The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-01-02
From the Mo Orleans Republican
OUR POLITICAL PRINCIPI


Our political principles Democratic Republican
principles.
In past times this declaration would have been
enough for every purpose but in the present state OF
the political world due respect Tor the opinions oil
the reading public would seem to require at our
hands a minute explanation of our political
principles than the opening paragraph OF this article
appears to convey
We hold Mr. Jefferson to be the founder Of the
Democratic Republican school of politics IN this
country, and TO that bright exempar do we turn IN
the present complicated condition OF political matters,
for the light TO guide feet and direct them along
the true path. Nor d. we look in vain, as will be
acknowledged by the candid, we are confident, be-
fore we conclude these remarks.
Measures of policy are too often COMPOUNDED with
principles of government, and hence in our humble
opinion, the errors committed of late years by the
leading spirits of the Democratic Republican party.
We shall be cautious not TO fall into the same snare
How far we shall pc it will remain for the UNI
prejudiced TO determine
Fist, then, we hold that the principles of Demo-
cratic Republicanism are few but few as they are,
they sefevident truths at least TO our mind and
we trust large ma jority Of minds in this our vast
Republic
For the sake Of perspcuity, shall marshal these
principles according TO their importance, and enounce
them, nearly as we can, in language, the meaning
Of which will admit Of no cayll.
Here they
l. Man is perfectly capable Of governing himself
q All men politically equal.
g. The people are the fountain Of all political
power
4. All delegated political power is perfectly re-
sponsble TO its
5. The true object Of human government is full Sc
curty TO life, liberty and property.
8. Equal right and equal privileges secured to all
the only means of attaining that object with exact
justice.
There can be no dispute, we think, about the truth
Of these political principles, If care be taken TO eH-
anime them in all their bearings Aud they seem TO
cover the whole ground of political science, II one
may speak We might, II is true, multiply aNioms
almost ad nfnifnm, conveying in the most convincing
manner, political truisms but they would all be re-
ferabe back to the great principles here set down
As is merely object TO advise the reader OF our
views upon human government and ITS principles, we
shall leave TO him the task a investigating the hill
bearing of the truths above expressed, well knowing
that he will TO the conclusion that we have
arrived at respecting them But here we must beg
leave to state that claim no merit Tor arraying
these cardinal principles in the manner We have done.
II is nothing more than repetition Of what the faith
ers Of the Jefersonian school, including It's great
founder, have handed down to their disciples.
These, them are our principles ia matters Of poli-
tics and government, and by them do We intend TO
measure all schemes Of policy which may from time
to time be brought before the country by the public
servant in authority. They will be the scales IN
which we shall weigh every proposition of govern
mental policy. II the latter be found to accord with
the spirit of the principles above laid down, shall
sustain the Of the policy and the policy itself
IL not, we shall oppose both.
And these are what we call Democratic Republi-
principles, for upon these principles was built the
Consultation Indeed the Constitution Of the United
States is nothing more than the Embodiment Of these
principles and their adaptation to practice Hence,
we will never consent TO that instrument altered,
for we consider il perfect and as the mature fruit of
that Declaration Which fell from the pen OF the sage OF
Monticello, and which was the first practical exem-
pli6caon Of the true principles OF Democratic Re
publicanIm.
The reader will SEQ from these cursory observations
what we are and where are. We are Democrats,
and zoe stand ,chsre stood on the platform De-
mOcraiic truth