Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1848-03-29

been consulted over the midnight lamp
and some Of the best minds in the country
have persisted in the conflict. Yet what
has been gained by sixty years Of con-
slant investigation, il the people are not
to consult the experience which that in
vestiga:ion has afforded? To bring for
ward a man and elect him to rcspon-
sible office committed to no principles Of
action, is to confer upon him an unlimited
power. He may adopt whatever policy
he pleases, in the administration Of that
Office. Ho may throw his influence one
month for the Wing party; the next for
the Democrotic party; next for the Abo-.
lition; the Native American; ard SO on.
10 the end Of the chapter, and no respon-
sibility rests upon him, for he is commit
ted TO no principles. So far as his res
possibility to the power which invests
him with this authority is concerned, he
. 81 -
is as absolute monarch, as the Autocrat
Of Russia.
) With a government like ours, deriving
its "jus. powers from the governed. ev-
cry man must necessarily have some
fixed principles Of action. This power
is delegated to him by the constitution
as a sacred boon. He may delegate a
portion Of it, 10 one Of his fellow citizens.
Blu. to part with this power uncondition-
ally is absurd. It destroys the prime OBJ
ject for which it was instituted and rem
ders it an absolute nulity. He becomes a
machine in the hands Of others, either
for good or evil. Most generally for
evil, for the natural tendency of such a
doctrine is to acquit the representative Of
all responsibility to the power that makes
him. Is it not absurd then to seriously
agitate the subject Of calling a man to the
Presidency, whose political views, if he
has any, are unknown to The country?
Absurd as this may seem, Gen. Taylor's
election to the Presidency, is strongly
recommended, by large portion Of the
Whigpress and party. And how is it in our
own State 1.-THE present time. The Wings
being clearly in the minority, they find
it necessary to introduce the game Of
"blind mans buff" and send Mr.. lIar-
Ian about to play it off upon the people.
He is told by few gambling politicians
about Iowa City and Burlington, to an
nounce himself as an "Independent, No
Party Candidate;" and 10 canvass the
State and propagate this hypocrisy
among the people; which he does with
out hesitation and with as much appa-
rem. sincerity, as though he really be-
lieved what he urged, to be plausible
and just. But in oil these efforts to blind
the public understanding, whether in
this State, or others the people will bear
in mind one important truth; that they
never introduce this issue, unless they
are decidedly in tae minority. Take
the States Of this Union together, and
wherever you find strong Wing State !;
there you find the party lines strictly
drawn. And on the other hand, wher-
ever you find a strong Democratic State;
there you find the Wings crying to the
top Of their voices for no party men.
The people have 50 often repudiated
their principles, that they are compelled
TO resort to chicanery and deception, as
the only means Of success. Let the pco-
pie guard we'll their interests.
POLITICIAN ABROAD-THE PRE-
TENDER UNMASKED. 6
1t has been the boast ofthe Wings Of
Iowa, since Mr.. Harlan first introduced
himse'fto the people as a political aspi
rant, that he was ON extremely mild,
modest, and unpassuming man. That
his voluntary offer last year to become
the peoples servant, was purely disinter-
estcd on his part. That he had no po-
litical or personal interest to satisfy; but
was prompted entirely by noble devo-
ton to the cause Of education and de-
sire to guard tenderly the peoples inter
ests. That he regarded politics with a
kind Of MYSTERIOUS adherence. In this
view Of the case, it was esteemed no more
than an act Of charity, by the Democrat
lc party, that they should abstain as much
as possible, from using the words spoil
tics" and ''polltician;" and that they
should avoid in all cases any allusion to
this unfortunate man, as identified with
either party. They did so, until short
time prior to the day Of election, when
they ascertained that he and The Wing
party had been playing them false: that