The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-07-30
TIL E REPU BLIC.
WASHIN GTON:
MONDAY MORNING, JULY 80, ls49.
THE POLICY OF REFORM.

THE POLICY OF REFORM.
1T is no strange thing" said an emf
nent English statesman, ssto those who
look into the nature of corrupted man, to
find violent prosecutor perfect unbe-
lever of his own creed" 1t is something
strange, however, to see set of men I'M
dertaking to build up an opposition to gov
eminent based upon the denunciation of a
policy which they at the same time pro-
fess to approve, have always acted upon,
and admit to be the only policy on which
governments can be supported. We are
not prepared to 60 quite so far as DR..
JOHNSON carried the principle when he
said, that if he were minister he would
turn out any man who dared to wag fin
ger at him. But in the views of Mr..
BURKE, as expressed in the following pas
sage from one of the ablest of his political
pamphlets, we entirely concur. 1t is pro-
per that we should add that the Mr.. BURKE
from whom we quote is the English states
man of that name, and not the ex-Com-
missioner of Patents
| Party is body Of men united for promoting,
" by their joint endeavors, the national interest,
upon some particular principle in which they are
" all agreed. For my part, find it impossible to
&c conceive that any one believes in his own poll
" tics, or thinks them TO be of any weight, who
&c refuses to adopt the means of having them
+" reduced into practice. II is the business of the
speculative philosopher to mark the proper ends
" of government II is the business of the politi-
clan, who is the philosopher in action To find out
proper means towards those ends, and TO employ
" them with effect. Therefore, every honorable
=" connexion will avow it their first purpose 20
Z" pursue every just method to put the men VINO
!" hold their opinions into such condition as may
"-enable them to carry their common plans into
execution with all the power and authority of the
state. AS this power is attached TO certain situa-
tons, it is their duty to contend for these stua-
tons. Without prescription of others, they are
:" bound to give their own party the preference in
+" all things; and by means, for private consid-
" erations, TO accept any offers of power in which
90 the whole body is not included, nor TO suffer
themselves TO be led, TO be controlled or TO be
overbalanced in Office or in council by those who
" contradict the very fundamental principles on
" which their party is formed, and even those upon
" which every fair connexion must stand. Such a
" generous contention for power, such manly
90 and honorable maxims, will easily be distin-
guished from the mean and interested struggle
" for place and emoument.''
To read the invectives of the opposition
press against the progress of the reform
which has already exposed to the people the
defalcations of MOORE, COLLINS, and DEN
BY-and which we are authorized to say
will soon exhibit other instances of official
malversation-one would suppose that the
doctrine of supporting an administration by
its friends rather than its enemies is some
thing novel, instead Of being the doctrine
on which all administrations in all time
have acted, and on which all administra-
tons must act, unless they design to make
themselves the sport Of their enemies.
The really novel idea is that of sustain
ing an administration by placing its pa
tronage in the hands of men who will
employ it against that administration.
What act of the present Administration
has subjected it to more bitter taunts from
its enemies than the reappointment Of
GEORGE LOYAL as navy agent at Norfolk
Was it not every where denounced, by
the Locofoco press, as an act Of hypocrisy
intended to delude the people Of Virginia
by false show of forbearance
Let us look a little at the history of the
past. During Mr.. MoNRoE's presidential
term, the two great parties which had pre-
viously divided the country abandoned
their organization, and ceased to exist as
parties. In the presidential election of
! 1924, there we're FIVE candidates in the
! field, each one Of whom had been lead
ing and distinguished member of the old
Democratic party-Mr ADAMS, Mr..
CRAWFORD, Mr.. CLAY, Mr.. CALHOUN,
and General JACKSON No choice having
been made by the people, the election
devolved on the House of Representatives,
and Mr.. ADAMS became the PRESIDENT
Mr.. CLAY became the Secretary of State.
General JACKSON was again put in nomi-
nation by his friends, and new parties were
soon formed under the names of the Ad
ministration and the JACKSON parties.
The opposition, or the Jackson party,
commenced forthwith a violent war on
Mr.. ADAMS, which terminated in his over
throw and the election Of General JACK
SON. During the canvass, the election Of