Democrats: What in the hell happened, HYPOCRITES?

WHAT DEMOCRATS DID.

   In these times, when the Republican press is full to overflowing with what the Republican party has done for the country. It is not out of place to recall what the country owes to Democracy as contended for through the leaders of the Democratic party. In forming the constitution had the opinions of HAMILTON and others who afterwards became leaders of the Federalist party of whom the Republicans of our day are the literal descendants had their ideas prevailed we would have had a limited monarchy or at least a consolidated republic in which case the local government of the states would have been blotted out. HAMILTON himself, even after it was seen that the government which was to be formed under the constitution must be a confederated republic favored the injection into it of many monarchial principles. He would have had the members of the Senate elected for life, making that branch of the national legislature more aristocratic than it is now. The object of thus putting the Senate beyond the iniluence of frequent popular elections was that it might, like the British House of Lords, act as a check upon the popular branch of the national legislature, the theory of government then being that its powers should be equalized and rendered harmless yet also effective by a series of checks and balances of those powers. In like manner and for similar purposes he would have had the governors of the states elected for life; but the Democrats of that day would have none of the remnants of monarchial institutions interwoven with the political fabric they were constructing. They said away with your complicated system or checks and balances of power; we can trust the people; the only restraint needed is the constitution in which shall be defined the limitations of the powers granted to the government or the prohibitions thereof to the people; as for the rest, it shall be reserved to the states respectively or to the people. That idea prevailed and was finally, after a difficult struggle, incorporated in the constitution. We owe it to the Democrats that it was.

   In like manner they contended for and finally secured the first ten amendments to the constitution; and when it is remembered what an important part of the constitution those amendments make, it will begin to be understood how deeply the nation is indebted to Democracy: First, not only in place, but in importance, is the amendment securing religious freedom--the liberty of conscience in faith and practice of religion, the freedom of speech and of the press, and the right of the people to peacefully assemble to petition for redress of grievance; second, the right of the people to keep and bear arms; third, the right to be free in times of peace from soldiers being quartered in private houses against the owners' will fourth the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizure; fifth, secures the individual from being held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime except on the presentment of an indictment by a grand jury, and from being put twice in jeopardy of life or limb for the same offence, frees him from being a witness against himself and secures him from being deprived of life, liberty or property without duo process of law; and also decrees that private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation; sixth secures the right of accused parties to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury of the state and district where the crime was committed, to be confronted by the witnesses against him, to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor and to have the assistance of counsel for his defence; seventh, in suits at common law where the value in controversy exceeds $20, the right of trial by jury is assured; eighth, prohibits excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment; ninth, declares that the enumeration in the constitution of certain rights shall not deny or disparage others retained by the people; and tenth confines the powers of the government to the powers specially enumerated in the constitution.

   These provisions were not in the original constitution formed by the famous convention which framed it and submitted it through Congress to the states for their ratification; but they were urged upon the attention of the respective state conventions at the time the adoption of the constitution was discussed. It will be observed that all save the last refer to the rights of the individual protecting his liberties against the encroachments of delegated power. They constitute the American Bill of Rights and so long as they remain unimpaired they form a shield behind which individual liberty stands secure. These provisions bear the stamp of Democracy which is ever more anxious to protect individual liberty than to secure power for government. They found their chief advocates among the Democrats of that day, and through their efforts against strong opposition they became part of the American constitution. They are a noble heritage bequeathed to America by the early Democrats of our country and constitute the most valuable part of the great inheritance left to us by the generation which founded our government.

[The Salt Lake Herald, Salt Lake City, Utah; Tuesday, June 30, 1891. Twenty-First Year, Number 284 Pg. 4]

   The current hypocritical and treasonous demonrats can go straight to hell.