The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-10-14
The Measures Of the Wing Party
III Where are they!
BODY Of men who have been 0and-

tect, II they expect c0nI'nuaily W Ic-
ceive support, ought to be able TO point
to some measure OF their own IN exls-
tence, one to which has operated alike
to the common advantage of all, as
recommendation 10 others 10 join their
ranks. II this rule should be applied
in, slrictness as test by which the
whig party is 10 receive the sutfrages
Of the people at the coming election.
and certainly no. truera rule canIbe
adopted by which the merits of any
party should be judged,it seems to US
the support which that party will be
able to roIly must be small. 9a9q0q
Where are the measures Of the whig
partyAthose measures we mean OF a
distinctive character, and which we
have been asked to sustain, and carry
into practice9 Where is the bank, the
high tariff, the distribution scheme, and
all the other party notions which for.
merly enlisted so much zeal, and ava
kened such spirit-s,irring eloquence on
the part of those who have been and
a,e still the advocates Of whig policy?
They are all swept from the staiute-
book, and we now heat no more about
them than as though they never had an
existence. And why is this? Because
with the light and knowledge which
now exists in relation to these ques.
tons they cannot be successfully de.
Tended. If a high tariff scheme was a
great measure Of national policy, the
arguments in its favor ought to be just
as good as in 1874. But revenue tar,
lh is now in existence, established by
the present administration, and the
people are satisfied with its operations.
Instead Of the manufacturing interests
Of the country being paralyzed, and
the resources of the government falling
short OF wha. they had previously
been, in consequence of the repeal Of
the high protective tariff of l842, as
was plophesied by the wing orators
would be the case, the reverse has in
each parliculs: proved true. and The
whole business of the country in its va
rlous departments were never to all ap
pearances more prosperous, or seemed
10 be fixed on a more firm and substan-
tial basis than is the case at the present
time. Every thing is moving on in the
most harmonious order, and while this
continues to be the case, it would be
foolish, rash TO expect or desire a
change. s9 " .-i.l..s .sy.f..
And how is it with national bank I?
We can remember in our school.boy
days of the alarm and panic which was
endeavored to be got up in conse-.
quence Of the veto by President Jack
son of the United States Bank. Every
thing was urged to show the Importance
of such an institution, and the Presl.
dent was denounced as an usurper, u
tyran., an enemy to the country. &C.,
for taking his position against il. II was
said that The country would be ruined,
that the "canal would become soil
tude, the lake desert waste Of wa
ters," and that the energy and enter.
prise of the nation would Immediately
become paraIyzed and destroyed. Yet
all these gloomy forebodings, imaginary
and insincere as we believe they were,
have never proved true. From that
time 10 this no national bank has been
in existence. and to all appearances the
trade and exchanges have been as
good, and a large portlohaot the lime
better, than when we had an lnstltu-
lion of that kind. This favorite idol
of wbig idolatry, at whose shrine the
God-like and the Sage both worshiped,
has been overthrown, and no W nothing
remains but the remembrance OF what
it was. ,.aeu,u ig.!. Ht5 .rs4 dsgH
We might 60 on in our enumeration
of what have been whig principles, and
in each instance we would arrive at a
similar result. We do not at this tlme
find any leading measure Of whig poll
cy governing in the affairs OF this ma
ton. In fact we might say that the
policy that party has heretofore advo-
Gated is now virtually abandoned. And
since this is the case, and since as we
have said there is no great measurelof
whig policy in existence, and since also
the affairs Of the government are mo!
wing on harmoniously, and the nation
was never more prosperous than at this
time under democratic administration,
we see no necessity for a change. In
deed unless it can clearly be shown
that a change will be to the common
advantage Of all, it is useless and foolish
in the extreme to expect or desire this.
And we hope all viii view these mat.
ters Alright. We trust the people will
not sanction any change at present ip,
the measures and principles on which