Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1843-09-12
Spirit Of MhigcciY.

reasons for their overthrow by other Wing
papers, the Repository states its own opinion,
which we copy a matter of rejection and
record. and a indicative OF the true spirit of
Whiggcry. 1t says
do YOU ask. reader. to what we attribu ute
it Well, We will tell it YOU. 10 The great
ignorance IF many Of he Peopie! We know
that we touch on an unpopular string but
we believe this to be the great cause. Go
with Us and examine the census of Indiana in
1910, and there you will find what follows
".Nion5er Of persons over the age Of
tsrn'y uho ca,u,ot read or zrrtte, 3S,0G2."
1t may be fair to presume that of this num-
Der thirty-iivc thousand arc voters, and that
onc-cighth of the remainder read but little :;
making near fifty thousand voters in this
State, who arc totally unacquaintcd with the
politics of the country. These men are
doubtless perfectly honest. and if but cor
rectly informed would do no wrong-but such
are the circumstances they are placed under.
thai they may be imposed on by corrupt and
designing persons. What "A lamentablc fact
is this-that h,diana Is u be goUcrned 5y such
an m7rhotesome mass Of ignorance
But how. YOU may ask, can this affect the
Wing Party Why not operate as strongly
against the Democratic Party The answer
to the queries Is as plain as the nose Oh Il
mans face. The Wings are fighting for
Principics-thc Locofocos for Sp9iist That
party have noavowcd principles for Us to CON
tend against, whilst they raise the hue and
cry against ours-inducing the illitcratc to
believe that Wing policy will destroy our
free government. That class of society. not
understanding the operations of Bank and
Tariff, magnify them into some hidcous mon
stcr. whose very touch were death. Besides
all this, there Is peculiar magic in the name
of Democracy which causes thousands to
flock to their standard-for fear Of being
branded with the opprobrous cpithct OF
'F~rrGiistr 'FEDER,LIsr -
The Wings can never succeed only I'm a
community of intelligent. wcll-inlormed men.
men who know their duties, and knowing
dare perform 1t whilst, upon the other hand.
state of 'bifssfiI fgHorancc,' Is the soil in
winch Democracy thrivcS best. I'm proof of
tins position, would but refer the reader
to ms own knowledge OF society. Visit q
weIl-informed people, and YOU will find two
thirds of them to be good and sound Wings:
then 90 among the back woods settlements.
or among the ragamullins in the cities. AMI
Scvcn-tcnths of them are Democrats. who
know naught meath the heavens but that
Gen. Jackson fl the battle of New Orleans
colonel Johnson killed Tccumseh Gen.
Van Buren, iii the Florida War or that the
Uhigs are Fcderalids
No man can doubt but that the Whios. rs
party. are by far the more intelligent of the
two parties and that Wlggcrv will keep
"a IA no e
ever accomplish any thing. it must be thro
the intelligence of the pcoplc-by di,scm-
nation OF knowledge upon all important po-
liticai topics, among them. We know of no
other means for making genuine Wings. and
party now. and ever has had Il majority. but
that majority never can be brought to bear
until our political tactics are remodclIcd.
The question here presents itscIf-What
can and should be done We say form
Vino Guns in every township in the State.
where there Is one good Wing and through
them let the public documents. speeches on
important subjects. reports in Congress. &c,
be circulated. We say, ORGANIZE I,
What say our Wing friends to this p
Al this ridiculous twattle is but the reit-
Grafton of the pretcnsions of the Fcdcrali,ts.
from Jeilerson's time to this, that they pos
sess '''il the religion. all the dcccncy. all the
talents. and all the learning" For our own
part. we think the above article a fair exam
pie of the on,o'mt of intelligence possessed
by the wing Editors. to say nothing of the
party. 1t Is 50 foolish as to carry with it it,
own antidotc. But for the benefit of the
writer. who claims 50 superior a degree Of
for himself and his party. we
are disposed to notice point or two particu-
larIy.
His '.rcading and writing we suppose
canc by nature : but with all his learning
he has never learnt the fact which is plain TO
every man of observation. that many a fool
has learnt to read and write. who in most
other items of knowledge did no know Z
from bulls foot. lie will be astoni,hcd TO
learn. t he lives long enough. that there i,
IN essential difference between Witcr0cy and
between want of ..bool learn
ng, and practical knowledge. obtained in a
thousand ways. by observation and expert
ence. There are many men who can neither
-cad nor write, that are far better qualified
n point OF political knowledge to exercise
he right of suffrage than many who can.
Nevertheless. we doubt not, the lacl, of that
Is positive evil.
But even sho I'D we admit the full correct
less of this point OF the Repostory's article.
he result would be complete reiutation of
lis impu ations against the Democracy and