The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-28
PARTY DESPOTISM.

We called the attention OF our readers, few
DAYS since, to the operation Of party discipline
in the uast Administration of this Government,
as exhbted by the Hon. Mr.. Davis in his report
against the Exchequer plan. We consider the
declarations and admissions Of Mr.. Davis worthy
Of some attention, as affording striking illus
tration of an important truth, which we have
long striyen to enforce-to wit, that in the ex-
citing political conflicts which have for years
agated the nation, party rivalry has been suf-
fered to assume the place and name Of patriot
ism and honest well-meaning men-oflen mis-
taking ssthe reverse of wrong for right" have
enrolled themselves under interested opposing
leaders, to do battle for victory and the spoils on
the field of party strife, while that glorious mid
die ground on which our fathers planted the
standard of the Constitution, and Of true Repub-
Gcanism, has been abandoned by the most zeal
Gus of both parties So great has been the In
auence of party discipline and corruption, that
We find, in the case alluded to, Representa-
tive of the People deliberately asserting, on the
floor of Congress- that any President of the Uni
ted States will, as a matter Of course, overlook
qualifications, honesty, and fidelity to the coun-
try, as subordinate considerations, IN comparison
with partisan efficiency and an unredectlng
blind obedience to the mandates OF party =
Mr., Davis presents this rule OF conduct, not as
one to be denounced and execrated, but to be
recognized as natural and inevitable from the
nature of our institutions. In making this adj
mission the gentleman has unwiltingly dropped
The key by which the secrets of modern party
organization may be unlocked.
1t is because President Tyler did not recog
nize this important article Of the modern polit-
cal creed, but chose rather TO place himself al
most alone by the standard of the Constitution,
relying upon the the People TO gather to his sup
port, that he has been assailed by the violent of
both parties, with vndictive rancor almost I'M
exampled in the history of party violence. So
entirely had the party leaders forgotten the great
principles which they were supposed to repre-
sent, that the first question raised in regard to
any measure of policy submitted to their con-
sderation, was not how will it affect the great
interests Of the country which we are bound to
protect, sustain and advance, but, how will it
aHect our party, or now VIII IL innuence the
Presidential election2 To show the prevalence
and dangerous influence Of this system Of party
tactics it is only necessary to referto the course
Of leading Wings in Congress- in relation 10
The Exchequer plan recommended by the Presi-
dent at the opening Of the present session.
When these gentlemen were told by the press
in every quarter Of the Union, and through pri-
vate letters from the commercial cities, that the
were most deeply interested in the currency
question, were united-almost to MANN ia
'yor of adopting the plan suggested by the Presi-
dent, what was their repy2 Why, that these
men-though doubtless good merchants, and
fully understanding the wants Of the business