The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-09-11
The .ps,ie,, or.ae Greg, oppo.i.ion p.,r,,

The 'Poiic,' OF the Great Opposition Party
In republics there will always he parties, and as
means of bringing great principles or measures
to the test Of public opinion, they are not only
eminentIy useful, bot Indispensable But this
can be the Only legitimate object Of party and
so soon as this is lost sight Of by any party it can
no longer be useful or even safe. It is natural
supposition, too, that before the people can be ex-
pecie1 10 pass judgment upon the principles Of any
the public for examination and discussion. With
out this no judgment can be formed and to decide
upon any measure or principle beiore'being able
to Judge ofiis good or bad qualities, would be no
less unreasonable than unjust. The present wing
party, therefore, in refusing TO avow its principles
has rendered itself unworthy Of considerations or
support. In the event Of it's triumph we cannot
help but lose, for it never would refuse to avow
its principles if they were believed to be better
than those opposed to them.
If it is said in behalf of the wings that they
which the government is now administered, it
does not ia the least better their case The ba-
nishment Of ono set of principles must be follow
cl by the introduction of another. What these
new ones are to be like they studously avoid tel
ling us, but give us good grounds for suspccng
that they are from being popular, for they have
considered it their best 'policy" TO snake no de-
caraion of principles for the public eye; !" l. e. to
conceal them.
But merely to conceal their principles the wings
knew would not insure their success. They must
have some rallying point, and something by which
to gain partisans. Now, nothing is easier than to
find fault There never has yet been an individual
or a government that could not be abused and vii
lifted. Washington himself did not escape ca
lumny aud the abuse Of Jefferson, Madison, and
Jackson is still ringing in cars This plan was
therefore adopted to abuse and vllify the present
administration. The signal was given. The
ilood-gates venom were thrown open, and like
a mighty torrent from the mountain top it came
| laundering down. The administration was ac-
cused ofruining the commerce of the country de-
stroying the credit system, and of n design to re-
ducc the wages Of laborors to a shilling day of
was.oful expenditures in the administration of go
vemmcni, and in the purchase of beds and bed
steads spoons, knives, forks, basins, night ware,
&c; o! design to raise standing army of 200,-
600 men to keep the people in awe; Of uniting
the purse with the sword of every thing, in short
that calumny could lay hold on, and ingenuity
could invent. But this was only part of the "po-
Icy" The wings knew that to abuse the admi-
stration would not alone bc sufficient The same
plan had been tried before to defeat the election OF
Jefferson, aud, in fact, all the democratic prcsi-
dents. TO carry on the war successfully, there.
fore, something entirely new and brilliant--somc.
thing really worthy of the inventive genius of tn,
"Great Opposition Party" had to he devised
And what was this unparalleled affair "Cmpii
caec on'nes inteaii9ue ora feneJant" They hi
upon the rare plan Of gaining the confidence of thu
people by tickling their iancies and administering
Z 10 their appctites!-hy building log cabins and dc
esrating them with coon skins, stuffed owls, an,
squirrel tails and dealing out gourds of hard eide
gratuitously; by holding great conventions, no
TO confer upon and discuss great national princi
pies or measures, bu, to raise great parades attcn
dcd with martial music, flags, banners, irunspa
rencics, &c. and to hold free and casics, tell yul
gar stories sing disgusting songs, and drink har,
cider and in several eases a, least, the holy ordi
nances Of the church were insultcd aud profane
by mock-sacrpmcn,s and Offering up sacrilegiou
prayers ia the name Of the hero of Tippecauo,
Such are some Of the features Of the "rolicy {
! the Great Opposition rariy;" such the argumer
they make use otto convince an intelligent people
such arc the means to which "all the talent an
all the dccm,cy" of the land ''stoop to conquer
the free and untmmelled democracy OF the couI
. try. Blu, can the democracy be conquered b
( such means We know the demogogucs {
Rome and Venice were wont to treat aud feast III
people to gain popularity and their willing dupc
; were thus blindly led into chains and slavery
But the people Of the United States pretend to b
able TO comprehend and discuss principles, aud OK
, pect TO have arguments addressed to their reason
and not TO their senses and we still firmly bclcv
that the wings ~i moi succeed in their attempt L
. prove by great lasting and'conclusiyc exampl
the old doctrine Of the Fcdcrasts, that demo
cratic government in TIC United States Is imprac