Democratic banner., 1847-09-06
FoR THE BANNER.

the excess of passion at this time, are dis
posed to heap curses innumerable upon
the lie ads of those, who from some cause
unknown, have been diligent in throwing
obstacles in the way of our government,
to prevent the successful termination of
our diff culties with Mexico, ! must confess
that I am rather disposed to look upon them
in a more kind and charitable light than
many of them may probably deserve.
In a republican government we should
never object to q close and severe scrutiny
of the acts of our rulers, if we desire to
prevent a dangerous accumulation of pow
er into their hands. l have ever looked
upon party strife, whilst properly curbed
and restrained, as one of the grand preser-
natives of a peoples freedom. There is
more danger in apathy, carelessness and
inattention, than can possibly spring from
the most violent contentious of party, pro-
vided they Go not break into open force.
If a cause be good, if principles be correct,
if measures be salutary, why should we fear
to submit them to the good sense of a viz
taous people? To say that they will not
pass correct Judgment upon them, is at
once, declaring in effectthat they are inca
pabIe of se!f-government, and know not
how to appreciate the blessings of freedom.
1t is not always the case that you can
find a majority of our people arrayed upon
that side Ct a question from which issues
the deepest curses or the loudest huzzas.-
The calm and sober judgment of a nation
should never be inferred from the e~ntl!usi-
ssm Of a hot-stur or the reckless conduct
Of a few infatuated men. If ~maddencd
zeal and wholesale denunciation had ever
constituted the strength of faction, the con-
dition of our country would certainly be
very different from what it now is. The
iron nerve Of Jackson would have been
forced 20 yield, and probably ere this, the
apprehensions felt b. the vigi!ant patriots
Of the land, would have been realized in
the haif-conccalcd srbjcc;:ons of our peo-
pie, to TIE power and rule Of a dangerous
Institution.
If boasts and shouts ard cIanors had
been at all significant of popular dctrrmin-
alton, the protective principles Of 1872.
would never have been displaced by TIE
liberal revenue policy of 1916. The STA
vored few" would still have beel Wrestling
the reluctant substance from the consuln-
ing many-enriching themselves and i'm
povcrishing their ncighbors, under tie lusti-
fcation of a national statute.
Therefore | can but think that, though
we daily hear denunc;atious cast upon our
government, and see the cause of Gucrril-
Ia barbarity espoused by our own citizens,
and the Eame OF a free people disgraced in
their lips, that yet, if our cause is good, it
can not suffer by a fair though rigid expo
sition to the country. If it be unjust it,
does not deserve TO prosper, but should re-
ceive the scorn and rebuke of every honest!
citizen. Therefore, as the present war is
a matter Of vast consequence to us-affect-
ing our name as a nation, and our charac.
ter as a free people, | would call upon eve
~ man, either Wing or Democrat, to ex-I
anime and satisfy his mind from ~indisputa-
bic facts, before he raises his voice in con-
demnatIon of his own country. Il is theI
duty of every good citizen at least to pre-
sumo his country in the right, until it is
proved to be in the wrong, and to lend his
aid in the accomplishment of any object.
which may involve the interests of his gov
eminent. And lest l may seem to contra
dict what l have before said in regard toI
party spirit, l must here remark that there
is Q vast difference between a bold and
magnanimous opposition in political affairs,
and that base and reckless virulence, which,
without regard to shame or truth, would
disgrace the name of our nation to accom-
plish the paltry ends of faction. In ORDER
that may speak more plainly and apply
my language more directly to the subject
under consideration, will say that it would
b,,o L., ;,,n ,es;blo for tho Droc;1apf acl