Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1817-03-08


JOHN FOX, scc'ry.
THOUGHTS ON PARTY SPIRIT
In offering few remarks, says thu
Connecticut Herald, on a subFct
which is daily discussed by all ciusscs
Of citizens in this cG@atir, and Ct
which almost every maalI.ieves him.
self a competent judge, Though he be
merely the mouth piece OF another:
the writer does rot fiatter himself viii
the belief that he can spggesr any new
ideas nor has he the vanity 70 sup.
pose that his reasoning viii convince
those who diErr from lin.
| We live in 4 couniry wh're the
right Of conscience and thc fretdcn
of speech are enjoyed in a higher &e-
gree than in any ether part OF l,e
globe. But outstanding tie h.
betty that we possess, and tie Wis.
dom of waicil we baas,, few among us,
even in this enlightened age, think for
Themselves. Investigation ipgUirGs
cXertion and as man is naturally
inGo!cnt. he viii exert himself only
when compelled by necessity. In pc-
lilics. In ethics, and ever III the COM
mon occurrences of life, We arc not
ashamed To haze a lc.iA.r. Scare
any question can BE- i:.isrd which vii
not be decided by the ipse dixet" 4
some great man. W.T.: titlidcnrG
therefore, the writer attempts 70
breach ole. which VIII probably be
referred for decision he gallacionS
tribunal of individual c9pfrc". before
it recci> es The sanction II disappT0!Ia-
tion Of puhlic opinion.
Party spirit i; said lie be the inss-
parable cGRcamitant OF fro, dom and
May believe That il IS sscntial to he
existence Of the fee constitution. III
support Of this position, We are ~.
ierrcd for example to tie ancient re-
pUhIi2s of Grc2Cc and Rome.
IN what country, il 3 asked. has
liberty iloarisEcd 'nora han in Greere
and RENE What ~~ipas ever ar
rived to higher pcr'cc oHs in The arts
and sciences? What Fowrrs lave az
quiicd greater military renown than
these And were they not continual
ly emhroilcd in pa:iy animosiiies?
On the other hand, those who are OF.
posed 10 this dactriac. tell us that Par.
ty spirit is the bans OF civil liberty,
tn tool Of designing remagGgnes. tho
harbingcr of tyrann., and the certain
destruction Of "a repu!ic. And in SIP
part Of this creed they W. s'!duce tie
same examples by which their oHpo.
nents would prove the very reverse.
Examples, though t;'sy be inirndrc-
ed occasionally with great success for
the purpose 81 illustration. yet do not
always amount To proof. Like raHsrs
will indeed prodnce Ike Effects: aid
if in raising an ar.,l.h'at b. rampari-
son, VIC select no stand. r;ls bat FIcb
rs we're in all RESPECTS anE!irab!c. cET
deduction froa, TIL so-rcr void he
generally cor.cct. UuHiM snOritd-c
is in a great degree ,.epcnacnt ou cS-
pcriencc and il caic'i:ainS for the
future We generally rcycrt ~ tic past
But we se,dam trolih'c ourselves wa
aicc distinctions. Zoe most ri1'ni'
nent objects, or TIE ynnsi striking -.
4lances. arrest our :ii'cn-icn: AZ"
hey correspond "jJl orr wigs We
tl,ink we have discovered IN exact s.
Multitude. where there is ".lya r's'a'
Glance. This is tiic case in reason
ing on mast toaiss. nu.farticulaIy
on that Of politics. Politicians $40
remarkably rMd CT cxem '!iiica;ieN,i;
end it requires 10 Smaii share u
learning to understand tho WHITE
That opposition. cohf cd "in ~
Sc; bouu... u ,:ri6m'H 90 w.
.ood ia -goyerlmeni, Is a ttnin ~
clearly eyinccd' by .iistor-' aar a
nerra, tIy consistent Wl;h reason a'"'