The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-11-22
DEMOcRACY-BANK REFORMS.

ChriStiantty, mat Is not christianity.
We do not reject the Christian religion
because many of its professors live in
habitual violation ofits precepts, while
very few, ifany Of them are perfect.
In the belief Of absurd and silly dog
mas, either in politics or religion, and
in open wickeIness there are no hyp-
ocrites, Of course. Men have no temp
tations to adopt uap2pula , and absurd
theories and practices, but on the con-
trary, motives of seliishness to conceal
them; for with the world, whatever be
its practice, virtue is popular, and vice
unpopular. The thief is often the
first TO cry out ''stop thief" and it is
under the garb of friendship, and love,
that the flatterer prepares to swindle
you.
There Is wisdom in the proverb to
"Summer and winter man, before
you trust him too far" and also in the
advice to 'Prove all things and hold
fast that which is good" There are
upright and honest Jews, Mahome-
dams, Deists, Nothingarians, etcetera; !;
and dishonest Christians. 1t is not
every man that adopts what we deem
to be error in religion or politics, that
j; an immoral man, nor every one that
entirely agrees with us in what we
believe to be important truths, that is
sincere in his professions, and honest
in his practices. The position, how
ever, that the great mass of mankind,
of all sects in religion, and all parties
in politics, are upright, is sound. But
it is undoubtedly true, also, that whi'e
they are aiming at, substantially, the
same objects, (through the prejudices
of education, and the circumstances
that surround them.) they often adopt
creeds and follow practices adverse
to their own happiness, and the best
interests of their fellows.
Man is a social being, and if he
would do good, he must mingle with
society, and act in concert with 9th
ers; and if he cannot find associates
with whom he can agree, he must eth
er convert them to his own peculiar
doctrines and principles of action, and
thus become the founder of new sect,
or unite with sect or party whose
principles and measures approach the
nearest to what he considers perfec-
ton; and while he assists to promote
the general objects, endeavor by every
,judlcious means to correct the details.
ssBrutes soon reach their zenith,'-
"Man dies and leaves his lesson hall
unleart." The races of all the lower
animals are now precisely what they
were on the morning of creation. Man
alone has improved his condition He
alone is still improving. But in this
work OF improvement there are pio-
neers, and pioneers too, consisting OF
associations as we'll as individuals.
The individual pioneer comes first, and
then his class or party.
The old federal party was the anti
progress party, the old democratic par
ty the party ofprogress. The Nation
al Republican party was the federal
party, and the whig party is the Nation
al Republican party, substantially.-
The fact that many federalists have
really become democrats, and that
some democrats have become wings,
does not change the facts, or indicate
that parties are not substantially what
they always have been. The feder-
alists vere Conservative, and averse to
change, and the wings are Conserva-
tive, and averse to change. The fed
eralists opposed the purchase and an
nexation of LOUISIANA; the wings op-
posed the annexation of Texas. The
federalists made the s:Alien and Sedi-
ton Laws" and sought to favor capi-
tai by legislation-the wings are the
advocates of high taxes for the protec-
ton of capital, United States Bank,
and if they cannot get that, pet banks,
and other machinery to give the mon-
ed power, government aid and inf1u-
cnce. The whig party is Conserva-
tive--the Democratic party, the par
ty of progress. ......
Daniel Webster, we belive, thinks
State Banks unconstitutional. Gener-
al Harrison, good whig authority, we
believe, thought United States Bank
unc constitutional, unless clearly neces-
sary as a fiscal agent of the govern
ment. We have no doubt Of the un-
constitutionality Of both sorts. that IS,
of both sorts as regulators Of the cur
rency or the exchanges. and issues of
bills Of credit, as currency; increasing
and diminishing its value, at pleasure.
Bot, though many of the wings admit
one or both of these positions, they
deem it expedient to continue, forever
the abuses Of these money-makers. But
the democracy desire to correct the
evils nf the MINER SnsLe1n and thew |