Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-07-10
THE PARTY MAN.

90
81 describe next a moro respectable and
more dangerous politician-the PARTY MAN.
He has associated his ambition, his interests,
and his affections, with a party. He prefers,
doubtless, that his side should be victorious
by the best means, and under the champion
ship of good men but rather than lose the
victory, he will consent to ann means, and
follow any man. Thus, with a general de-
sire to be upright, the exigency of his party
constantly pushes him to dishonorable deeds.
lie opposes fraud by craft, lie by lie, Islander
by counter-aspersion. To be sure, it is wrong
to mis-state, to distort, to suppress or color
fact; it is wrong to employ the evil passions,
to sci class against class, the poor against the
rich, the country against the city, the farmer
against the mechanic, one section against an
other section. But his opponents do it, and
1t they Will take advantage of mems corrup-
ton, hemust, or lose by his virtue. He gradu-
ally adopts two characters, a personal and a
political character. All the acquisitions of
his conscience, he obeys in his private cha
%racter; all the acquisitions of his party, he
obeys in his political conduct. In one cha
racter he is Il man of Principle in the other,
a man of mere eXpedientS. As a man, he
means TO be veracious, honest, moral; as a
politician, he is deceitful, cunning, unscrupu-
lous-anyfhjhg for party. As a man, he alb
hors the Shiny ~demagogue; as a politician,
he employs him as a scavenger. As a man,
he shrinks from the righteousness of SANDER;
as a politician, he permits it, smiles upon it
in others. r%eiOices in the success gained BIZ it.
As a man, he respects no one who is rotten
in heart; as a politician, no man through
whom victory may be gained can be too bad.
As a citizen, he is an apostle of Temperance;
as a politician, he puts his shoulder under the
men who Celuge their track with whiskey,
marching a crew of brawling patriots, pugna-
clously drunk, 10 exercise the freeman's no.
bleSt franchise-the cDte. AS a citizen, he is
conslderate OF the Young, and counsels them
with admirable wisdom; then, as a politician,
he votes for tools, supporting for the magis-
tracy, worshipful asI irlnts scraped from the
ditch, the grog-shop, and the 6rothel; thus
saying by deeds which the young are quick
to nderstand-' tested, when | warned you
of bad company; for you perceive none worse
than those whom | delight to honor For
his religion, he will give up all his secular
interests; hut for his politics, he gives up
even his religion. lie adores virtue, ard re-
wards vie. Whilst bolstering up unrighte-
Gus measures, and more unrighteous men, he
prays for the advancement of religion, and
justice. and honor! | would TO God that his
prayer Hhi9hl ne duSWeTe upon MS own pO-
lltical head, for never was there a place where
such blessings were more needed | am
puzzled to know what will happen at death
TO This polite Christian, but most unchristian
politician. Will both of his characters 90
heavenward togetherl If the strongest pre-
vail, he will certainly 90 to hell. If his weak
est (Which is his Christian character) be saw
ed, what will become of his political charac-
ter! Shall he be sundcred in two, as solomon
proposed to divide the contested infant! If
this style Of character were not Il lni,iouslv
wicked, it would still be supremacy ridicn-
lous-but it is both. Let young men mark
these amphihious oXcmplars, to avoid their
Influence. The young have nothing to gain
from those who are saints in religion and NOR
ais, and Machiavels in politics; who have
pariitioned Oft their heart, invited Christ into
one half, and Belial into the other.''-Hcnry
W. Beecher.