Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1837-03-30

the lighting and gaming political party hattl's the
eh'cl object of their proceedings Tor the only test
by which tried their fitness for iegslaop, last
sprung WIS To demand ot them; " Are YOU Tor Van
Suren, ion White, OF Harrison !" None. then, who
have had any concern tand who has not had soms }
III substituting such u test Ton the proper one, and
thereby most fatal, pcncrng the sense oi leglsla-
tive duties, should ior one momcnt, blame tholI re
personalities iof fulfilling the purpose of then ms,
s'"n 81 faithful, rs they have done, since the
memorable contest between the elder adams and Nh.
Jefferson, when this most Wild and pcnilcious prac
tee was first ssst"macnl, adopted. At this period,
slhce II has become thoroughly established II would
hr utterly useless nov Ia enquire, Who begau Ion
lhll probably would only aeeia,ais the evil Memo
can deny that they do mol both aud feel II nost
deeply still less the, den, disastrous effects
although each parl> lahurs 10 aequi itself OF all
blame by nnpntng the Whole 10 lis antagonist as
II they believed the people such fools IL kno"
that no iead quarrel whatever, can LONG be kept mp
without hoH paftoS bang 10 blame, matttr VIM h
committed the nstnlone. II ANY Affirm that have
made our party pnaficl- older than they loa, are,
viii they please To uame an, sin r of OUT
legislature since the date have assigned, Whcu the
nemb,,, thereof dd meet like many gam
cocks, fully prepared ior mortal combat. and waiting
only ior the plicr's signal 10 commence the dcadh
hHht DO the part, conbatants oi the present time
sh"" an, abatement OF Ng"f III attack a. defence
an, mtrimisson ri reciprocal hate--anN less ardor
III Wagrne their destructive narmel The question
viii be lnncdatcl, ausW Erred bN taking mp part,
newspaper YOU please ana ! VIII submit IN be u
dctmcr II the adverse parties III our legislature
not found engaged more HAN hall ther time. III per
rci obedience la the principles on "hleh tlleN were
elected, IN war OF mutual political determination,
leaving, al interim, all the great interests o the state
To take oi themselves, To receive their aiten-
tIun too late Ia do good.
II need, no wizard To point out the disastrous
sequences Ia all interests, but especially Ia al
such an utter per erson of hetrue principles ui
prcsentatlso government, These surc, require that
the good sense, the knowledge aud the virtue OF the
people should he reprcscntrd-not then pteudlecs
and passions Tor Mhrn they govern the constituent
body, the representative body nnst necessarily be
like ther masters, the slaves oi similar irrational aud
riinous impulse, and the conduct oi both parties
tends dne,tl, defeat the very cnd of that spreirs
oi government. called representative, which end Is
the good al the whole nation, whethr, Their polly
be consolidated, OF edcrauve. Another fatal effect
oI this state OF things Is, thai the great qualltts al
luoral worth good talents hlgh, cultivated love oi
country, aud devotion To all It's best Interests,
longer (as they ought To bc,) made the essential, tho
indispensable qualifications, al oui public functional
ilcs; but the ding FIRST sought iot-Ihc thing pre-
irrredo all oihcrs-iS, staunch, undertaking, rrek
less adhesion 10 political party. Yet the most SIN
pld among ua know perfectly we'll that much the
greater portion oi the duties winch these public
gents are chosen Ia perform, have really nothing Ia
do with party politics, and moreover, that they are
OF such nature as imperati,ely Ia require all the
wI,dom, knowledge and ,ntuc OF the nation 10 exc
subject by the in regard to which the rank ~ hlc
OF no Legislative body, ever YET chosen upon mere
pat, principles, have been any better qualified 10
act wl>els, than 10 make good ptammaIs ol all the
dead aud living languages OF the world. This would
hc equally tue, whether they aic loucst dShon-
est, SINCE both cases they una,oidably pm
then ltl upon the sleeve al others; must be know
lngly nncnnsciously led or driven INTO the party
lr,ck ior they would often have 10 dceldc between
questions w'dc, differing from each other question,
much General knowledge aud experience; questions
moreover. regard to tho comparative merits al
which ih,, would be- nearly ignorant many
children. But thus II goes IN these our days, at all
our elections for representatives. " llnrnh hnr-
ral ~ Tor the most popular IDOL N such time, III
particular county district, eiicctualy browns
all argument of the adverse party because an an
swer all the better for It's brcsiy, on an occasion 80
anImatmg-an answer To every suggestion calculated
To damp the prevalent party lcNor; and often ee
Yates To the dignity of delegate Il cannot conscen-
tiousS say representatives. of said count, district,
some t"o-lcggcd animal called u man, who shonld
thank lood luck ior it, II he finds ms WAY 10 the L.
g,slaIrc halls of Virginia without guido. beg |
YOU, sir Ia he assured thai tins Is eXaggrratou ior
the gentleman ~ now living who II necessary could
prove upon oah that, nj one oi the sessions OF our
Legislature, when these part, battles FIRST began lac |
had hicra, TO pilot one these legislative noodles
through the simple process OF presenting his crcden-
idls. aud marching into the Legislative hail. whrr" he
who, session. by such memorable ioolefcs that II is
NOT uncommon to hear lhrm rccapltulaird even At
this day. But II has been, aud viii lac forever,
while political party sp - suffered 10 rule the land;
for hen the constituents become 81 disiempered, 40
drep, Infected with this moral poison, as to seek
thng elise but similar Infection, as the chef, the
indispensable qualification IN thcl public scrHani, II Is
nest impossible that their rcprescniaR cs shonld
be in more hcalihlul condition than themselves.
They act and react each other as perpeiuae the
infection with increased yiulcncc, until like those /
diseases Which destroy the body natural, IL inicts
death on the body polite. How, indeed, should ii
be othcrwl.e!-For ii pcradcs every mans home
the closest friendships, brings dlabolcal STRIFE
into all the private relations of life UNNECESSARILY M
ures the morals OF every community by altering aud
lowering the standard of fitness for all public trusts,
and limits the field of choice for public unetlonarcs
hot to III. whole number OF the party which hap |
pens to be dominant N the tmr-but TO that portion
OF it only which, for the honor of human nature, we
may hope is comparatively small in every party, who |
can consent Weld the clcarcs convictions Of their
understanding and conscicuces 10 party dictaton. !
In truth God has never scourged any people, ior
their sins, with a dreadful curse than party; Tor
IN religion has caused the most bloody, savage an,
discriminating wars, while i'll politics IT has produced
millions ol deeds arocious, horrible, that the
bare recital Of the least OF them enough chill the
hearts blood of any human being who possesses the
smallest spark of humanity. For proof OF tins, |
need go farther back in the history OF the civilized
world than to the blacklist, most shocking of all lis
pages, the French revolution, revolution distin-
guished above all others Tor its systematic and mpl
Gus attempts TO Danish every thing like morals andre
ligiou from the face OF the earth, BY the deliberate
murder Of millions OF the wseSt and best citizens OF
France.
Thoroughly and deeply convinced as am, thai the