The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-10-25
From the New York Globe.
6 WHAT is THE DUTY OF THE DEM
OCRATlC PRESS -


Under this head an able article has anne,red in
the Cincinnati Daily Enquirer. 1t is written in
answer To the remark that exposure of prominent
Democrats should be made by political enemies
not political friends. This idea is siunaIIv re
buked by the Enquirer. A press that will cover
over the faults of delinquent public agents. and.
in the language of the Enquirer. hides from the
servant the real. honest sentiments of the master
me naSS-Sncfl press is dangerous to the purity
and success of the Democratic party when unex
posed and when exposed in its pro6ioate deG,rm
ny. is kissing Teproach To Republican institn
tons and sovereign people. The following is
the article alluded la.
Look at al The Democratic partv of The
United States. inscribed on their standard their
principles, and went forth To the battle. They
fought ON principle selected men only ne ,be;r
armor- hearers. They came forth victorious Now
alter having thus trumphed is it not incumbent I'M
on those VIII" are entrusted with the caryuinu- ont
OF these established principles, to administer them
IN purity u! purpose and in vey solely TO their
success? And ii in their position Of .4eents of
the people, these prominent members of the
Democratic party make departure from that
straight line so plainly marked uut bv the cir
cunstances ut our political trIumphs. and instead
ut obey'ng the popular will, which placed them
in high position, seek TO CRAFTY some selfish noli,
lca aspiration. or attempt 10 openly or secretly
thwart the object of their official trust is it. we
ask, IN all sobernesS, hut not without feelino the
duty ot the Democratic press-the seniinels Mac
ed on the tower 10 guard against omen warfare
without and insdious muliny wi,hin-to stand
dumb to the knowledge of wrong and dishonesty
amnng these men, leaving to ON. enemies only
the task OF exposing, and if it escape their dis,
elimination, then bury in Oblivion the act? Is
this the province of a manly, free, bold and indie
pendent Democratic press? Never with our
consent. We never did paiter to the dishonesty
or insincerity of public servant and we never
Will. We did suppose that the .MiSsourian was
one OF the same SORT.
We ask all sensible but rejecting men. if thew
expect that the government of this Union can he
any length ut lime entrusted TO any party. if its
doctrines not faithfully carried out, and if the
officers ct government are not held to rigid and
scrullnZing accountability We boldly saw il.
the many and towering cOrrupiiOns that were
steaihiiy practiceG by political rnuues who were
suffered 10 hold place under Mr. Van Buren,, were
one-half the cause of his defeat in 1910. Had
the press exposed, soon as detected, these HEN
Gus commissions, and had the perpetrators been
driven forth from the party and branded by the loud
voice OF the Democracy, as they deserved, instead
of, as was frequently the case havinr their of.
fences ex,enuated, their political infide!ity gIazed
over, and their actual Tobheres covered and Mas.
tered up; had MIR. Van Buren, listened attentiyely
To that voice OF prudent warning which came to
him from ten thousand DISTINGUISHED sources esne-
cialy in the great 'Cesi, to surround himself only
with his political friends-to bring to his aid in
the administration of Democratic doctrines those
only who were Democratic in principle. and
lanored for the cause for The sake of The cause. -
had he cPansed that Aegean stable in WASHING.
tOn--ihe Department under his own eyes-where
the most crafty and reckless and unprincipled
Federallsts Of the country had penetrated and had
tatiened on the public substance, some of them
even the requests Of old John Adams admins
iTailon; who through an uninterrupted succession
of Presidents and Cabinets had descended to him
accomplished in intrigue and scared with svc,
phancy and hypocrisy-sone of whom even move
sit at their ease IN places they have filled for hal
century, and seem 10 still hold them. in con.
tempt of that universal will Of the masses that
they should be thrust Out,--we say had Mr.. Van
Bnren TINS acted up to the admonilions of those
true friends who had seI6shness whatever tc
govern their advice, and desired no reward for
their unliring labnrs. the result Of that nemora
bic campaign would have been of different char
acier This is saying what few would say, bu
all VIII admit. II is truth With this expe.
renee. therefore, we claim that the Democracy
are dong great wrong To themselves when they
sniier one OF their trusted servants TO depart from
MS duty. No one can doubt the ability Of Our
party 10 MAINTAIN The ascendant, as lOng as those
high IN station are faithful to their principlcs
and honest in their conduct Then is it not for
the press, first knowing the feeling of the Demo.
cratic mass, to caution aud advise the officers of
Government? And if the press has discovered
Political or moral delinquency in an official s il
not its imperative duty to warn the rn,ss sg,ios,
the danger which must result 10 the Gnve,,-
ment administered for them and in accordanco
with their principles? We would distinguish
between a capiious. fault folding spirit. and a
manly, independent caudon or rebuke of what
was absolutely wrong, and could plead nm rea
sonable Justification This has been our course
and 1t will be maintained. We know how the
Democracy Of this region. approve and commend
such siogleoess n pnrposs and independence Of