American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-05-08
Volume vi.
Wasltingtpn. March %.

going party -man has nothing to do but to follow
his leader He is to have no opinion OF his own,
nor to venture to express one, but such as, how
ever violently maintained for the moment, can be
reversed or dsowned at the beck Of the leader
The grand political scheme for overturnng the pre-
sent Administration, we have shown in our review
of the signs Of the times,'' is not based upon
principle, though some men of principle have
doubtless suffered themselves to be wheeded into
the Combination It's, on the part of the leaders,
a war for office, and for Office only. In the de-
yelopment of the plans of the party, through its
organ at New York, we hear nothing about prin-
cipIe. In place of that, we have a tumble of
words, from which extract the information that
there has been concentration Of sentiment heres
at Washington; by which concentration. it aP-
pears to be understood that nomination OF Pre-
sident and Vice President will be made at the
next session of Congress; wherefore. 1t best and
pisest that the People Of New York should avoid
premature committals, &c. &c.-and. when the
Caucus Nomination shall be made, though having
no idea upon whom it will fall, then, says the
Advocate, we will give it a "cordial, warm. and
honest support" In quoting this tissue OF absur-
dity, we mean no particular disrespect to the
Editor of the Advocate. He is laboring in his vo.
cation. To be "honest," means, in his vocabula-
ry, to pocket his own opinions, and adopt those
which are prescribed to him. This is the princI-
pie 70 which the Editor pledges his fidelity. L is
the principle of party organization, according
to the improved system, by means of which, great
things may be effected within the limits Of sin
gle State, but which (thanks to Heaven y never
can be brought into successful operation in the Ma
tional Government, composed of four and twenty
distinct Republics, differing in their political no.
tons, partiaities, and preudces, so tar at least
that they can never be drilled upon the new sys
tenn. They never can be disciplined as to
,cheel By patoons, or change front By divisions at
the word OF command. The experiment was COM
mn rpIQ
ment. was abandoned for the time, and until it
could be resumed under more auspicious crcum-
stances. 1t cannot be forgotten that, soon after
the election of the Hon, .Martin Fan Buren, to
the Senate Of the United States, he did attempt
to introduce into that body his system of party
discipline and to procure the rejection of nomina
tions, not upon the question Of honesty or fitness
for trust, but upon the test OF persons having vo-
ted one way or another at preceding election.
Still less be forgotten the recorded attempt to
! bring down upon the Executive Of the United
States the "irrepressble energy" OF his party IN
: New York, because the President had the assu-
rance, the honorable Senator's dispeasure to the
contrary notwithstanding, to appoint the gallant
soldier Solomon Pan Rensselaer, (whose body was
scanned with scars of honorable wounds during
the late wary to be Postmaster for the City Of Al
bany. The appeal was not responded to: the
Senate of the United States not then in the
humor to be "organized - and the attempt to
e troll the regular operation of this Government. By
means of pensoned presses and affiliated clubs in
: the States, was postponed--not renquished, as we
!, have seen in the sequel. How far the plans, laid
during the last Winter, for efec,ing the same OBJ
ject, will be successful, remains to be seen. The
hopes of the party rest on the ability of Mr.. pnn
o Buren, to transfer to the Caucus Of next Winter,
the thirty-sir shares Of stock which he has con-
r tracted to them; and, if the people Of New York
. submit to be sold and transferred like lot Of sheep,
IS or drove of oxen, do not see what Is to pre-
l. vent his making President. or-bsing made Pre-
a sident himself Stranger things than that have
: happened in this best of all possible worlds. The
/ calculation. which are made are, that the feeling
i of party in New York is stronger than regard
y to principle; and therefore the Advocate talks
It about the ancient usages Of the Republican partg
being preserved, as if the newly organized party
e here had any claim to that designation, in any
IS sense-eyen in the sense OF the Advocate That
party certainly ranks amongst ts most active and
It efficient MEMBERS gentlemen who not only refused
t to attend the meeting OF Democratic Members Of
y Congress held at the Capitol in February, 1924,
but were signers to the protest agansthe Caucus,
besides using every otfer to prevent it, and
n who of course are not included in the Advocates
/ idea of Republicanism.
{. The vote Of New York, however, surprising MIR.
IS Fan Buren, to be able to control it, would be- who'll
inefficient for his purposes whatever they are.
without retaining, also, the Southern votes. These
g from the absence of previous organizations
be controlled or directed by mere party terms !;
ami, to secure their cooperation, there must be
u some pretence Of regard to principle. Mr.. Vau
~ Buren, is too skilful navigator not to have dis
covered this shoa, which his fortunes might be
~ wrecked; and he has taken care, therefore, in
u, vood time to cast an anchor to wndward. An
ooonortunity was offered him for doing so in his
se Letter to the President of the Senate OF New
T.: Ynrk accepting his reelection to the Senate