The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-04-12
From the N. Y. Sun.
PARTY SPIRIT.


try more Justly ieprehensibe, terribly injurious
In its tendencies, than another lone which strikes
more directly at the very heart and siias of dear
est institutions, both social and potca-one which
calls for the most and emphatic apprehension OF
every true lover Of his county-its that blind and
biRoied depoon 10 party which characteristics vast
number of our pubic and public journals. The
evil of which speak, instead of growing less the
nation grows older appears l. be constantly gaining
strength; and if check is not speedily applied
TO It's baneful Influences, may we'll trembe
for the safety of institutions and the perpeuy Of
our government.
There is no place where his party spirit regns to
greater, and where 1t should reign 10 a less extent
than in our Congressional Halls. II has got to be
the case that any important measure upon which our
legislators are called act almost sure to be decid-
ed according 10 the relative strength Of political par
ties. The bare fact Of such measure having s orr
gin with the members of party Is ofiself enough
to insure the opposition of the other and however
much called for by the necessities OF the community,
however loudly demanded by the wants OF the sove-
reign people, fthe opposing party can muster strength
enough TO defeat IT, they wall do so-the necessities OF
the people will be disregarded, and their rights wan
only trodden under foot. There have been distances
1t is true where this general rule has not held good
but in these cases il has usually been because the
stronger party has become divided by some internal
dsse nsion or schsm and not because its members or
leaders actuated in any degree by sense OF duty
to their or by the slightest regard Tor the
peclcd Of such set of legislators
But the evil does not stop here very large ma
jority of the public prints throughout the United
States are established and conducted for the sole
purpose of advancing the interests, and securing or
maintaining the ascendancy of particular political
parties The conductors OF these Journals, forget
ting, if not forgetting, disregarding the legitimate
province of the public press-that OF difiusng cor
rect information all subjects connected wlth the
public good and giving proper and healthiul tone TO
hlln aIs- we
journals aim solely at building up and Strengthening
" the party to which they attached, and pulling
down and destroying their opponents To accom-
psh these ends deceit trickery, and intrigue, OF the
basest stamp are unscrupulously resorted to. The
sly nsnuation the dark lnueDdo the bold and bare
faced fasehood, all freely made of by these
partisan papers, and brought to bear with the strong
est possible force upon the accomplishment Of their
fayore designs The sanctity Of private hfc, even,
IS invaded-lhe quiet of the domestic hearth nruded
upon and the peace of families wantonly SACRIFICED,
by those who ought to be first and foremost 10 their
defence. That such prostitution OF the noble OBJ
jects OF the press is calculated to work an immense
amount Of evil must be evid Mt to every rejecting
mind that such prostitution actually exists, and Is
at this moment working this evil in our very midst,
and in every quarter of the country, must be very
evident
Is there no remedy for these things There is
and if we mistake not the signs of the times, the
people, whose " sober, second thought we have
iound 10 De " never wrong and always eWclenl, are
beginning to see il and apply it.
Our members OF Congress must be made to under
stand that they are emp yrd TO legisae for The good
OF the counry-not Tor that OF their pal that lhty
must act for The greatest good of the greatest mum
her not Tor the greatest good OF any cque party or
faction II they sill persist in wa ting lhr peoples
time and money with lheu party speeches and parry
Wranglings, heir resig nations must be demanded and
Their places fitd with better aud more patriotic men
The People, thanks 10 the yenerated founders OF our
Democratic Government have this matter all in their
own hands They the masters, not the servants.
The powe to remedy the evil lies with them and they
are the ones who, If necessary, must exercise II TO It's
fullest extent
With regard to the partisan journals of which we
ave spoken, they caunot but stand, in the eyes OF
every intelligent and truly patriotic citizen in the
same unavorable light with party serving lees-
ators. From the highest to the lowest of them, with
very few honorable exceptions they are exerling
an Influence upon the community most banetul and
demoralzing. Enc uraging they do spirit which
tends to provoke enmy and jealousy between those
whose interests are and whose feelings should be
one, they should be regarded if not absolute enc
miles, at least very suspicious friends, and 1t be-
comes those who have the welfare of the country at
heart to be cautious how they lend them their sup
port. The People should rally round and sustain
those presses which, bound to the of party,
freely and earessly advocate the measures best cal
culated to promote the general prosperity and thus
show themselves to be true and tried friends to the
People and the Government. Where presses Of this
description are already established they should re-
ceve above all others cordial and liberal support !;
and in those sections of the country where there are
none but those governed by party considerations,
others of different and more independent charac-
ter should be Immediately established and sustained