Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1869 — Democracy and Imperialism. [ARTICLE]

Democracy and Imperialism.

Every ism, however insane, whether religious or political, has its organ, as well as its adherents. No absurd conceit can be presented to the public without meeting with some fevor. The proofh of this are as abundant as sand on the deaert The latest example of thia ia a movement in New York in favor of imperialism. The seventh chnse of the seventh section of the first artide 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, emolument, office or title of any kind whatever, from any king, prince or foreign State.” Something over a year ago, we were informed by a prominent member of Congress, that numerously signed petitions had been sent to Congressmen, praying for the repeal of this danse. The main reason assigned was that the pnblic debt presented this issue: Either imperialism or repudiation. No attention was paid to these petitions. The next move of this class of fanatics was to start a newspaper. Several repudiation organs have been 8 tar ted, why should not the opposite; extremists have their organ f We have for some rime been expecting it. And where bnt in New York should such a publication be issued f That city is the headquarters of what may be raffed the. bonded aristocracy. Augnstßelmont is at once the prince of bondSblders, and the Chairman of the National Democratic Executive 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 oath*lmperialist. This association of the name of Democracy with aristocratic power is no new thing. For a generation the slaveholding aristocracy ruled rids country in that specious name. A system worse than feudalism, worse even than imperialism as fonnd in France, in Russia, or in all history, had absolute oontrol over the so-called Democratic party, and through that party controlled oar national politic* until the crisis of the rebellion put an end to it. The cost in blood and treasure of overthrowing that imperialism was incalculable, yet it was • national blessing, even at the price paid. As a blind, thia organ of Belmont and Company adopts as its motto Louis Napoleon’s famous “The Empire ia peaoe,” and Grant’s still more famous battle cry of the late campaign, “ Let ns have peace." This attempt to couple together the perfidious Emperor and the patriot President is a transparent sham. No one is deceived by the trick. The movement is the frantic death straggle 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 expects the formal overthrow of this Republic, either by a grand coup d'etat, or by any other means; bnt as the Democrats have nothing to lose, the imperial leaden, with Well street as their royal road to power, hazard nothing In putting forth such sentiments as these : " Let the bondholders look to it. If they would ever again eea a dollar of the mllliona poured with cheerful hoarta and willing haada Into the Treaaurr, when the life of tha nation waa threatened ; if they would aee their Juat claims agatnat this ungrateful Republic liquidated In honeet gold; If they would save the profits of their frugality and tndnatry from oonilaeation by tha ignorant and prejudiced mob, let them no longerhng the delusive fancy tbat the debt of the United States will over be paid until we have a Government that shall be ‘everything for the people, but nothing by the people.’ To them the empire offers the only pledge of security that la worth the paper on which it la written.” While Belmont & Go., as Democrats, beve nothing to lose, they have as bondholders, interests that should not be tampered 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 repudiation last fell, we were prepared for any suicidal folly, even thia spasm of imperialism.— Chieago Journal.