False Democracy

The Democrats, as a party, profess to be guided by the broad principies of natural right. They are for universal liberertyin its fullest exlenti they are for equal rights, and exact justiceto all men; and they claim to be the especial advocates of the ignorant, the poor, and the oppressed againsi fhe injurious attempts of the intellectuol, the rich, and the powrful. It is obvious that this continued proclamation of fundamental principies establishes a standard by which the acts of the party can be properlyjudged. The Democratie party claims support on the ground of its adherence to these principies; and just so far as it departs from them- just so far as its acts contravene its own acknowledged standard of rectitude to just that extent must its adherents confess that it is unworthy of support. - How, then, stands the case with the party? Has their action coincided with their profession, or have practice and precept been direct antagonists to each other? - We think it would not be difficult to show, that m reference to one sixth portion of their countrymen, the Democrats, os a party, haveViolated, and propose in future to viólale every one of their professed fundamental friiwples. We do not assert this as mere declamation, but as a sober fact, which can be demonstrated by the most ampie proofs. We will to-day enumérate a fer instancesof legislativetyranny and injustice, that are perpetrated, sanctioned, and sustained by the Democratie party, and pursue the subject in future numbers.1. The Democrats, as a party, are for eonlinuing the legal disábililies of the free colorea people in the States where they noto exist. We do not know of an instance in the 26 States in which the removal of these disabilities has been taken up as a measure of the party. In the States where the Democrats have had a permanent majority for many years, they remain infull torce. Take, for instance, the State of Illinois, which we believe has been a Democratie State for a dozen years or more in succession. According to the statu t&of that State, a colored man may be arrested on suspicion of being a runaway slave, and detained in prison until his white lord and master shall reclaim him; and if he be not claimed and proved to be a runaway slave, the sheriff is authorized to sell the free man into temporary bondage to pay the expenses of his arrest and imprisonment! - What Democracy is this! To arrest a man on mere suspicion of being a slave, and after trial, when he bas been legally declared to be free, to sell him to defray the expenses of the outrageous wrongs he has endured! VVould white Democrats, who prate about "eqúal rights," endure such Democracy in their own persons? This act is not a mere dead letter. Our last exchanges inform us that the Sheriffof Kendall couniy advertises that he has in his custody a black man, supfosed to he a runaway slave; and he gives notice that any person having a right to said black must cali, prove property, pay expenses, and take him away, or ho will be dlsposed of as the law directs. Neither does the statute remain through ignorance of its existence, on the part of the people. The fact is notorious toall; and the Democratie Legislature have been besieged upon the subject year after year, but all in vain.In all the States where legal disabiHties of the colored people exist in any shape, it is not too much to say that the Democratie party is chargeable wilh their continuance: becausein every State, they have been enacted by Democratie Legislators, advocated by democratie papers, approved by the action of their party conventions, or suffered to remain silently on the Statute book, when the continued and cordial action of the Democratie party of that State would have been amply sufficient for their removal.2. This party, which professes to advocate universal freedom and equality, sustains slavery as ü is, in every part of the Union - in the States in the Terrjtories, in the District of Colombia and upon the High Seas. Where they have the acknowledged power to act against Slavery, they will not use it, but they make "war upon Abolilionists, and upon every practicable measure for general emanci pation, whether gradual or immediate. - These things are a matter of universa notoriety: they need no argument: they are indisputable.3. The party are laborivg to add more slaves to those already in the country. Tney propose to enslave, by the authority of the United States, and to hold as such by its military power, 25,000 persons i Texas, and all their descendants, whos right to personal liberty is as good as tha Of any D.mccra!. in the Union. On would suppose that a real Democrat wouldleso bshamed of the multitude of slnves in hïs country, that he would never consent to add to their number by taking in thoseofa foreign nniion. But such is not the cne. When Texas shall he annexed, the slaves will be held and kept in subjection, and their posterity enslaved by the laws and authority of the United Status; and we see almost the whole Democratie party enger and earnest for thus making more slaves, through the power of the National Government! 4. The party are trying to add more Slave Slales to ihis Union, wüh their threefifth representation for slaves, and thus increase the immense disparity in power already existing between Slaveholders and northern Freemen. As an instnnce of this disparity, we subjoin the following statement of the American and Foreign A. S. Society: "In the presidential election of 1840, 13 Cree States had 168 electors, and give 1,710,705 votes: I elector to 10,219 votes.12 slave States had 115 electors, and gave 693,005 votes: I elector to 6,026 votes. Ohio had 21 electors, and gave 273,840 votes; 1 elecior to 13,040 votes. Virginia had 23 electors, and gave 86,394 votes; I elector to 3,756 votes. In the Presidential election of 1844, 13 free States had 161 electors, and gave 1,890,084 votes; I elector to 11,739 votes. 12 slave States (South Carolina having no popular vote for President.) had 105 electors, and gave 708,848 votes; I elector to 7,608. Michigan had 5 electors, and gave 56,222 votes; I elector to 11,244. Louisiana had 6 electors, and gave 26,865 votes; I elector to 4,477 votes." By the recent vote in Congress. which the Democratie party sustainod, Texas, if admitted, is to make any number of States, and if the people (white people of course) of all those States shall wish for Slavery, Congress solemnly agrees to receive them wilh Slavery, and of course guarantees the faith and power of the nation for its support and perpet uity! - What beautiful Democracy is here! -Some of the States may not ask admission in fifty years; and vet a Democratie House of Represen tatives, in 1844, is found willing to solemnly agree to receive Slave States in 1894, and of course to defend the institution in those States with all the energies of the American people! 5. Nor is this all. The party "proscribe and as f ar as possible, excommunicate every man in it who dares to oppose these nefarious projects. TheRichmond Enquirer, a leading Democratie paper of the South, thus threatens every one who does not pronounce the slaveholding 'sbibboleth:' "We rejoice that those deserting Democrats wbo oppose the vital question. which Mr. Polk so anxiously desires to be settled at this session, will have notiung to expect front his administration. Those Northern Democrats who avail themselves of this critical contest with our great transatlantic rival, to indulge their fanatical hatred of the South, will find themselves mistaken in their calculations - marked by a great national sentimentm their turn - and we dare to say, that if they should defeat us, we shall have, at least, the consolation of knowing, íhat they will be, hereafler, defeated in their own aspirations."The Hon. John P. Hale, of New Hatnpshire, having declared his determination to oppose the whole scheme of annexation, the Democratie party press of that State are after him in full cry, denoiincing him as an aboiitionist, and a traitor to the party,'and are eagerly bent on his immolation. The District Committee have met to prepare for nominating a candidate in his place; and John P. Hale, like Thomas Morris, will be sent into retirement for expressing his honest convictions, unless a majority of his constituents shall be foundsufficiently patriotic to frown upon this attempt torender Slavery perpetual in our land. But the party is not only committed as a body to Ibis project of making Texan Slavery our own, but its representative, Mr. Polk, has declared it a measure second in impor lance to no olher. Th is being the case we may expect that the influence of the whole Government, wielded by the united energies of the Democratie party, will be used to the utmost for its consummation.We might enumérate many more seious charges against the party, but we iave not space to-day. But are not these nough to show that it stands, self-conemned, by a mere citation of the principes it preaches to others? With loud )rofessions of "equality" it sustains the most absurd and wicked political distincionsbetween citizens of the same States: with "the largest Liberty" for a watchword, it goes for Slavery in all parts of the nation where it now exists: it goes for introducing more slaves and Slave Territory, into our Union, and forexcommunicating every member of the party who dares to oppose the project! Poor,blind, servile, rotten Democracy! If such be the proper action of a Democratie party, wbat a coursc of action could be considered appropriate in a Slavery party?Oy Miss Foirbanks is said to be the only femnle confined in the Kentucky Pcnilentiary. Her cmployment is mending the clpthes of the convicte. It is generally eupposed that ehe will be pardoned aftoi a Bhort period.