Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-06-22

have only since seen, relieves from all DOUBT MS
own purposes, and the object and end oil ihc Con-
,cntion. consider myself" says he, the ho-
nored instrument. selected by the friends Of the
present Administration, Ia carry ont as Prmoipffs
and policy and, as ,ceH from inclination as from
duty, shall, il honorcd with the choice Of the
American People, cndcavor Ia tread generally IN
the footsteps of President jaokson-happy II
shall be able TO perfect The ioork which he has 50
giorioudV begun"
What the Vice President has in view n point
of perfection in political work" We Cannot say.
But OF this there cannot be the least doubt thai II
is the purpose of the nominee, should he he 81 cted
President, not content himself with bumbl. I'M
itation merely Of his ureat master, but To crown
himself, by surprising him, with even moro Illus
trious rcsplcndencN Of GLORY
There can, ut all events, be no longer room toi
question, that the effect oi the success of the Bal
timoro Convention scheme would be 10 pcrpcu-
ate the principles fthc party which, ms Mr.. PotK
happily expressed it, i, nov dominant IN our conn
try. We proceed therefore in our enquiry.
What the principles oithai party
The peculiar principles OF til dominant party.
and those especially by which they hold power,
aud now seek to pcrpctuatc il, through the insifn-
mentality of the Baltimore Nomination, must be
sought for in the annals OF the present Admiuistfa
ton. They of no earlier date in our history.
Unknown before in this Government, they
have no reference to any Of the questions which
have heretofore divided the People o the United
States into parties. The dominant party, II is rue,
assumes to itself the title oi DEMocna,iC, hut lis
democracy is of no kin or likeness IN that which
was protested, during the active portion oi their
lives, b, the JlrrEnsoNs, MAprsoNs, and Mon
noEs the venerable sur> isors of the Revolutions
~ era who gave asccndaney to the putty they e.
pouscd |, might be lkoned rather 10 the cNam-
pie of democracy afforded by the D,NroNH, Ma
RATS, and RoursrEGEus Of another country, self
styled Republicans, who, by prescription first, and
dcspotism afterwards, rode IN terror over the pros
lrate rights of their eountrymen, and who would
willingly have pcrpotuuted hrW power If, ia cor
sequence Of thcrcxcc'so they hal got been borne
down bv the irresistible indignation of an outraged
People. With such cNcosscs, either IN viii or IN
decd, we have OF course no thought of charging
The dominant party" 1t Is entirely a mater oi
speculation whether, if the virtues OF some, and i
discreet regard thcr own personal safety in 9th
crs, had NOT restrained its influential leaders, the
career of the party" miuh, not have been b.
fore now terminated by one of those revolutions
which have, in all countries, been theeonscqucnee
of such excuses. The leaders of " the party
however, have been careful not to pass the limits
of endurance. They have Sustained from wanton
violence that is, they have committed none
where nothing was to be gained by H. We may
even admit--tor we have no wish TO make them
out worse than they arc--;hai, in many of TIE IN
stances in which they have awaited themselves Of
their peculiar principles. in administering the e.
vcrnmcnt, il has been for objects which they had
persuaded themselves were compatible with the
public good Some objects thus accomplished
may in fact have been conducive to the public IN
tcrcst but that does not iust, the means by which
a. II L., Ill,
OF the principles" of the dominant party, that the
md lu,tics the means.
lis, we know, an argument (ou the part Of
hose who reason specifically to be met nth,
Threshold IN every attempt 10 scan the principle
ri the party IN power, that, under their sway, onr
institutions are Yet erect, and tlc public prosperi-
~ though checked for time, has not been cutire-
Iy blghicd. But the principle, of the dominant
party, il wrong in themselves are not less worthy
of rcpruhaion because they have moi yet quite III
med the nation The impetus which the industry
and enterprise Of the country received under the
wise and dsiniercsted legislation of former Admin
stratlons has enabled it 10 resist the parall2 III
ilucnce of some measures, effected by the npplira-
ton OF the peculiar principles of the party the
dclccrious consequences Of which, however, the
country may YET feel in its very ,itals. For, the
seeds of disease in the s,son : aud Moth
Ing, in our opinion, will the pairnl but res-
cuing ii i'll time from the hand, of The present D.
tors.
The first cXceptionable principle OF the lonli-
nant party which is, in fact, the foundation Of H.
whole fabric of politics, is the prescription Of all n-
dependence Of action, or even Of thought, in tie i
gents OF the Government, from the highest to the
lowest. In other words, the principle which re-
cards Government as an affair Of party, and moi an
establishment Tor the promotion OF the common
defence and general welfare; "A doctrine, under the
influence which, mere party considerations pos
sess the weight which, according TO The true Re-
publican principle is due only Ia considerations of
tho public good, the happiness of the People, and
the National integrity. This doctrine is not only
one which the party does NOT rcpudiatc but
ayows, and pridus itself upon. 1t is essential 10
the party, for without it the party could never hold
together for a twcvemonth. To Tie cicfor bcione
the spoiis NJ the sncmys are the exact terms in
which this fundamental principle of the party has
been proclaimed, on the floor of Congress. by one
of the most respectable members of the party to
whom the country is greatly indebted for this ex-
pcit a,owal. Politics, in this party system, IS a
game, IA race, battle, in which all stratagcms are
allowed 10 be fair, and in which the party that can
oveircach ovcrpowcr its antagonist is entitled 10
the spolls. These =" spos' are the Offices and
trusts Of the Government, which are thus perverted
from the purposes for which they were ordained
and established, into qualifications OF the most
efficient parizans 81 the most imporlunatc of the
followers Of the victorious camp. As corollarX
from the above maxim, the first duty of the sur
ccssiul chief in any popular elo Ctiou is 10 ygY0fd