The North-Carolina standard., 1840-08-26
FROM THE GLOBE.
THE PRESENT STRUGGLE.


ton, of all ages classes. and conditions, in city
and country IN all The public thoroughfares, In
STEAMBOATS, and in railroads, at the public hotels
in the field and workshops, and in every family
circle, you hear nothing but politics. politics.
The subject is so universal, so absorbing, that II
merges all others. Never, since the first great
struggle between the two political parties. has
there been an election producing such universal
excitement and such deep interest with the
whole body of the people.
What the cause OF this extraordinary excite
ment2 and what are the objects depending on
this election2 These are questions Of the utmost
importance to which we >.Hish to call the atten-
ton OF the people of the United States. AS III
all other cases, it is the Opposition. composed as
it is of various incongruous and discordant ele-
ments, which have produced this excitement, and
wrought up the public mind to the present high
pitch. The party in power being satisfied with
things as they are, could have no motive and no
agency in agitating the public mind until they
found it necessary 10 arouse their supporters In
self defence. The agitation has proceeded from
the Opposition, and the question therefore Is,
what are their motives and ohjects2 Are they
such as can justly this deep agitation? Are
they such as an intelligent people, who ought to
be so moved in matter affecting their vital IN
terests, only by weighty considerations, can aP-
prove2
The Opposition from the nature of things,
can have but two obiects-one, to seize upon the
Offices OF the Government; the otherto change
the policy or measures of its administration
No one can doubt that the first is the exciting
motive and purpose of the office seekers, COM
prising the noisy and brawfing politicians, the
profigate. reckless. and unprincipled, who are
employed in fabricating and circulating false,
hoods and forgeries to deceive the people, and
audaciously ustIgating them to resort to force
10 overthrow their own Government, if they can
not compass their objects bv the ballot boxes
But this be the object of the great mass OF
the Opposition. who not office seekers or
expectants2 To suppose that it is, would be
reflection on their sense and intelligence 1t is
true, history proves that masses may be wrought
up 10 enthusiasm in cause In which they have
real interest, by designing men, whose only
object IS to aggrandZe themselves But they
must at least have an apparent interest," and that
must be adequate to the excitement and efforts
produced Masses may betemporarily deceived
but they cannot be temporarily dishonest. They
always have either real or an apparent motive
for their conduct, which is an adequate cause
for it.
Applying these principles to the present con-
test, we ask what are the objects OF the mass OF
the Opposition who are not expectants of office
The Office seekers among them are numerous
their name is legion, yet still they do not com
pose the great body. If we look at the surface
ofthis contest on the Federal side, we can dis
cover nothing in it but a struggle for o6Sce-I
Look at their presses. filled with denunciations
and abuse, with false charges, with the most
frivolous imputations & the basest forgeries
but you find no argument against any leading
policy or measure of the Adminislraiion-no
discussion of any question of principle or affect
ing any Of the great Interests of this country
They tender no issues in regard to the policy or
measures of the Administration but content
themselves with denouncing it as profigate and
corrupt and with making various false charges
of what has been or is to be DONE many Of them
as absurd as they are false with which they hope
to humbug the people.
Such was the Hooe case, the standing army,
direct taxation. the Presidents pretended Eng
lish coach, golden spoons and thousand other
humbugs.
And if you look into their papers to discover
their own principles and the measures they pro-
pose to introduce, should they succeed, you can
find nothing but the same slang and abuse
You may see in staring capitals, "Harrison and
REFORM" But this is catch phrase,
which signifies nothing. Do they tell the peo-
Pile what are their measures ofrctorm? Do they
inform them whether they are for or against
National Bank-for or against high tarif:-fo1
yainst Aboitionism Do they make known
heir financial scheme; whether the agency Of
l National Bank, or the use of the State banks
IS repositories Do they tell US what they
would do with the public domain-whether they
would continue it as branch of the national
revenue, or divide it among the States or, as
General Harrison proposed, apply it tothe ex-
lngulshment ofSouthern slavery2 On allthese
subjects you can learn nothing of their views
rom the Whig press. And ifyou look to their
and public meetings, the effort is
equally fruitless. They afford no development of
heir principles, no exposition of the policy and
measures they would adopt. These popular
movements have been nothing but idle and rid;-
:ulOus pageants. with displays of cider barrels
;oon skins. and gourd shells, and every variety
If low and contemplate mummery, characteriz-
ID by scenes of noise & disorder, of vulgar songs
n prsise of their mock hero, with coarse and
'ibad abuse of his opponents. and often by drunk
snness and debauchery.
Hyou turn from their party press and public
meetings 10 their candidate. you find superan-
luated; imbeciIe old man, in the custody Of com
nittee of keepers, and learn both from him and
hem that he will make no "disclosure of his OPT
Il L