Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-08-11
From the Democratic Press.
PARTY SPIRIT.

fAkl1 oflhti
Since The beginning Of the world there has
been only one thing discovered which can give
efficiency to the Democratic principle-or as
i! is better termed the principle Of self'goyern-
ment; and that is the spirit OF partyism. Like
every good and every necessary thing, Us eX
tremey liable to abuse, aid if suffered to al.
tain uncontrolled sway, may become devour
ing fire, but that argues nothing against the
intrinsic advantages oft.
In the whole field Of human history there is
perhaps no better illustration OF our assertion
than is TO be found in the scarcely credible mass
of abuses growing out Of monstrous and NOR
bid democracy, without par,yism, which has
long existed within the British empire. we
mean the East India Company.
Mr.. Mills in his able history Of British In.
dia, gives minute account OF the organization
and proceedings of,hat extraordinary imperi-
UNI in mperio The proprie,ors constitute
complete theoretical democracy. They elec,
annually the Court Of Directors and no DEGREES
are binding in the last resort but by the assent
of the court Of pro2retors. "Under the com.
mon impression Of democratic ambition, irreg.
ulari,y and violence" says Mr.. Mills, "it might
be concluded that the democratic assembly
would grasp at the whole OF the power, would
constrain and disturb the proceedings Of the
Chairmen and Directors, would deliberate with
violence and animosity, and exhibit all the con.
fusion, precipitation, and imprudcnce whieh
ere commonly ascribed 10 The exercise Of pop.
uar power.
The result is extremely different from what
the common modes Of reasoning would promp,
common minds 10 infer. Notwithstanding the
power, which by the theory Of the Constitution
is thus reserved 10 the popular part OF the sys>
tenn, all power has cenlered in the Court Of D
rectors: and the government Of the Company
has been an olgarchy in point Of fact. SO fa'
from meddling too much, the Court Of Propr
etors has not attended to the common affairs
even sufficiently for the business Of inspection:
* the known principles Of human nature abun
dainty secured that particular result. To watch
to scru,inizc, to inquire is labour, and abour
is pain. To eonfide, to take for granted that
all is well. is easy.
|. 1t is thus :hat all constitutions, however de-
Theoretically formed, have a tendency to be.
come oligarchicalj in practice. The more M
merous body, who constitute the democracy
see the objects Of ambition at so glca, dis.
tance, and the competition for them is shared
with so great number, that they make bu,
feeble impression upon their minds-the small
number on the other hand have their affections
so powerfully engaged by the presence Of their
object, that they easily concentrate their views,
and pour their energies with perfect cons,ancy
in The selfish direction. The apathy and mat.
tention Of the people, on the one hand, and the
interested activity Of the rulers on the other
are, in politics, two powers, the action Of which
may always be counted upon; nor has the art
OF government as yet exempl6ed any certain
means by which the unhappy effects of tia,
action may be prevented"
10 this there can be but the one answer
that the spirit Of party supplies the desidera.
lum. Our concern for the general welfare
which, however honest and enlightened, is gen.
orally rather passive than an active scn,imcn,
unless urged into action by something ex,rane.
Gus, acquires from partyism a new vitality
J. he man whose fancy the hope Of Office never
visited, feels zeal he knows scarcely why, and
gives TO his political duties that attention with.
out which the system Of self government would
be as empty and deceptive as the cloud OF Ixion
lie ieeis an interest in the success Of the policy
nis Judgment approves; but it is chiefly because
the success oil those 10 whom lie is attached
dePends upon that policy. Philosophize and
retlne as we may, we shall still find thar with
nlne.tenths ofthe world there is more of per.
sonal devotion than Of principle in their par
tyism; and that party sentiments withou, some
ofthat alloy, would be too sublimated for ordi.
nary use.
Principle, however, is the salt of par,yism
without which it would become violent in its
operation, and utterly mischievous in its ten.
denotes.
Par,yism more or less, tinctured with that
moolsh sentiment Of personal devotion, mus, Of
necessity exist in every popular government
Nothing but barbarism or despolism can ex,
Iinguish it. Old parties will occasionally die,
and the community will apparently settle down
MO homogeneous mass. But the action of
natural afhnilies will, as the chemists would
'ay, occasion partial combinations, and the re-
'ah'ng separations will be affected with expo.
i've iorce. In the political as in the natural
vor,d' tnere IS oilen much danger to be appre.
'ended from these new combinations.
NnnNo