The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-12-20
History Repeating Itself.

SLAVE power Hdu got possession OF the Dem-
ocrat party and used it altogether to pro-
mote its interest and magnify its power.
That power dominated Congress, corrupt
ed the Supreme Court, forced the Mis-
souri, compromise" and when its power
and influence increased had it repealed;
got the bred Scott Decision promulgated,
the Fugitive Slave Law enacted and con-
tinued to move on from conquest to con-
quest over freedom. The politicians of
both the Wing and Democrat parties of
the north defended slavery and sent mem
beers to Congress who bowed to its pres
ence and obeyed its behests; the fashion
able church pulpit declared slavery was
divinely blessed institution, and wealth
and fashion denounced as cranks, dis
turbers of the peace and criminal, agita-
tors all WHO raised voice against it.
The mob was set upon every one who
protested against the encroachments of
the slave power. The servile press was
ready to SANDER and Willy in the interest
of slavery, the slave owner claimed the
right to take his servants into every State
and demand protection for his slave
property" from the authorities
The formidable array of fashion, wealth.
to carry the banner of slavery triumphant
ly forward from conquest to conquest.
The slave power dictated the Presidential
nominations for both parties; named SUI
preme Court judges, represented the coun-
try at foreign courts, demanded and enfor-
ced the right to carrv their slaves into the
free States, which threatened to soon cul-
inmate in the right to hold slaves, not
temporarily but permanently as any other
property, and be protected in the right
everywhere i'll the United States The
claim was set up and was acknowledged
by the elite of society and the learned
men in law were steadily moving toward
the conclusion that the constitution of the
United States affirmed slavery to be funda
mental in our institutions and freedom
secondary.
But in spite of all this learning, wealth,
power and religious dogma, there was a
silent under-current running through the
hearts and minds of the masses, which
told them it was falsehood they were
being fed upon, and the old parties began
to feel its corroding influence. Many
minor parties sprang up and condemned
the arrogance Of the slave power. They
appealed to the honest common sense of
the people and their love of Justice. The
Wing party tried to occupy neutral
position, or straddle, i'll order to make
head against the triumphant Democratic
slave party. By spasmodic efforts they
sometimes gained temporary advantage
and what appeared like victory of con-
quest, such as the Harrison Wing victory
of 1910. But such victories seemed to be
without substance and vanished like frost
work Oil the window panes. Finally the
Wing party became such hopeless
wreck that the multitude who give parties
their numerical strength and prestige
deserted it, and the Republican party, with
advanced ideas in the cause of liberty free
dom for the territories and the reaffirma-
ton of the Declaration of Independence,
was trumpet call to the masses.
The slave power saw i'll this the end of
further conquest in the free States and
their dominating power i'll the govern
ment waning. Then they rent the Dem
ocrat party, which they had used for pro-
noting their ambition, in twain, boldly
threw off the mask, and declared if they
could not build a slave empire Oh the
ruins of free institutions they would divide
the country and set up one on the part
they held.
History repeats itself but always with
changed conditions, sufficiently different
, to escape the attention of the masses. II
: we substitute the money power for the
slave power of forty years ago, omit geo
graphical lines and replace chattel slavery
by wage slavery, the conditions to-day are
) marvelously like those of forty years ago
In oeiihS lhIuSiNSS tO-udy are upuOlulllS
} the money power and the divine right Of
wage slavery that supported the slave
: power and the divinity of clattel slavery
forty years ago. The Republican party i:
substituted for the Democrat party O.
forty years ago AS the Democratic part,
then supported the slave power, the Re
publican party now upiiolds the none,
S power. The newspapers of both old
parties are speaking with forked tongues
Tor the money power as they did then fol
e the slave power. The big men in the
, Senate who show up to the world withou
distinction of party, are on the side of the
). money power as they were on the side o
y the slave power forty years ago. TIL,
e aristocracy of wealth, the elite of fashion
. and the big churches are all OH the side
Il of the money power to-day as they wer,
e Oh the side of the slave power forty year
Il ago. The scorn, the derision, slande
: and abuse are heaped, by this class anc
S their lick spittles, upon all who speak IL,
/ for the rights of the plain people.
e When we turn to view the two OLE
IS parties the parallel is continued, so broa,
d and strong that the wayfarer may readil
see it. The Democrat party of to day i
II crumbling, like the Wing party of fort,
e years ago after its great Gen. Harrj~o,