Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-08-22
(From the Baltimore American.)
DORRISM THE TEST OF DEMOCRACY.

| '"S ooJOutuSu at ~ " ClOCks Ill HE SplrltS.
(From the Baltimore American)
DoRRISM THE TEST OF DEMOCRACY
| The Identification of the Polk party with
that OF DoRR is recognized and insisted OH by
the official organs of both. In the State Of
Rhode Island, indeed, the question arising out
of DoRR's rebelious movement was not a
party question, as between Wings and their
political adversaries. The firm and steady
band who resisted and put down the insur-
gents, and restored the supremacy of law and
order in Rhode Island, were the substantial
men of both parties. If DoRR's disorganiz-
ing outbreak was but the natural result of The
principles styled peculiarly sDemocratic,''
there were many belonging TO the party so
styling itself, who had not perceived such
tendency in their principles; and if it is ne
cessary to embrace Dorrism in order to retain
democracy, these men will shrink from such
test.
We alluded on previous occasion to the
Globes elaborate advocacy of DoRR and his
cause 1t is now our duty to quote from an
authority Of still higher pretensions, to show
the acknowledged identity Of Dorrism and the
Democracy of modern Locofocoism.
The Democratic Review, of this present
month of August, has an article entitled
"Rhode Island-iis Righitul Governor and
Onrightous Government" which opens by
asking, "ls there any young man, under
whose eye this page may pass, now hesitating
in his choice between the two great political
parties, uncertain TO which of them TO attach
himself 7" Then after brief DEPRESSION upon
some oil the questions of the day, such as the
Tariff and the Currency questions, which are
dad oft Is,
view Of the more fundamental principles which
give tone 10 one of political character, the Re-
view proceeds:
" But setting aside all present regard to par,ic-
"ular measures and doctrines of policy, is there
"any young man, we repeat, undecided with
(which OF the two parties to cast in his lot-on
(which side or the other of the broad dividing
Zine to fix his general political home and abiding
"placef If we can gain the ear of any such we
"would earnestly and with all the affectionate
"sympathies Of youth with YOUTH of countryman
with countryman, of patriot with patriot, invoke
"his attention to the Rhode Island question, from
ITS first stage to its last afording one of the
"6est tests that have been presented within the
"present generation of the true character and
Esprit of the Wing and Democratic parties re-
"spectively."
When the split took place in Tammany
Hall which gave rise TO the name Locoioco,
as applied by one division to the other, step
in ultraism was taken which the more conser-
vative portion of the party were rot prepar-
ed to follow. Nevertheless in due time the
ultra seceders drew after them The great mass
Of the party. The Rhode Island nsurrecton
gave occasion for another step, in which the
lead was taken by MIKE WALSH and his
Spartan band. The rest of the party, it seems,
must follow. Dorrism and Democracy are
Io -, l.
revolutionary movement in Rhode Island is
called martyr in the cause of democracy !;
and to his prison, as to shrine, the thoughts
and affections of all good democrats are to
tend on pilgrimage of sympathy.
Ii is not for us to find fault with these de :
velopments Of what modern democracy is. nor
with the indications which show so plainly
what it is likely 10 become. Nay, il is best
that there should be open manifestations
The parade of long schedules Of "democratic
principles" announced by Baltimore Conven-
tons, declaring that the Constitution does not
confer power TO do this, nor power to do that
the outpourings Of State jealousy under the
name of strict construclion-and of which
the spirit of genuine locolocoism 1--WE use the
term in no offensive sense3 takes no account
whatever-these need not deceive any one as
]
country. We agree with the Democratic Re.
view in regarding the Rhode Island question
from It's first stage TO its last, las af1ordne
one OF the best tests that have been presented
within the present generation of the true char
acter ard spirit Of the Wing and Democratic
parties respectively"
The question is stated by the Review in
terms to which we take no exception
thus; "The central principle involved j:
" that Of the right Of the people to organize
"and re-organize the constitution of the State
Independently Of The existing legal amhori
"heS" We take no exception, we say, TO thi
statement OF The principle involved-providet
there be no confusion of ideas as to the mean
ing oil the terms employed. Thus to dist;n
gulsh between "the people, and the "existin,
legal authorities" when by the latter are de
noted those institutions which make "the PEG
pie" body politics and give them an inlegra
existence, is TO confuse the whole subject a
once. IT is analogous to saying that the eIe
ments which compose man may act indie
pendenily of his bodily organization--no
would this assertion imply greater absurdi
ty in view Of the law of natural existence thai
the other implies in view Of the laws Of or
DERBY political being.-Yet inssmuch as tn