The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-01-29


potent and active Of ALL if not the most unscru-
PnIous. the contractors and jobbers who iat,en
! upon the government eXtrav1gauce-and we VIC
! an army OF very nearly one hundred thousand
/ men, among the most energetic talented, ard in
huentiai OF any 10 be found in their several neirh-
: borhoodS depending upon the favor of the Pres-
dent. When we take into consideration the fact
that this is an era Of universal barter that near
" every politician has his price-that all are
bent with an undivided aim, upon schemes of
gam and personal OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the
leaven of sordid seltishncsS runs through all the
channels Of society, injecting the whole limp
who can contemplate this alarming concentration
OF Executive power, without being appalled, at
It's irighllul influence? Add to all this-tbat
most of the members of Congress are applicants
lor Executive tavors, either for themselves or
their political friends, and it is easily seen that
controlling power is held over them which thew
must be lll-dlsposed TO resist. Their indepen-
dence exists hut in name the will of the Presi-
dent is therefore rarely resisted The press is
controlled by the same secret, intangible noise
less influence Many of its conductors depend
upon Executive patronage for their very exis-
tence; this accounts for the beggarly subserviency
so generally maniesed-ihe affect servility
which has become well-nigh universal Is there
nothing in all this alarming to the heart of the
honest patriot? Is there nothing to dread in this
enormous power Of Executive patronarc-a now
er greater, more fearful, more absolute althongh
intangible and Indirect than is eXerted hy any
monarch in Europe, the Emperor Nicholas only
excepted All this immense host fpubiic agents
and public editors, engaged in establishing the
particular policy of the PRESIDENTIAL Ginning
In with his views and Hpholding his acts-is
certainly formidable and appalling to the last de-
gree. II Is an influence which may be of deadly
hostility to liberty OF speech and healthy indie
pendence of public opinion. Add to the above,
the almost lnnnmerable applicants for olce-who
oi course, with their friends, approve of all that
the President dGeS-and the picture is comple;ei
Can any thing he more startling than the fact
that all This has attracted little of the public at
tenliOn?
1t is Of no use to say that this prodigious pow
er has never been abused if il has moi been it
may be- The power is too great TO be allowed
to be exercised by one man. have unlimited
confidence in the integrity of the present Chief
Magistrate of our mighty Republic, have known
him long and have known him well !; | would en-
trust him with all that individually most dear
ly prize; bat power like this should not be civ
en- to mortal man. Let THE PEOPLE show that
they have the capacity sufficient for selfgovern-
ment by eeciing all their officers themselves,
leaving the President the duties of executing
the laws shorn of the appointing power This
Is matter Of the deepest concern, and oae that
deserves the most careful consideration
The eUiLS Of popular ignOraace.-The mel
ancholy fact that in a country where the rod Of
sovereignty has been entrusted To the hands of
THE PEOPLE, there hG!f q million over
twenty years OF age, who can neither read nor
write, Is painfully humliaing but not SO hui
initiating as is the fact that session after session
of our Legislatures is wasted in idle debate
upon matters of the most trivial importance. TO
the utter neglect Of the great subject of UaiUer-
sal EducGfiOn 1t was the remark Of a distin.
gnished Senator from South Carolina now at the
head of one of her colleges, that the citizens Of
he 10 al
to write, aHd think, and talk but then, said
he, they do nothing but ,erile, and think. nyd
talk This is alphabetically true Of all our / co.
isIatures in relation to the subject Of Common
Schools. VIII THE PEOPLE ever take this sub
Jcct into their own hands, instead of entrusiino
1t to bTietless barTsiers aud County Court Law
yers?
The depotisn Of party--aad The tyranny of
caucus.-Party in this country as has been we'll
remarked, has become a tyIant-a haartless, I'M
feeling despoism; its insaablc spirit can be pro
pItlated by no sacrifice, sollened bv no appeal
It's self constituted head must DO all the thinking
for the members, who are not allowed 10 have
free thought independent opinion Of their
own-especIaIIy if that opinion should happen TO
diileT with the majority. The iron desp0iism Of
Political Prejudice Yields its oyerpowering inAu-
ence over the best feelings Of our common nature;
sends it's palsylng venom into the most generous
hearts to uProot and destroy all these finer quail
ing up social intercourse and domestic compan
lonship, separating society by an almost impassa-
bic gulf
Let Inc be understood | speak not ananst
party divisions nor against party zeal both are
Indispensable to the existence and perpetniiy OF
free government. Under despoism there are
no parles-all there is a calm unrufIed ocean;a
dead sea Of black and poisonous waters from which
exhale pes.ilence and death Party spirit. prom
erly regulated, is the very salt of the ea1th.-
Parties we must havc-parlies We should have.
1t is not against party that declam, but against
the unhaIlowed tyranny it imposes checking
every free thought, curbing and controlllno our in
dependent acts hunting down and crushing all
who do not pot on It's yoke, and who viii not an.
prove of every act performed by its self consiila.
ted leaders There never was a more unreeJing
vrant upon the face Of The earth than King
Caucus 20 question its DEGREES, to doubt the
Inlalihilly Of the privileged few who move the
wires, Is high treason. ] claim TO DO gari,J
mo,t-but I can never become either payH,
sIdue or pGriy t0oi
The sviis n Lowyer Legislation. This needs
40 word Of comment from me. II is seen in all