American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-05-18
Volume VI.


the proposition WIN W'cn we set out. tnat lhe rX-
i,tence of parties is not in itself evil, we of
the belief that there is description Of party to
which man may attach himself, to which we new
er Will belong. We mean party merely person.
al whether in reference to its aversion to man.
or set OF men, or to the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF those
who form and lead the party.
That there were individuals no entertained sui.
icient hostility to the Administration, and patic
lularly to Mr. .4dams and MIR. Clay to be willing
TO fall into the ranks 1T such party, if not to place
themselves at the head of it, we had long known.
We had seen it promuged through the Charles
ton Mercury, by letters from this City, which the
Editor of that print will not deny to have been
written BY distinguished pnbiic men, Immediately
after the choice Of Mir. .4aams by the House Of
Representatives, that, whatever might be the lea-
sures Of the PRESIDENT, lie should be hurled from
his seat, at the end OF four years.
Here and there, saw and heard, in the fol-
lowing Summer, indications OF the existence Of o
similar sentiment III other individuals and public
prints. During the first session OF the last Cons
gress, being the first after the induction Of Mr. I'D
ans to the Presidency, instances were Familiarity
addressed to US by personal friends, that we shoula
go with them in opposition to this Administration
to which our answer was, usually, that we saw
nothing in the course Of the Administration To op-
pose; that this Administration appeared to be stead'
lily following the policy of preceding Admnstra.
tions, which had been almost unanimously approved
by the People: and did not see how We could
reconcile it to consistency or proptety to oppose
a system Of policy which we had always decidedly
approved--a further, that. in his appointments
to office, the President appeared to US to have been
even more fortunate than his predecessors, and es-
pecially to have surrounded himself with Cabinet
in whose ability and zeal for the public good we
had the greatest confidence. If any reply
made to this, it was, probably, that the election of
the President, and the appointment Of Secretary
of State, were the result OF bargain Or previous
understanding, and therefore they must be put
down. TO which We generally rejolned. that lie
who used this argument doubtless sincere in
his belief Of its tlnth, but that bSt is matter not
communicable from one to another, and we must
therefore be excused for dissenting from his pfem-
ises as well his conclusions: that the opinion
expressed by us, day two after the elcctioh u
President was cOnsunmated, in the entire purits x
that election, had been confirmed, rather than
weakened, by all our subsequent observation. lis
covered to be thus untractabe, we were lett to 70
our way, or perhaps were told, that it perfect
Ily nmaterial how we'll the Government was ADJ
ministered. or how pure the Administration was
it should be put down if they who protested this
opinion could effect the object. We have already
stated the terms in which this sentiment un-
to have been expressed BY one OF the sem
ators of the United States: did SO, not out OF
the slightest disrespect to him, whom we did not
vate virtues early association and long observation
had inspired US with the highest regard but mere
Is to place in the strongest light, of which it was
susceptible, a sentiment which We had often heard
freely expressed by individuals. This sentiment
was, about that time, proclaimed as principle OF
action by print established here. under the pat
ronage of Members of Congress. being the same -
which the person lately voted for by the Opposition,
in the Senate, was subsequently, attached as Edi-
tor. We perfectly recollect marking the sentl-
ment when we met with it, as one would couI-
te,feit coin, that no might be taken in BY it
Though we aware of the opinions thus en-
tertalned BY individuals, we supposed they were
rare, and never would be made the basis OF par
ty organization; and. agreeing entirely in opinion
with the Sage of Monticello, that error of opinion
may be safely tolerated where reason is left free
to combat it. we contented ourselves with pursuing
our own way. leaving others to pursue theirs I'M.
disturbed. This was course prescribed by cour-
tesy to the opinions of others. and that spirit OF
federation which has always ruled this press. anu
ever shall do so. !.
The proceedings towards the close of the late
Session Of Congress, however, and especially the
vote for printer in tile Senate, developed new
state of things, which required departure from
the reserve it would have been more agreeable To
US to have continued to maintain, and oblisnp us
to speak out plainly to our readers.
| Respecting this matter OF the Printing Tor the
senate, II Is Dut JusNce 10 ourselves |" say "'' ~
is subject OH which we have never introduced
conversation to any Senator--much less have we
ever condescended to solicit vote Tor 1t, either in
that body, or the other House We have content
ed ourselves with discharsng. to tire best OF our
ability, the duty which the appointment of printers
IL both Houses devolved upon us, and that we
supposed to be all the duty which was required of
Us. We knew that no member Of the Senate Gone
perhaps cxcepted) had any ground ofpersonal hos
tity to US, or betrayed in his personal department