The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-05-27
FOR THE PILOT
OF a DEMOCRA-
TIT WING

contest now carried on between Ihe Demo-
cratic Wigs and Federal DeSt7pctices in their
campaign for the next presidency; and my
mind is strongly impressed with the convic-
ton, that the general position in which the
former have suffered themselves to be placed,
by their enemies, is not that which they ought
in future to occupy.
That the high and we'll earned reputation
Of Gen. Harrison, both as statesman and
successful soldier, should be guarded and pro
tected from the effects likely to result from
the envenomed shafts Of fasehood and ca
lumny, projected from the thousand vehicles
of SANDER, under the control of the admins
tration, is we'll enough, considered in the ab-
stract but these, having been refuted, again
and again, are generally known by the great
body of the people, as falsehoods, emanaling
from interested and corrupt sources, which
now require only an occasional passing mo-
tice, as they re-appear in new garb in some
of the "by authority" kennelpresSes, who
are bound, by contract, to persevere in the
disgraceful course marked out for them, to
secure brief continuance OF their portion of
the "spoils," without which they would per-
| ish in single night
| In fact Gen. HaTrisOns unSullied charac-
| ter is 100 we'll known, and too firmly estab-
| lished in the affections of the people, to re-
ouire any further special defence They
know that his good name has been endorsed
by every president, from Washington, the
father of his country, down 10 Gen. Jackson.
since which latter period he has lived in re-
tirement and amongst thousands of ether dis
tinguished individuals, who intimately knew
him, has also commanded the voluntary APP
probation of Vice President johnson, Lang
don Cheeves, Gov. Shelby Col. Croghan,
and even by the venerable editor of the Rich
mond Enquirer, Richie, notwithstanding be
at present so savagely assais him, for lack
ing that which he, in more sober and honest
moments, conceded in the most exalted strains
of high panegyrlc.
! repeat, with great Difference, my decided
opinion, that the present position of the Wing
press is erroneous. II has long been, and still
remains, almost entirely in the simple atti-
tude of defence, by which the federal destrNc-
hves calculate upon reaping no inconsidera-
|
false issues distractng the public mind, and
Withdrawing public attention from the true
ground of controversy between the contend
ing -parties-the conservative and ''ruIe and
ruin" parties of our country.
To avert this, and TO do justice to the prin-
cipes of the Democratic Wing party, in their
efforts to bring the administration back tethe
point from which they have strayed-in an
unholy crusade against the prosperity and
4 happiness of the country, and securing their
own personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT tit is indis-
pensabIe that their present position should be
changed The war of defence, should nowbe
changed into one of offence. 1t should be car
ried into Africa.-Not in assailing prtudtc
character, in imitation of the Jacobins of the
day; but in discussing the public mind by
laying bare the receptions continually prac-
tiSed upon an unsuspecting people, and expo
sing the acts and conduct of those in power
by which the evils, under which the people
now wrilhe, and groan, and suffer- have been
rivetled upon the country.
Such is my deliberate view of this impor-
tant matter, and, as a friend of the glorious
Democratic Wing cause, | respectfully pre-
sent the suggestion for the consideration of
Wing editors. There is ample material and
means to enlighten the public mind, and rem
der the people sensible of the necessity Of a
change in our rulers, by ejecting, through the
ballot box, the political charlatans, who have
diseraced our Republican institutions, and
design to plant the standard of despotism upon
its ruins.
DEMOCRACY The difference. 1t requires
no extraordinary judgment to discover the
vast difference between the pseudo-democracy
of the present day, and the Democracy of
9s," so ardently espoused by The .,efersoniars
of that glowing period The past is the very
antipodes of the present.
The aged Of the present day have void
recollection of the excitement which existed
throughout the length and breadth of our land,
upon the passage of an act, sanctioned by the
elder Adams, for raising an army of volun-
teers to defend the country against an antici-
pated war with Republican France. These
were the celebrated "Black Cockade timesn
and the acts of that day undermined the foun-
dation of Mr.. Adams administration, and lin
tied it TO a single term of four years.
There was then, at least, some plea for pla-
cling an army Of 200, 900 men, under the CON
troll of the President, and affording him an
opportunity of rewarding some thousands of
parasites with fat commissions of Generals,
Colonies, &c. &c, and jobs for contractors
But The people, the true grit democracy of
that period, demolished the whole fabric, by
their voice at the ballot boxes.