shall be counted; and that by no trickery or fraud, or technicality, shall the sovereign voter be defrauded out of this sacred right of a freeman by interested agents.

Rotation in office has always been a cardinal doctrine of Democracy. That no privileged class born to office should be tolerated, but that public place and position should be open to all. That frequent changes of public office preserves purity in the administration of public affairs, and therefore highly beneficial to the general welfare. President Jackson said, "that corruption would spring up among those long in power," and therefore he claimed appointments should not exceed the period of four years; and he favored removals from office, as a leading principle which would give healthful action to the political system. Undoubtedly exceptions may exist as to skilled clerks but that is no objection to the general rule.

In cases of real doubt, it has ever been a favorite doctrine of the Democratic party, to submit such questions to a direct vote of the people, a practice which has of later years become nearly general in some States of the Union.

Jackson declared this "to be a submission to the source of all power the most sacred of all obligations; and the most wise and safe course to pursue."

CHAPTER IX.

SUMMARY.

It will be found by examination that the Republican— Democratic party-having taken its rise under the administration of John Adams, was organized in 1800 under Thomas Jefferson-continued under Madison and Monroe,and was divided under the Administration of John Quincy Adams, and dropping the former part of its name under Andrew Jackson's administration, has continued its name of "Democratic Party," ever since then.

In opposition to the original sectional aspect of the present Republican organization, it has sometimes been designated as the National Democratic party-such is a brief summary of its history.

Democratic doctrines, save that of on the coinage question, have been the same for one hundred years,-the same as when it came from the hands of its founder, Thomas Jefferson--since then new questions have arisen, it is true, but always settled upon the same fundamental principles as first announced by Jefferson, and the platform upon which he was elected.

These may be summed up as insisting upon a strict construction of the constitution; opposed to centralization in the general government; opposed to a high protective tariff; opposed to a Union of church and state; opposed to regulating elections in the states by federal authority, no matter under what pretexts, so long as the people are willing to hold them under their own local

state laws; they strongly favor the education of the masses the basis of an intelligent ballot; they favor fostering and protecting by state action of common schools; home rule; strict maintainance of the public faith. Municipal, State and Federal; honest money, consisting of gold and silver, and paper based thereon, convertible into coin on demand; subordination of the military to the civil authority; a genuine civil service, by prohibiting by law the appointment of men to office guilty of frauds upon the government or the people, in depriving them of the fruits of fair elections; they favor a free ballot, the right preservative of all rights, and pledge themselves to sustain this right at all hazards; free hips, and a living chance for American ships upon the seas; they declared long since, as opposing discriminations in favor of monopolies, corporations, and transportation lines; they favor using public money, and public credit for public purposes, solely; public lands for actual settlers only; they declared and pledged themselves as the friends of labor and the laboring man, and to protect him alike against cormorants and the commune. These, and many other incidental principles they have declared as those of the Democracy in National Conventions assembled, and the pronounced convictions of those who aided in framing and promulgating the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the United States: whose principles have been adopted by the Democratic party of the country.

It may be said that the Democratic party has not always adhered to them; that may be so, and admitted with shame, but that is no valid objection against the principles themselves. They are correct and true, and as

valuable as ever they were, indeed more so; and it is to call attention to them, that these pages have been written, with the ardent hope that they may fall under the obser vation of those who will never cease to urge them upon the attention of their countrymen, especially upon the young and rising men of the country. But it is not conceded, that as a party, they have departed from the practice of those cardinal principles of the Democracy.

Exceptional cases do not destroy general rules. An army is not to be judged by the deeds of a few foragers, for place or power; or by deserters, who deny the faith, and betray the confidence reposed in them. So no political party can be fairly judged, by what a few of its adherents may do or say; but the great heart, mind and purpose of an army, the spirit of it, so to speak, is the criterion by which it is to be judged, and not by the faults of its unfaithful friends. So with the Democratic party. It may have been led sometimes into entertaining false views; doubtless it has been been betrayed by trusted friends (?) as well as denounced and misrepresented by open and avowed enemies; still, whatever may be said of it, these principles announced are the principles of the American Democracy, by the application of which they have sought to administer the affairs of government. Whoever denounces them, should not claim to be a Democrat; whoever will not support and defend them is unworthy the name. They are, nevertheless, the principles and the anounced policy of that great party, which has for so many years, and does now yet influence a full one-half of our population; and if this is to remain a free country, must naturally in the future be again called to administer its affairs; at all events, these great princi

ples must be applied to the administration of public affairs, by whatsoever name the party may be called, if its administration is to be a really successful one.

The foundations of the government are laid upon these; all its machinery is adjusted with reference to them; and the moment they are misapplied or omitted, experience has proved, confusion and irregularities begin to manifest themselves. Thence it is reasonable, that the party and the officers who best understands them—are the most devotedly attached to them, give to the great mass of our people the best assurance of good government under their guidance. The great Democratic party of America, has a distinct policy to announce upon every great question, if it pays any regard to its teachings, for more than a hundred years. These principles have the sympathy, and approval of more than a majority of the American people, and will continue so to have, if it remain true to its record as it ought. It may well have the hope and promise of final reward-the greatest good --if it discharges its duty, which it naturally owes to the people

This then is a brief summary of its views, a record of its faith and mission; and it were well if every enthusiastic member of the party would ponder and treasure up its teachings and seek to carry them into complete execution.

Long live the American Democratic party, and may it see the end of many more one hundred years.