Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-10-06
DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES.


The Baltimore American is prosecuting a pref
'y rigid scrutiny TO ascertain what these monde
scripts are. 1t refers to the past and finds them
forever varying. II, says:
''For instance, i, became democratic principle
TO oppose Internal improvement by tho General
Government about the time Of the veto of tho
Maysville road bill. The democratic Congress-
that passed the bill received new light ON the
subject from Executive illumination.
"a Bank OF the United States was chartered
by a democratic Congress with the sanction Of
Mr.. Madison, a democratic President. II became
democratic principle to oppose this Bank upon
the occasion of General Jackson's veto upon the
bill granting il a rocharter. Nevertheless rs his
Excellency iniimated that he could furnish the
plan OF a better Bank, if he were asked TO do so,
II was not a democratic principle to oppose any
other Bank Of the United States excep, Biddle's
Bank.
ut became a democratic principle 10 sustain
the PetBank system when the public dcposi,cs
were removed 10 those institutions. and when the
Secretary of the Treasury urged them TO discount
literally upon the public money. 1t continued to
be highly democratic for some years to charter
new Banks all over tue country, in order that the
people might see how we'll they could do without
the Monster
"Whcn the Pets. gorged with Treasury s,u.ling,
hogan to reel over like surteited aldermen with
the apoplexy, such ingratiude for favors received
was not to be tolerated. They had no business
to burst up as they did--it was mere trick, and
the Wings We're at the bottom Of it. Forthwith
| then II became a democratic principle to denouncc
all Banks. They were all mons,ers-,he differ
encc was that one was great monster and the
rest were little monsters.-But they were pesii-
lent ,hings in the nostrils Of the democracy, and
they must be got rid Of.
"A hard money currency exclusively became a
democratic principle about the time Of the Specie
Circular. The Sub-Treasury did not become de-
] mocratc until the time of Mr.. Van buren,. II
had been scoffed at by the democracy some years
| before when proposed by Mr.. Gordon, of Virgin
ia, as something better than the Pot-Bank system.
But at that time General Jackson was in favor of
| the Pet-Banks, and did not like the SubTreasury.
at became also democratic principle under
| MIR. Van Buren, TO oppose the Tariff. This was
necessary because Mr.. Calhoun's aid was indis-
prnsabie to the support Of the democratic admins
| ,ralion, as MIR. Van Buren's was iuceiiously call
| ed.
"But il is getting now, rs we said al first, OK
cecdingiy difficult to ascertain what arc the prin-
| ciples of the democracy Whether they are OPP
posed TO a Tariff altogether, only to protec-
tive Tariif-whether they in favor OF the Sub
| freasury-upon what grounds they arc to oppose
Observation-Disclosures and other questions IL great
| Importance are enveloped in sort of 'palpabe
obscurity' The party itself is conscious of these
difficulties; and Convention assembled recent
~ in this city to take an observation with a view
\ TO ascertain their own position and the bearings
and distances of the democratic principles. But
| the weather was too cloudy, and they went off in
a fog. The Truth is many well meaning people
ara beginning to believe that there is a great deal
| Of huInbug about these principles of the democ
racy;' some go far as to say that the democracy
have not got any principles; others intimate that
! they will have some when their candidate for the
| Presidency is nominated