The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1822-07-30
MISCELLANY.

Iron TIE rPasrisur;aIe, of July 90, we \
find the Editor expressing the following senti-
ment, which we have no doubt will be received
with the reprobation its prohigacy deserves:
" NE 'cish to see a president, icho relies Tess
upon has independence, and more upon has party. !
Your thorough going, tchole soul, decisive party
men, are, after all said, The safest"
Here is a direct, unblushing assertion that the
United States should be governed, not by reason,
and knowledge, and political experience, but by
party spirit that the Chief Magistrate of the
nation should be the tool of those, who have
done him the honour TO Iabour for his election =
If any thing can equal the turpitude of such a
senment,itis its basenessits degradation, its ut
ter meanness.
The Editor of the National Advocate has more
than once, insnuated, his disbelief in the reality
of political virtue. According to his code of
morals, every action NAV be traced to base and
grovelling selhshness honour and patriotism are
but hollow mockeries and the generous ambi-
ton which leads man to labour for the public
q 20 identify his own happiness with the prosperi-
ty of the community of which he is a member, is
but paltry bargain "a contract 10 do some
thing for those who have done something for him.
It is onlv with reference to such principles. that
this profigate sentiment has even the semblance
| of plausibilitv - Your HoTough-going, Thote
soul, decisive pa1tu men NAV be the readiest to
enter into a mercenarv contract. and may be
willing to give the highest price for the assls-
lance of mecenary men. II is not many
months since the Editor of the National Advo-
cate attempted to Justify the circulation Of a
known and mischievous falsehood, by the flip
pant remark, that " an IS far an politics"
From such assistance, and from any office TO
be obtained by such assistance, an honorable
man would turn with unutterable contempt.
Virtue does still.
With scorn. the mercenary world regard,
Where ahiect souls do good, and hope reward
Above the worthless trophies man can raise,
She seeks not honour, wealth. nor airy praise
|But with herself, herself the goddess pays
II our attention were not occupied so much
by the immortality Of the sentiment we might
dwell a little upon its folly. Your thorough.
going, 'chole-sou, decisive, party nen--tte say
est! What were Marat, and Danton, aud koo-
spierre. but thorough-goinr, whole-soul, de-
: csive partymen and what safety was there
for laws. or liberty, or lfe under their ferocou'
misrule ? Who more devoted to party than
! Henry of Guise, or Caesar Borgia The mas
sacre Of st Bartholomew was indeed a de-
cisive. thorough-going" measure and the
atrocities of the rival factions in every town u
, Italy, sufficiently proved that their whole soul
!, was given up to party but we have never rea'
: of the safety or advantage of these demonstra
: lions Of zeal. Or to take our examples from
period of still higher antiquity :-Marus am
. Syla were thorough gong, tchole-som decis'c
partlj-men Go was Octavius, and Anthony, an
I.epidus. But of the " safety" of such devotion
to party, LET the prescriptions of Bononia bea
Y witness History is full Of such examples; an
! If we were 20 act upon the principles OF the I'd
4 itor of the National Advocate, we should hol
them up to the admiration of the world.
= One word more, upon this attempt to exclt
party spirit. A difference of opinion must a
WAYS exist where men are permitted TO thin
q for themselves and the expression OF tins oPi'
i l ION will, in free governments always give rs