The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-16
The Opposition.

been manifested by the Locofocos in their
lndiscriminate, INSCRIPTIONS opposition to
the Administration of General TAYLOR
The ordinary courtesies of political con-
troversy have been utterly disregarded;
imputations of the grossest kind heaped
upon men Of known and unimpeachable
purity and worth, and the vocabulary of
invective and Remuneration exhausted Of
terms of opprobrium, to stigmatize the
conduct and character Of patriotic and
| faithful public servants. The sacredness
of private life is ruthlessly invaded, and
no intercourse or relations are safe from
the perversion and malignity of the Or
gans Of Bitter endism. II would proba-
oily be unfair to charge these people with
any extraordinary or peculiar proclivity to
SANDER and detraction. We do not sup
pose them to be prone to such vicious
courses much beyond the ordinary weak
ness and wickedness Of human nature.
The explanation of their most reprehensi-
BILE and fagitious conduct will be found,
we think, liz the unusual circumstances
under which they act Ever since that
pernicious feature was engrafted upon the
practice of this Government of making Of
flee the reward Of partisan service, with
an interval so brief as to be hardly worth
mentioning, they have had monopoly of
the honors and emoluments dispensed by
the Federal Executive; and the advan-
tages and profits enjoyed by them have not
been confined to the favors and benefits
obvious 10 the public eye.
Under the dynasty of Locofocoism, the
indirect and covert patronage-the con-
tracts and facilities for money making
under the several Departments, which no
legislation can restrain or abridge, when
power is in the hands of experienced,
adroit, and not over-scrupulous men, are
intellectually numerous and great. 1t may
be doubted whether this species of Exc
cutive favor has not equalled in value and
importance, for the last twenty years, that
which is overt, and communicated to the
people in documents ordered by Con-
gress.
All these advantages had been enjoyed
so long by the Locofocos, to the total ex-
clusion of one-half of the people of the
United States, that they began to hug the
idea that they held them by prescription;
and that for Wing to aspire to Federal
office was piece Of presumption deserv-
ing condign chastisement When, there
fore, General TAYLoR's accession to office
closed every corrupt, and illegitimate,
and indirect avenue 10 the treasury, and
he began to take in hand the work of re-
form, they all felt il as grievous personal
wrong-an attack upon rights vested and
indefeasible-an intolerable outrage, that
touched their honor as well as their inter
est. Entertaining these notions, and smart
ing under losses utterly unanticipated, il is
not surprising that men whose sensiblites
had become blunted, and their morality
got to be Of a weak and watery descrip
ton by long course of public plumber,
should give vent to their establishment
and irritation in terms of passionate and
indecent vituperation. Nor is il to be
wondered at, perhaps, that the universal
outcry Of these injured patriots should
have an influence on the legislation Of
Congress, and stimulate members in both
houses to acts Of unfairness and Injustice
towards the Administration, of which they
would never dream if left to their own
unprompted action.
Looking at this matter from a party
point Of view, we should not be disposed
TO arrest or divert the stream Of calumny
steadily running against General TAYLOR
and his friends, or check the intemperance
of the Opposition in any form. This mode
OF warfare never yet won a victory, when
waged against truth, honor, and integrity.
There are certain kinds Of artillery whose
recoil rs more dangerous than their dis
charge. Hudibras speaks of firearms
which
"aimed at duck or plover,
Bear wide, and kick their owners over
The batteries of Locofocoism are mounted
with guns Of this description; and the re-
suit will show that they would have been
safer at the other end. There is an inhe-
rent sense Of rectitude in the people, pre-
GLIDING the idea of the overthrow of our
upright and faithful Administration by the
use of such weapons as are now employed
by the Opposition.
But there is an aspect in which the
course of Locofocoism in this regard must
be looked at, that cannot fail to inspire
feelings Of profound regret in the minds
of every rejecting man who heeds the
reputation Of this nation in foreign lands
II men holding the highest stations under
our Government are assailed as unworthy
and incompetent--if their public conduct