The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-02-19
To bottomless %perdiuop; there to dwell

The constitution was restored. The people were
again sovereign. The ancient democratic motto was
re.asserted. The people in that lesson taught their
public servants that the purity OF the elective
franchise was the 'sforbidden fruit" which would
be guarded as the apple of the eye, and every cor
rupt invasion Of its sanctuary, by official d%lctatlon,
or political intrigue, should meet the reward oil
the cabals and juntos of "a and '2s.
Apy man, endowed with no more than common
reason, would most certainly have concluded that
this sovereign giant, (the people,) clothed ID ma
iestic thunder, would, forever, stand "Argus-
eyed" a terror to restless spirits--as well to the
lean, sspare Cassius,'' as to the bold, "noble
Brutus."
Could it have entered into the conceptions OF the
most visionary dreamer, that, in less than the nth
Of a century after, any of those scenes would have
been reacted, mnch less the whole category OF
enormities! Who would have had the boldness to
have even surmised, that we should now have,
and have had for years past, a vast army OF pollti'
cal official dignitaries, divided into two or more
great political parties, each with her "hundred
chiefs''bedecked in gorgeous Congressional lumes
and apparel of state, and each, with her "ten thou
sand Captains" armed cap-a.pie with official he'll
met and spear, and each, again. ubdivided into an
indefinite number of cabals, %juntos and cliques,
and these plotting aad contemplating, and worm
ing, and wire. working, and intriguing, and all
ever ready, willing, eager, ANXIOUS, alert, nimble,
on the wing, Pres~ident-making!
Is any political question before the country:-
the creation of a national bank!-the assumption
of the state debts?--a protective or revenue tariff?
our right to the whole uf Oregon!-the annexa-
ton of Texas'-or as to the prosecution OF the
war with Mexico ?-the first consideration wont TO
be had by each of the chiefs and captains of these
corps, is, not what will prove the greatest possible
good to the country, or to his immediate %constitu-
ency but enters Into sweet, secret, converse with
himself, thus: "What most decisive and %effectual
movement can / make on this question, for the
certain promotion of my own especial interest!
Will such-or such-or such a move promote my
end? Will either OF these tend TO make me Presi-
dent? or, if | am out Of the question, will it tend
to make the Ajax of my party, my cabal, my junto,
my clique, my clan, or my faction President and
thereby raise myself in his favor! All! there!
why am / tormented ever and anon, sleeping, wax
ing, or musing, by that %intruding image?" "Out
damned spot!" 'Mr. S. has become entirely too
consequential of late"
"Now in the name of all the gods at once,
Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed,I
That he is grown so great?"
'sTrue, S. is a star, a genius, a giant, talented,
noble, brave, generous, of our party, OF my Junto,
of warm attachments; but he is eternally declalm-
ing on 'principle.' Let what may be proposed, he
is always intruding his neutrality-suspicious.
principle-I would not give an ounce of policy
for a pound of principle If this were all, it
might be borne somehow, hut that eternal clamor,
and deafening din, ard hateful eulogy of S. is more
than flesh and blood can bear-what! compelled
to acknowledge my own inferiority? My breast
heaves, my brain burns, at the thought. I'll die,
or decapitate him! My policy shall put his
principles to the test--the knife" (Enter 81
With superior Establishment he steps forward and
takes Mr.. S. by the hand. and, with a deep-seated
malicious smile on his countenance, says show ID
We dp?'--"how d we do, Mr.. 81" "Im right
glad to see you, my old friend land strikes =.
ssHah!"
ssThou art the ruins Of the noblest man,
That ever lived in the tide of times"
"Oh! there! l protest / have been SO thronged
so pressed, SO enveloped, placed in so many pecu
liar and trying situations, as Tallmadge would say
with matters of a,vtul magnitude, and vital impor
lance to the countrywide present race, as well a.
posterity.-.that / have, actually, so help me CD
not had a moments time to arrange that Natona
Convention-.to say nothing of our State Conven
ton, and our Congressional Convention, and oul
County Convention, all of which hope to be abl'
to manage against the time they may be needed
for Heaven knows my will is good, land l would d.
any thing in the world to oblige or accommodate
the people, to save them from the least trouble, O.
bother, or drudgery, about these merely prelimi
nary matters, that they, poor souls, may hav'
more leisure for domestic and devotional affairs
for Cd knows they, dear creatures, have a hare
enough time of it at best. Now as to the Nationa
Convention. Should we hold one' and if so
when, and where? l do vow, I do not wish t.
dictate, and l hope it will never come into tn
minds of the people to suspect me OF any sucl
naughty thing. would barely suggest as Nasl
would say, that our cabals, and %juntos, and clique
meet on the --n night Of - in Congress
siooal caucus to decide whether a National Con
vention may be held to nominate candidates 70
President and Vice President Of the United States
and if so...and l swear by my oath of office, whicl
NAV Cd forgive me, l have often, innocently AM
unintentionally, violated, that one must and shall
he held: that il then and there be Suggested, yes
.recommended'---there is no dictation in that---t'
hold it at - on the g. day of-at-
o'clock, A.. M, that being the usual time am
place; for the friends will have all things ready b.
that time--and by all the ghosts of King Richard
it will not do TO have it an hour sooner, or later
or all IS lost---forever, irretrievably, lost! Oh!me
!, what a life Of toil-.-but toll is the politicians re
ward. The work thickens and deepens in inter