Year: 1869

Every ism, however insane, whether re-
ligious or political, has its organ, as well
as its adherents. No absurd conceit can
be presented to the public without meet
ing with some favor. The proofs of this
are as abundant as sand on the desert.
The latest example of this is movement
in New York in favor of Imperialism.


The seventh clause of the seventh sec.
ton of the first article of the National
Constitution declares, in defining the
power of Congress No title of nobility
shall be granted by the United States, and
no person holding office of profit or trust
under them shall, without the consent of
Congress, accept of any present, emolu-
ment, Office or title of any kind whatever,
from any king, prince or foreign State"
Something over q year ago, we were in
formed by prominent member of Con-
gress, that numerously signed petitions
had been sent to Congressman, praying
for the repeal of this clause. The main
reason assigned was that the public debt
presented this issue: Either imperialism
or reputation. No attention was paid to
these petitions. The next move of this
class of fanatics was to start newspaper.
Several reputation organs have been
started, why should not the opposite
extremists have their organ? We have for
some time been expecting it. And where
but in New York should such publication
be issued? That city is the headquarters
of what may be called the bonded aris-
tocracy. August Belmont is at once the
prince of bondholders, and the Chair
man of the National Democratic Execu-
tive Committee. In the hollow of one
hand he holds the machinery of that
party, in the other more Governments
than any other live man. Each hand
now has an organ. That of the latter is
known as the napsrsalfst.


This association of the name of De-
mocracy with aristocratic power is no
new thing. For generation the slave
holding aristocracy ruled this country
in that specious name. A system worse
than feudalism, worse even than imperi-
slism as found in France, in Russia, or
in all history, had absolute control over
the so-called Democratic party, and
through that party controlled our nation
al politics until the crisis of the rebellion
put an end to it. The cost in blood and
treasure of overthrowing that imperial
ism was incalculable, yet it was nation
al blessing, even at the price paid.


As blind, this organ of Belmont and
Company adopts as its motto Louis Napo-
Icons famous "The Empire is peace"
and Grants still more famous battle cry of
the late campaign, Let US have peace"
This attempt to couple together the per-
fidious Emperor and the patriot President
is transparent sham. Noone is deceived
by the trick.


The mo gement is the frantic death
struggle of the expiring Democracy. That
corrupt party practically confesses its
utter defeat. Under a republican form of
government it can never again practice
the imperialism of the past. Its only hope
is in some desperate change. We can
hardly believe that any person really ex-
poets the formal overthrow of this Repub-
lie, either by grand coup detGt, or by any
other means; but as the Democrats have
nothing to lose, the imperial leaders, with
Wall street as their royal road to power,
hazard nothing in putting forth such SEN
timents as these:


''Let the bondholders look to 1t. If they would
ever again see dollar Of the millions poured
with cheerful hearts and willing hands into the
Treasury, when the life Of the nation was threat
this ungrateful Republic liquidated in honest
gold; if they would save the profits of their fru-
gality and industry from confscstion by the igno-
rant and prejudiced mob, let them no longer hug
the delusive fancy that the debt of the United
States will ever be paid until We have Govern
ment that shall be everything for the people,
but nothing by the people, TO them the empire
offers the only pledge of security that is worth
the paper on which it is written


While Belmont q Co., as Democrats,
have nothing to lose, they have as bond
holders, interests that should not be tam
pered with, and such atrocious sentiments
as the above do them far more hurt than
all the sophistry of Pendleton, Brick
Pomeroy and that class. But as Belmont
fraternized with the open friends of repu-
diation last fall, we were prepared for any
suicidal folly, even this spasm of imperial
ism m-lhienU0 ,7OaL9ndJ &