Year: 1879




THE DEMOCRATIC REyoLUrIOn


The Democrats, beginning to feel the in
nuencc of public sentiment upon them un-
der the effects of their revolutionary meas
ures in Congress, which naturally bring to |
them responsibility, are now engaged in
spinning fine theories aud splitting hairs
as to what constitutes revolution. This is
labor lost. The people are intelligent and
jealous of the integrity Of their form of gov
ernment. Anything that looks like an at
tempt to subycrt the principles of the Gov
ernmcnt or the public peace and welfare
under trickcry or coercion is regarded us
revolutionary in purpose and mischievous
in intent, aud very naturally startles public
attention and concern. The action of the
Democrats in Congress in the closing hours
Of the Forty-fith and the foreshadowcd
programme of the Forty-sixth Congress are
well calculated to excite alarm in the pub
lie mind, for they directly tend to revolu-
tionary subversion of the established func-
tions of our Government


The Democrats desire to accomplish GER
tain party purposes which are inconsistent
with the public welfare, and which cannot
be attained through the usual processes of
legislation, and they have attempted in the
past and threaten in the future TO resort to
parliamentary tactics and measures for the
purpose of coercing the President into a sub
mission TO unwisa and unjust dictation, or,
rs an alternative, to have the wheels of the
| Government stopped for the want of means
| to enable it to perform its functions, and
which they have the power to withhold. and
threaten to withhold, as penalty for resist
ing their nefarious purposes. They propose
that the President shall approve Of great
and glaring wrong in legislation-tlie re-
peal Of the laws for the protection of the
elective franchise in its purity-or other
wise appropriations shall he withheld and
the Government shall suffer the conse-
quences, though they bring it to u standstill.
This is the promised dilemma under Demo-
cratic policy, and if it is not revolutionary
then nothing can possibly be so regarded.
To check the progress OF Government in
the discharge of its constitutional duty,
whether it be by Withholding supplies or by
armed interference is all the same in prin-
pie and effect, and we can say to the Demo-
cratic revolutionists that they cannot escape
the responsibilities of their revolutionary
course by sophstry or special pleading.


These things cannot be done in corner
and concealed from public knowledge 50
long as free press exists in the Govern
ment. The press is the sentinel on the
ramparts of the Republic, and when dan
gers are imminent its voice sounds the
alarm. The rcvolutionists have declared
their intentions. They have exposed their
manifesto of revolution, and now they cam
not escape public scrutiny and condemna-
ton by resort to evasion, preyarication, or
sophistry. These are too gauzy, in the
light of their manifest declaration of pur-
pose, to screen that party from the just re-
sponsibilities of their attempt to subvert
the laws and functions of the Government
to mere party behests, The laws that they
attempt to subvert, overturn, and abro-
gate are in the interest of a pure and sound
popular Government, They apply, with
their penalties, to all parties and all men
alike. They have but one purpose, and
that to protect the basis of our Government


the selection of rulers and Legislators
by the people, from fraud, violence


outrage and corruption. They seek nothing
more They interfere with no political
right-indeed, on the contrary, they are de-
signed to protect the rights of all citizens al
the ballot-boxes and give the country pure
elections and honest government They


have no other purpose, and their penalties


will sleep in harmlessness until they are
invoked by wanton violation of their re.
quirements. These are the laws that the
Democrats make war upon-and for what


reason? Simply because they interpost


barriers between the ballot-box and a fraud.
ulent purpose on their part. They stand il
the way of Democratic practices such as
ballot-boX stufling, intimidation, false regis
tration, and fraudulent voting, and hence il
is demanded that they shall be repealed ol
the wheels of Government shall be stopped
This is incipient revolution, and nothing
) short of it, This is blow aimed at the
fundamental principles of popular form
of government. 1t is akin to treason.