Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-09-30
THE CAMPAIGN, No. Y.

policy and practice, which are in issue between the
two great antagonist parties OF this country.
In preliminary commentary on the g Demo-
cratic Platform" of the Baltimore Convention, we
exposed so much of the party doctrines as they
there thought it convenient bring into use for the
present contest. We examined next, in connexion
with that Confession of Faith, the Jacobinical ex-
position Of their creed as to conquering and enslav-
ing all our neighbors, the ends Of PhilapathroPy
and Freedom, which instantly after appeared in
one of their main Northern organs which was the
complement 10 that other exposition, and the I'M
official avowal of principles meant to act upon the
more bandit portion of their force-ther Red Re-
public; but which they feared openly to proclaim
at Baltimore, lest they should by that ferocious
part of their creed frighten from them every thing
but their candidates body guard his crimson COM,
monwealth aforesaid, his Manifest Destinarians,"
his All-or-None Fifty-four-forty men, those who
with him thought that swallowing all Mexico
wouldn't hurt u.s." These subjects we follow
ed up by an exposure of the systematic de-
sign, throughout the Mexican war, to silence all
public discussion and TO gag the Press, by treating
as Treason all honest censure of either the origin
OF their war, its purposes, its management or the
manifold Executive usurpatons which attended it.
We next reviewed the history Of the Oregon quar-
rel the terrible as well as needless war in which
the Administration there SO nearly involved us:
their blunders in that matter their clustering, and
their backing-out. We afterwards showed as to
the Nerican Uar, that it was brought on by the
Presidents act and design, for personal or party
purposes only, and constituted, in its whole legal
history the most outrageous and continuous series
of royal, rather imperial, usurpations that
free country had suffered at the hands of Chief
Magistrate and his followers. In yet another pa
per we showed what the Teto power has been,
under all Governments, and what it must be under
our own; how irresponsible, in its very essence;
how sure, therefore, if conferred upon the Execu-
tive to make him, in effect, by an unlimited power
over legislation more King than England or
France would endure. We dedicated another arti-
Gle to establishing the power of Internal Improve
nent, out Of the highest Republican authorities, as
not only of expedent, but most rightful exercise.
After that. by communication from distinguished
member Of the so-called Democratic party, we
placed before the country the real relation of Gen.
CAss to the Uiimot proUiso. We next treated the
question of Free Trade or Protection as our pro-
per national policy. And, lastly, in notice of the
life and character of Gen. TAYLOR, his homely
simplicity, sturdy independence, rough fellowship
with exposure and duty, and danger unacquaint-
ance with those contrivances and compliances-
those alterations between the extremes of political
opinions-whch are nearly the whole amount of
his rivals political knowledge his brave and pa
trotic but comparatively unrewarded services, not
10 mere party, but his entire country and finally
the truly republican virtues of his mind and heart
his plain but strong sense, his integrity, his blunt
ness, his unambitiousness his humanity his love of
peace, his prudence, and the conservative cast of
all his opinions.
We have thus surveyed all the larger and more
conspicuous subjects which are involved in the
pending contest between the Opposition (the
WHIes) and that Party who have now, for near
twenty years. governed the country with hardy'a
view to any but their own personal ends, and have
in the name of Democracy, Progress, the Largest
Liberty, the Srctest Construction, and all that,
made their prey, their spoil, of all public trusts
exercised whatever powers, committed whatever
abuses, suited them; given loose to any devasa-
ton of public or Of private interests which was con-
venient to their purposes and made what havoc
they liked Of the Laws, the Constitution the free
DOM the morals, the character, the peace the safety
Of the land.
Such has been the career of Locofocosm. (call-
ing itself Democracy as its principles and effects
are imaged in the system Of things which its zeal
has supported as if it were a religion! We pray
all men that are capable of little memory and of
sober thought to look back upon them, and then
look forward, if they dare, TO more such. What
excess, what destructiveness, what decentralization
of every part Of public life, what dilapidaton
of the machinery of our primitive government, what
confusion Of individual interests what dissension,
what mere insanity, have they not brought about
and rejoiced to spread, if all evil were their
good! We challenge an answer. Let some one,
The boldest among them, say what mischief, within
their power, they have not done or attempted All
Administrations must have their errors of iudg.
ment if not of intention and, even if this were not
So faults would be imputed to them but to this Sc
res OF rulers, what virtue can be imputed, except
one that is such only in contrast with what thew
have done WORST Their best acts their most re-
spectacle practices in any given matter would make