Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-08-23
From the Democratic Review.
PRINCIPLES not Men.

From the Democratic Review.
Principles not Men.
The destinies of the country at this mo-
ment hang trembling in fearful balance,
and q brief and eareest word, addressed te
the great body Of the people, will not be
oppottune at juncture so important, no
only to our institutions, but to the cause o
humanity and civil liberty at large. Iden
titled with no partial division of our collect
i've and universal Democracy, whethe
from the influence Of sectional or other in
terests-removed, equally from participa
tion, and from disposition to participate, in
any of the internal quarrels by which tht
harmony of our counsels has been of late
so unhappi'y distracted-and animated
solely by an engrossng zeal in the main.
tainance of the benign principles and wise
policy of our par,y-we may certainly i
any one be allowed to. claimh position en-
titing US to the candid and friendly a,ten.
tion Of all its temporarily disordered sec
tions.
From all quarters the United States, in.
quiries have constantly reached US touching
the unhappy dlssension which has brok en-
out in our ranks. We have deliberately
forborne replying to the latest moment, in
the earnest hope that personal bickerin gs
and local interests, by their noisy clamor
before the eyes of the whole country, would
shrink back from scrutiny, and digest in
silence and retirement their spleen and
discomfort. But to cur regret time has no,
brought back reflection with it, and the
family quarrel which for some months past
has occasionally betrayed angry symptoms
Of its pent up fury has at last broken ou,
into open and resolute rebellion. In such
an emergency, notions of prudence, Of deli
cacy, or of sorrow, should no l,.nger re.
strain US; and we think it due TO our posi-
ton as the lie national expositor of the
great principles of the Democratic party
sistcn. support Of these principles, and last
-ly ,olle I'm 81. $ ;lti u: lAats inquiries
" siicfs e i led saasore--zwe flifk*
il ue,.Mes Mpea', 20 enter upon calm in.
sestigntipn Of this domestic dispute, and 10
Eixs our Impartial Judgement upon it -
The chief point tn be ascert,ino1 is simply
thi<: the motives OF. the parties who have
become snch conspicuous ac.ors in the NIT
ter; who have taken upon 'tho nselves the
serious responsibility OF schisn, which.
if it fail, involves them necessarily in po
litical ruin AMI personal discredit, and
which, should it succeed God forbid
would plunge our great and happy coun-
Try into the fry furnance Of a desolating
ietld, whose entire consequences it is i'm
possible to fore,ec. the p,lrotic mind for
bears to regard. Wha, are the motives.
then,of the leaders of the seeding fragmen,
Of the Democratic party, known under the
slang term of "Barnburners:" What is
the meaning Of all this "lls- and polher;'
which frigh,s the state from her proprie,y?
Is it an honest protestation founded on prn-
ciple, or is it an artiul maneuvre suggested
by personal interest, is it bold and virta-
GUS resistance to party ty rranny, Or is it
IN insiduous and unprncipled pursuit
of selfish projects; is it an enli ghtened stand
for principle, or is it q slaviSh devotion to
men; These are grave questions, and we
should deem ourselves altogether unworthy
to approach them, if we could allow our.
selves to be guided for a moment by an
unfair spirit of personal or party animosi-
IL
with indignation so ungenerous a suspicion;
but let our words and tone be the test Of
our truth. Martin Van Buren, is a we'll
known name, such rs we bave delighted in
the past to honor. We can scarce believe
our eyes when we behold it inscribed on
the banner of revolt, and Haunted about as
a watchword of rebellion. We are inclin-
ed to doubt our senses, and believe rather
that we are the victim of some frightful
hallucination the prey of the disordered
fancy. Is tia 'sgoblin damned" that haunts
us, or, alas! can it be true that the war
worn veterans of the Democratic ranks
have at last turned round, deserted their
faith and abandoned their allegience? We
ore instinctively disposed from habit to
speak with due respect of so distinguished
a man, and would that, under the painful
circumstances of the case, we could avoid
speaking Of him at all. But on him, not
US, be the blame Of our language; the fault
is his, if any other than habitual sentiments
of respect escape our lips. In illustration
of the present schism,w may inquire what
has been the course Of Mr.. Van Buren, in
relation TO the matter he now sets forth Us
aprinciple!
OF ali the public men who have risen TO
high honors, Mr.. Van Buren has been in
debted the least to merit and the most to
party mana cement: In 1912, Mr.. Madison
was presented by the Democracy of the
Union as the antagonist of Great Britain
and the supporter Of the war. He was op'
posed by Mr.. Van Buren, who went with
New Y ork faction as he does now. The
result showed how abortive his efforts were
for Mr.. Madison was sustained without the
vote Of New York. --. ........ -.... H..
The scheme of state politics devised by
him in 1921, through which he controlled
New York, and, holding in his hands the
!. electoral votes Of this state dictated to the
U Union, is still subject Of admiration and
Etheme of praise to those followers who look