Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-05-11


How far back the existence OF the mod
ern democratic party dates we are unable
precisely to say its birth is moi recorded
under any particular epoch. General
Jacksonis regarded as the founder Of il,
and Of course il must have b. gun is ca
rser during his adminstrat on; but wheth-
err the Veto OF the Maysville Road Bill.
or Of the United S,s,es Bank Charter, or
the removal or the deposi.es, or the Spec
Gle Circular, is to designate the first d 5.
tinct development, Of this new political
cresiion, is matter which must be LETT
involved in that obscurity which often
hides the inception of grta, events
What the party has done since It's acces
sion to power may BIO summed up IN The
record OF whit il has undone. Its great
achievements have been to destroy; Vt
has overthrow the entire system OF p.ll-
CIV continued from Madison's time TO The
close Of John Quincy Adams adminstra-
lion it has never known any fixed prin-
ciples il has n, yer contemplated any
system OF comprehensive policy Ills
bonds of sffil alton have been woven cut
Of the preiudlces and jeslousies OF the
masses which have been exert, against
the commercial! aud monetary interests OF
the country, as though there were settled
distinctions oil classes and exclusive priv
ileges among the different vocati'ns in
which the industry Of our people hnis
employment and accumulaies wealth. -
1t has proved itself incompetent TO gav-
ern the disasters which il has brought
upon the country are the natural results
OF its blind rashness and ignorence. II
has overthrow the Whole system OF ma
tonal currency, and il is unable to con.
struct another. II prosira'ed the inter,
esis Of all cl sses by aiming its blows at
property, under the 70 lish de a that it was
promoting equality by leveing the rich
forgetting at the same time that II was
thus compelling the poor always TO re-
man poor and now that the Wings have
awaited themselves Of a brief interval IN
the progress of destruction 10 restore
once more the foste ing hand Of the Gov.
eminent to protect and encourage our do
nestle industry, the party is ralying its
energies to recommence the work OF de-
molilion again. But it is now reaping as
it has sowed. In its own bosom the ele-
ments Of conflict are at furious STRIFE -
The fierce passions it has engendered are
urniDg to rend It. Its |, aders have &C.
cus,omed The mass to follow as they are
bid, each head Of the division Sc, ks to use
the obedience Of his followers for his own
individual advancement and the pros.
pect of large share in ihe partition OF
the great prze oil the public offices and
means stimulates the sdherenis OF each
chief to oil possible exrrions in ms be.
half. Thus where patriotism is lost sghi
of-wherr the public good is never in
mind where the uses Of governmen, are
regarded only as affording opportunities
| Tor personal emolument-no bond Of union
can exist founded upon a common pur-
pose Of z. neral interest 10 the Republic,
or upon any large system OF policy lock-
ing to future benefits {, all. H,Ece the
distractions which have sundered the ILL
assorted aggregate calling itself the "De-
mocracy"-hcnce the clques snd factions
taking their names fom particular Lad.
RS, neither division knowing ar caring
much how far there are divcrs,iias oil
principle among them. because none OF
them arc very clear what prin iPles they
have, or whether they have any.
The process Of DISCRIMINATION thus 60
ing on in purity which has lost all ele.
IN n,s of soundness could not have pro
creded so far without being noticed by
some in its own ranks. Mir. Brownson,
once an u!tra-demncrai, has expert need
so much disgust OF the senseless ia gon Of
some Of his former political associates
whose empty pretensons only cover IN
utter impotency TO govern rightly, tha,
he has gone to the other extreme If deny
ing totally the capacity of the pscple for
self. government. The following para
graph is from the Pathfinder, democratic
journal published in New York, which
still CONTINUES, we believe, to rank as an
orthodox exponent of the party:
at someiim's happens that political
parties, like individuals. expend the sen
timen,s ia mere professions. They talk
of their principles, until those pr nciples
become dead letter, when they cease TO
have any life in all their members. Now
this is emphatically the case with the dem.
ocratic party. IL has talked, until ii has
NOT only exhausted ats breath, bui ats life.
What is it dong 10 carry out its principles !?
What real vitality is there an any Of ats
prominent measures? What genuine man.
hood in any Of its prominent mem Is ii
not, atthis moment, grand imposition and
faisehood?"
Instead OF asking what the party is do
ing "fo carry out its principles" it would
have peen more to the purpose to ask
what are its principles Its only mea-
sure Of policy that we know any thing of
is the SUB. Treasury, which is TO cons,i-
tute the final attempt to fulfil lis promise
OF giving "b ter currency" 1t may
indeed be said to have six other principles,
viz: Van BURN principle, a Calhoun
principle, Cnss principle. Johnston
principle. Buchanan principle and Ty-
Ter principle. But these are yet in en-
bryo-uushaprd iorms-ger undevel
oped--.lemenis some hat chso,ic--a heh
may or may not be brought forth into full
existence.
The Pathfinder goes On to speculate on
the democratic victory in the State Of New