treasury.
The great services which the Demo.
cratic party has rendered to the people
of the United States are not appreciated
at their true value because we have made
converts of the Republican party on
many essential issues. The supreme
court of the United States has been sub
stantially brought over to Democratic
theories. 1t at least can be truthfully
said that, Notwithstanding the fact that
the Democratic representation in that
tribunal is in large minority, most Of
it's decisions, if rendered twenty years
ago, would have been regarded as such
as could only come from a Democratic
body. So great has been the
change wrought in that court
that we are not without hope
that if the un-democratic, un-re-
publican election law now incubating in
the fifty-frst congress should be made a
statute, the supreme court will declare
it unconstitutional.
No man can count on the fingers Of
both hands the number of times the
Democratic party has thrown away
power on the mere punctilio of prin-
ciple-on the very shadow of a convic-
ton. But for that party's infexible
devotion to the true theory of the consti-
tuition of the United States we should
now be living in a despotism and the
states would be mere satrapies. 1t
is of course too much to expect Re-
publican journals, publicists or stump
speakers to recognize this fact, but the
people at large know it, and are grateful
that this historical and undismayed
party has kept the ship of state from
careening and laundering.
When the Republican party for the
first time, in the field of national poll
tics, shall put eager aspiration for Office
to one side, and shall fail to fall into
line behind any man named by their ma
tional convention for president, however
hollow and insincere the issues may be,
it will then be time to talk about Demo-
cratic lust for office, Democratic lack of
principle and Democratic lack of the
courage of conviction.