The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-05
From the Daily HISTORIAN

DuTY OF THE DEMOCRATIC rARTY.--Many Of our
editorial brethren have undertaken TO enlighten the
party with regard TO its duty; and as we cannot
concur entirely in the recommendations given, while
to others we most earnestly object we shall set
forth what we believe to be the duty Of the demo-
cratic party.
With scarcely any exception, our contemporaries
have given the exhortation to harmony and union.
Where this exhortaton is made to factions, appeal
ing to them to quit their disorganizing schemes and
act harmoniousy with the great body Of the party
to which they profess to belong, there we can con-
cur, and Join in the advice. But when it is made to
the great body Of the party, exhorting them to con-
ciliate faction by succumbing to it, and letting it
have its own way, then in the name of truth, JUS
tce, and humanity, we protest against the exhorta-
ton and shall lend all influence against iIs be-
ing obeyed. For the majority to do this, we not
ry obtained under these circumstances we look up
on as more detrimental than ten defeats. Aspiring
demagogues who think moro of self than country,
may glory in obtaining victory, where before the
battle everything worth contcnding for was yielded;
but to the phiantbropist, who wishes in such
something gained for the good of mankind, such
victory is occasion for deep grief and mourn
ing. The wise and the good, who saw truth neg
lccicd, and justice and mercy trampled in the dust,
betook themselves TO the cause of righteousness,
when no one spoke well of it. They suffered re-
proach and contumey for such an attachment; but,
by perseverance, they finally raised the cause to
which they had attached themselves to favor and
empire But at the earliest manifestation that such
question has or is about TO become popular, that
political shark, the dempgogue, gets asride Of it.,
and is borne along on the popular tide; ne minces
and compromises the matter, until its life-giving
power has fled, and its original friends forced
be content with an empty victory, which has gained
nothing but place for demagogues. This is the eff
feet of that compromising, which now, we sorry
to say, finds much favor in high places. We are
called upon to be harmonious and JOIN in unity-to
conciliaie, to compromise. To compromise what !
Our principles, certainly; for our principles are not
acceptable TO those who are sefshly disposed; and
we are called upon to modify our principles, so as
to be acceptable TO our factous companion, suffer
ourselves TO be weakened by division and conquered
by the common enemy. But when we compromise
our principles, we gain nothing-yca, worse than
that; our most sanguinc and ardent Spirits who were
in advance on the measures of demanded REFORM be-
come Disguised, and withdraw from our camp.
During the administration Of Gen. jackson, more
advances were made in the attainment Of human lib
crty than through any preceding or succeeding adj
ministration Whyi Because the iron-willed Cen
cral had no such word as compromise in his vocab-
ulary. He grapplcd, with the hand Of giant and
the muscle of ndamant, the powers OF abuse and
misrule and their shattered forces melted like wax,
or fed before him, leaving him the master of the
field, unfettcrcd by concessions and compromises.
This was the case in the two great leading measures
OF his destruction ofthc bank and
the annhation Of the internal Improvement system.
There was not a day, after he had made war upon
either measure, that he might not have obtained a
specious victory, without battle, by consenting to
compromises. Butno; he must have all his own way;
and for the good of mankind, and the preservation
of human liberty, he did have il all his own way.
There is no use 10 talk about harmony and union;
they are very well when no Cancellation is made
no tcmporiziog expedent adopted to obtain il. But
the world is full OF evil, presenting vast field for
the labors Of the philanihropst. The powers Of
darkness have possession OF the field and can il be
supposed that they can be dslodged without war 7
War and strife, we admit, are great evils but far
less so than an inglorious peace, which is satisfied