The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-04-18
From .Nsles's Register, March II.
PROSPECT BEFORE US.

It is with much reluctance we have ar
rived at belief, that the ensuing elecuoIl
of President of the United States will
cause as much heat, if not violence, as any
other event that ever happened In our
country that father will be arrayed against
son. and son against father; old friends |
become enemies, and social intercourse he |
cruelty interrupted, rs it was IN days that
have passed. the like of which we hoped
never to witness again. 1t IS not our pres
ent purpose to inquire, whence the necessl- !
tv of such a state of things; why the eX-
citement that already prevails among Pot'-
ticians, though the People are still; why
the heat manifested against, and the abuse
heaped upon, distinguished gentlemen,
hitherto regarded as among those who did
honor to their country. and marked The
characters of the age, and whose claims to
the most exalted starding, for private prob
ity and public worth, were never question
ed. until party had coniured up its chimer-
as to contound the understandings OF men,
and lead them into captivity, bilndtolded
by passion? We have heard much about
Coalition" on one side, and now it
seems there is g Combination" on the
other; and it is perfectly evident, that what
have been esteemed as great essential
principles of policy, are about to be set a
side, if not Abandoned, because of likes,
and dislikes, the lust for power, and mania
to possess influence. We look Oh, and
wonder at the Transformations of the char
acter of persons, and Of the fitness OF
things. In some cases, in different places.
and in regard to different PARTIES, individu-
ais who were supposed the visest and best,
the most discreet and patriotic of our citi-
zens, a little while ago, are low spoken Of
as corrupted and base; AMI others that
were among the least approved of for
character, discretion, or monl worth, are
exalted into beings of a very superior or
der; though neither, perhaps, nave chang
ed their opinions or principles, Or in any re-
spect, prescribed new rules of conduct for
themselves. Such, toWever, is the Recro-
NANCY Of party, that makes men as devils
or as gods, at its will-imputing all tint is
base, or claiming all that is excellent 1t
is surprising, however. that these things
are permitted that thinking people 'oler-
ate them; that persons may not keep stead
fast to their own opinions without commit
ting violence on the opinions of oilers
that personal preferences should supercede
.
put up or down individuals, swallow up ev-
cry consideration Of right and of wrong
Accusation on one side begets accusation
on the other; the pride of opinion is rous-
ed, and rude and rough expressions, and
personal rencontres follow, between neigh
; bors and others, who really may not differ
at all in the principles which govern them
For ourselves, we shall not enter into the
arena abort to be opened: for we cannot
become giadiatorS-fght at the will of {
master and spare or kill at command. We
shall not move as party moves. We owe
no more allegiance to it than to his maies
ty of Congo, or any other dark potentate
whatever. We shall pursue our old and
approved course; and, without violence,
support those measures for which we have
always been the humble but Jealous advo-
Gates; we are not Of spirit that willed {
| L orK, and would that the canals siouIC
have been nothing more than "big ditch
es," because the making of them nigh
rebound to the honor of an individual deep
ly interested in their success; nor Of &
temper to abandon internal improvements
and the encouragement of domestic indus
try, to carry on electioneering projects.
We cannot give up principles to subserve
temporary purposes; and if others are of
| Tended because we are less .feribIe than
| themselves, we shall not turn upon our heel
to prevent it. Every person who pursues
one steady course, becomes fashionable or
questionable in about every five years of
his life, with different sets of persons; he
is alternately approved or blamed; and
some are GtlCayS offended, because, as the
times change, he does not change with
them.
But to revert to the subject before US
we anticipate scenes of political exertion
and political violence, in many of the
States, equal to any which we have ever
witnessed. There will be sharp struggles
in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky,
and much stir in several others and we
fear that they will 60 far beyond the bounds
of moderation, and that degree of mutual
respect which freemen should entertain for
their fellows. But, as out of almost every
other political CONFUSION we have seen or
telt-such as the contest between the old
Republican and Federal parties-the cleo
ton IN the House of Representatives when
Jefferson and Burr were before 1t as can
dldates Tor the Presidency-the long En-
bargo-the Wharf.-The Missouri Question
good may grow out of this. The People
VIII nave their eyes opened to see that their
business has been more than once neglect
ed, to cause or prevent the second election
OF President. Besides, they may become
disguised even with their own violence on
occasions of this sort, and seriously inquire
what good can result from such proceed
mngs-and find out, perhaps, that the cleo
ton of President is of far less individual
or public importance, than good under
standing. with their neighbors, and good
feeling between the States. Then thew
will look out for remedy which shall. in a
less or greater degree, prevent the recur-
renee of these contests of opinion, and
struggles for power-which, we think, is