The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1847-02-11
+" PRINCIPLES. NOT MEN y


g"gne. when he is looking for advancement and
honors from the people. II has never been aJop-
ted by us since we first fully understood its mean
Ing and so long retain nur senses il never
shall be our motto. We 90 for PRINCIPLES, and
Tor MEN that we can trust. To carry out those
Observation-Disclosures our motto is. princi-
pies AND men )" and where there are two or
more candidates protesting the same principles, IN
for public favor. all things being .qnal. we shsll
always cast suffrages rs the O Gates, GOOD of
the party sustaining our principles may dictate.
PRINCIPLES. NOT MEN This motto is
often res"nnded IN our ears from N. press when
standard bearer fr"m the Democratic ranks is to
he chosen. For wha, purpose Is This? Whence
the applicability
The giving forth of the hest of motros is. not
unfr'qnenty, the effort Of base purpose The
motive heng base. the motto itself NAV he scru
tinlzed for its applicable worth.
The n'"tto. Principles. not Mem" is gond
very gmcd. for general No one doubts. none
disputes tins. Az between honest wen of rar;o,t
principles, it is literally trne. and should ever he
observed nv the freeman. Who that holds 10 the
principles If free trade aud no munoDnl,es the Sinh
Treasury and no United States Bank. when So
Letting between aspiran,s differing IN these points
VIII not cherish the correctness Of the mot,o
'Principles. not Men,
To Illustrate and make plain we will M,
case Mr.. Hunter, of Virginia sustsins the min
ciples of free trade with all nations. no restrir,ion
imposed Than for ,erenus purposes. Mr. Git
tendpn. nf Kentucky, goes for other and bivher
restriction in order iha, Capitalists at home NAV
make prnlt nnder I, q restriction. Urpng there
Tore The principle. rare of duties not FIR rprenue
but for proiection Here principles are involved
the motto Is good and in place
Hunter goes for The moneys Of the government
being kept tn themselves unrunneced with or
used by individuals. ar banks He goes for an
Independent Treasury Mr.. Critendpn contends
for banking monopoly of chartered C.p,aIis,s
as The proper keepers Of the public money He
goes against divorce of Bank and State Here
again the motto is gond because principles are
involved. In these cases the personal friend of
Mr.. Hunter entertaining the principles Of Mr. Crit.
tenden should under his allegiance to the motto.
Principles not Men, adhere To. and vote FIR
Mr.. Crittenden. No one questions the excellence
of this motto, in these cases-when thus acted mn
TO- and acted out, it is motto worthy of ali
praise
But, was i, this high measure of principle that
called this mnto forth in lS442 We think not
A certain set of principles being ccnrended for
by large party whereof. there a re many prom
inent and some notable men In SELECTING =
chief. standard bearer from among these-lhe
motto. Principles no, Men, is not applicable.
M not at ALL
Creed, az creed. or principles, is not in the
question. The MAN, is the question in this case
and there is other. Who questions this !
WIN any one dare to question it II such there
he, we are sory-he is as hard of faith Al were
they who rejected truth in Jerusalem 1900 years
gone by.
The trnrh is, the erhnng of this motto for the
government, of a party. about 10 choose their
standard hearers in n great election is a deem
hon, frdnd for men, and To iniure men-we
wouId have noihing of It,
We have been led 10 think this subject, from
recent events throughout the Union-as, also.
from giyings out relative to elections had and to
come
The Democratic party in these States. since
December 1892. have heen more or less schismed
Shortly after the assembling of Congress in that
month, IN that year. events turning upon the as
srrt0n and maintenance of the great principes nf
g free trade" political principle nou so popular
with the great mass Of The Democratic party of
this Union. and, also. with many distinguished
Wings. severed the Democratic party. II was
then denounced by many. democrats and Whigs)
as q" South Carolina abstraction" And in that
day, those democrats who then maintained This
noU cherished principle with vgor were IN
tremendously thrust from the - Altar and the
Communion Table,
The election of MIR. Van Bnyen in 1886 to the
Presidency. exhibited this distracted and divided
state of The great Democratic party
The Bank rnin which fell as an avalanche
upon The country in 1887. immediately upon the
coming in of Mr.. Van Bmren's administration
caused to reel as stricken drunkard the hitherto
alIPowerful party denominated Democratic And
now. IN the beauty Of truth and worth il MIGHT
he said. the great motto " Principles. MOI n en-
appealed 10 the country. And truly may it he
said. that, This appeal WAS heard and this health
IN hon
worth
The despised " Free trade party the Vir-
GINA and South Carolioa Abslraclionisls" who
since 1892, had had abiding place Upnn the
chess buard, came Ia The Of principles DIS
regarding men. Mr.. Van Buren's adminisrra-
ton was taken on the shoulders Of the Chivalry
The tonnage was awfn-trnitoy's were numer-
ons--rnts deserted the sinking sbip-slil still
The chivalry stimulated by principle, and for
principle alone. bore al0ft Van Burtn's name,
nnterrlfied by the bowling stnrm. All wOnld not
avail. The administration went down finished
desnaiun.
or The noble fleet of ships that had borne Mr..
van Bnren IN triumph io The Presidency in 1886
Sporting his flag IN The battle and the breeze all
ALI were gone-prisoners won in battle. No.
not sn-there still floaied on the bosom Of The
"cean gallant few that had breasted the current
and stood erect amid the tempest. Virginia,
South Carolina, Alabama. Arkansas, Missouri
Illinois and New Hampshire remained
OF these, they that maintained The great pr;n-
ciples, termed - Virginia and South Carolina alb,
siractIons.' were the major part. Much Of 10Y
remained to The broken fleet, and to the prisoners
Of war, that Virginia remained unsca thcd Her
banner of absraclinns. in tbs hands Of her chival
ry. sill upheld. And. who, " M were these that
had saved Virginia. They were The chivalry so
called because of their consistency to principle
Then, m deed, and in truth, was acted uut the
motto. principles. not men" For in pe, s0n0l
estimation. and personal love. Mr.. Van Buren,
SINK hplig VtruInia's anne cI,b, Che