The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1844-07-04

500 - 80 - - FA4hArls Ot NAiH OF
ihooghl and aEgamrn'. adaPird 10 iis a.
laiamenL
Without Presuming % prescribe oany
body else The course which Ne ought 10
pursue in forming his Judgment upon po-
Ideal parties. pubic Measures. and Ihe
principles which ought . guide Is. I xiIi
slzir my own. Ia respect 10 political
parlies, 81 (which hsEr seen many, in this
country, during . life which i nov con-
sidersbly prolrscied. Ibeliesein the main,
most of them think. o. have persuaded
themselves % believe. that they are aim.
ing Al the happiness Of lhrir country.
Their dulies and their interests. well IN
dssiood, must necessarily urge them 10
promote iIs welfare. They are. II is true.
often deceived. deceived By their own pas.
,ions and prejudices. and sulI more BY the
interested demagogues. whorloak and con,
eeal their sinister designs. Political par
Ties, according 10 my humble opinion Uf
their legitimate sphere Of action. ought 10
be regarded as nothing more ,han inslru-
menls, or means, subordinate, hui impor-
iant instruments or means. in eifecllng the
great purposes Of wise administration OF
government; highly useful when not fac
iious. snd controlled by public patriotism;
but when country is lost sight of, and the
interests Of the party become paramount
10 the interests Of the country, when the
government is seized by party and is moi
administered for The benefit Il The pso.
pie. and the whole people. bn, TO adj
vance the purposes, and selfish aims Of
itself, or rather Of ils leaders. then is such
party, whatever may be The popular
name il may assume, highly delriment-l
and dangerous. am a Wing. warmly
attached 10 the party which bears ihs,
respected name. from thorough persus-
sion that lis principles and policy are best
calculated 10 secure the happiness and
prosperity of orr common country; but,
if ] believed olhera ise, ifI were conyinc-
ed that il sought party or individual az.
grandizemeni, and mol the public good, I
would Instantly and fore, er abandon il,
whatever might be The consequences To
myself, or whatever regrets | might feel
in separating from veteran friends. My
opinions upon great and leading mes-
sures Of public policy have become SET
lied conviction, and I an y Wing be.
cause that parry seeks the establishment
of those measures. In determining with
which Of the two great parties ol the coun-
try ! ought 10 be connected. have been
governed by full consideration. and fair
comparison. Of The tendency Of their re-
speclive principles, measures. conduct and
We've. There is one prominent and cha
rac,erislic difference between the two par.
ties, which e,ninently distinguishes them.
and which, if there were no other. would
be sufficient to decide my judgment.
And that's. the respect and Difference uni
formly displayed by the one, and The dis
regard and contempt exhibited by the 9TH
or TO the constitution, TO the laws and 10
public authori y. In country, where a
free and self-government is established, il
should be the pleasure, as il is the boun-
den duty. ofevery citizen TO stand by and
uphold the constitution and laws, and sup
port The public authority; because they
arc his constitution-his laws. and the
public authority emanates from his will.
Having concurred, by the exercise of his
privileges. in The adoption Of The consti.
tuition, and in the passage of the laws,
any outrage or violation attempted Of eth
er ought To regarded as an offence against
himself, an offence against the majesty OF
the people. In an arbitrary and absolute
government. the subject may have some
excuse for evading the edicts and ukases
of the monarch. because they are not only
promulgated without consulting his will,
but sometimes against the wishes and the
interests Of the people. In that species
of government, The power of the bayonet
enfmces reluctant obedience to the law.
With free people. the fact that the laws
are their laws, ought 10 supply, in aprompt
and voluntary rally to the support of tho
public authority, force more peaceful,
more powerful. and more reasonable than
any derivable from mercenary soldiery.
Ii is far from my intention or desire to
DO the least injustice to the party to
which am opposed; but think that in
asserting the characteristic difference be-
tween the two parties which have done,
| am full, horne out by facts, 10 some Of
which, only. on this occasion; can IreIer.
and these shall all be Of recen, ma ure.
The first. to which shall call your at
ten ion, has occurred during the present
session Of Congress. The variety in the
mode of rlec,,ng members 10 the House
of Representatives Of the Uni,ed S.stes,
some being chosen by whole states, and
others by separate dstic's, was long a
subject If deep and general complaint. Ii
gave to the states unequal power in the
councils of,he n,'ion. Mississippi or New
Hampshire, Tor example, by a general
ticket, securing the election Of its mem
bers TO the House OF representatives. all
of one political pu,y, might acquire more
power. in that House, 'han the state Of