The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-07-13
PARTY SPIRIT.


PARTY SPIRIT.
Constituted as our Government is, an emanstion
from the People, and resting upon their WILL Polill-
cal parties must necessarily exist growing out Of d.
versities of opinion aud conflicting interests. When
judicously tempered and wisely directed these or
ganzed associations may be productive of good But
when party spirit stretches out to undisguised iniOs
rance, it becomes the fruitful source Of evils socie
~, To Government, and TO sound morals. 1t is il
fact practical tyranny. II establishes an arbtrar,
standard, to which all required to eonform-
abrogates the sacred right of opinio, and the free
dom of action-t exacs unconditional submission to
its Wilt persecutes where it cannot control-i
distracts society by violence and proscrpton-i'
stiles the very elements Of freedom-it places the
ignorant and centous Of its own household above
the virtue and intelligence Of non-coniormiss-td de-
moralizes with its threats and its temptations, and
stops short Of no means it can command to gam and
exercise power which but too often is used for nc
public good, but only subserves selfish and mere par
ty ends
These are some OF the evils of party intolerance
and we lament that under the organization OF par
ties as they now exist, many of these evils are expe
rienced, and all of them are threatening They have
their origin and their impulses from various sources
but the press which is so potential for good fol
evil, unmndful of its high behest, has been mainly
instrumental in creating and encouraging the vio'
ence and the mischief parties 1t appeals to then
most fatal preudices and gives intensity to then
worst passionst tears asunder the bonds that bind
society in good fellowship-it degrades the high mo-
raj standard of society and Government lessons
the virtue that gives slorya and strength to nation
it impairs the harmony that ought to make us lee
that we are one people, with common rights, com
mon interests and a common polity-all, all EN-
barked in the safety and perpetuity ola Government
worthy Of our united and yirtuous support In lis
party crusades has done than this to tarnlsi
our reputation and to cast the deeD shads OF nationa
lisl.vnor upon the shores of distant countries. Dis
regarding the mandate of duty and the plain dictates
of honor, it courts notoriey through its licentious
ness and stoops to gnoble means TO gain the vulgar
plaudits Of passion and folly. No station or condi
ton, no virtue or patriotism, services, however
honored and faithful, exempt from the scourge O.
the press, when party policy demands the sacrifice
Some of the greatest and the purest that grace
our land, whose fame is identified with the honor O.
our country, and whose regulations the common
day to day are assailed with the grosses denuncia
tons, and pursued with eagerness as if moth
ing short of infamy to their and ruin to thei
regulations would crafty The malignant spiri, o
party
II these rbald attacks upon reputation eve
read in distant countries, what must they think o
our Government, our People and our morals, wher
those who have filled the highest posts of dignity
those whom large portion of the country confde il
and delight to honor-ah, even Presidential incum
bents-are represented by press Infamous il
IN Isi a tat,kkfe Ne nu ekks ny ehSi
est estimation, under the weight of RIGHTEOUSNESS
Unless this sweeping of madness and folly b,
arrested the downward tendency of things points I,
our destiny. We may linger on for time through
accumulating evils, with deeper and still deeper ig
nominy and danger-with the forms of Government
and the name Of freedom, but the sequel will be an
archy
Let us not be told that the past contradicts thi.
anticipation, because parties have been coeval witt
the Government, and have been comparatively harm
less. True IT Is, that parties formed early az
ter the organization of our Government, and were
active IN their opposition, but all who composed
them were fresh from the struggles of a successful
revolution, and they krew too well the value Of wha,
they had gained TO hazard upon the contest of par
ties AT that day every heart gowed with the love
OF country, and all knew how TO temper the contest
Tor party supremacy. But time has marvellously
changed men and things since that period Very
little OF the sefreguatng, self serving principles
Of those days available now. We are too far re-
moved from revolutionary times 10 appreciate the
blessings that they brought us Pat iotsm is SADLY
diated, and politics may be considered trade Our
population has grown to unwiedy size, and is diff
fused over vast area, remote in its parts that
conflicting interests have risen up and are felt as an
tagoosts. The masses now move the political ma
ch'nery and they are less homogeneous 10 feeling
and have less Of nationality than in by-gone days
The struggle Of parties in the earlier stages of our
Government, when at their height was but zeal. now
1t IS paa''on-then it was for the country, now il is
for self.
In view of the evils that we feel, and the dangers
that we fear, is not every emotion of patriotism d
~ and sclf-preservation Appealed to- to arrest This
onward downward tendency OF all that is dear 70 n.
IN society, and in Government IL we love liberty
more than anarchy, this must be done
What we have here expressed Is not The ofFs,,ino
OF any morbid feelings Of ours; it is sad reality
which we know is gravely debated by many who
hope the BEST hut fear the worst.
TYLER AND DEMOCRACY.
We would respectfully call the attention of our
RI aAa N. fha