Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-07-18
For tie Z rsferH Times.
Party Usage---Bolting.

Party Usage--boltlng.
Nh. EDITOR Il notice in the last number
of the Times an article over the signature of
g Lincoln As citizen and professed
Democrat, | wish TO express my approval of
! the prevailing sentiment in that article. 1t is
highly desirable that those within the ranks of
the democratic party, who persist in the pre-
vention of an election, may be induced to con-
slider attentively whether their present course
can be justified. Let us address ourselves d.
rectly to them and put the question to them
| pointedly and encrgetically. Is not your
course violation of usage sacred to the best
interests of the party! Is it not suicidal both
to your own personal interests and to the DEM
ocratic causel
But what party usage is applicable to the
present position of the minority in the Legisla-
ture, who persist thus in thwartng the action
of the majority of their friendsl A political
party can not long exist or often triumph over
its antagonists, without having sound prin-
ciples = principles that are not only cor
I lCSt. uut tiiC htScSSuly HNOlNtu Ill
the correct government of state. The natu-
raj operation of the principles of such party,
necessarily produces from time to time GER
tain action of that party; and that action must
as necessarily be a concerted and uniform ac-
ton. In certain crises and on certain occa-
sions, it is necessary that such action be fore
Swallowed and marked out in the primary meet
ings of the party, acting exclusively within
themselves and not in state of antagonism.-
This is unavoidably necessary to secure con-
cert and uniformity at the final contest. Such
are the caucuses for the nomination of candi-
dates for election TO offices. Hence it has
come TO be considered usage of this party,
that all nominations fairly and properly made,
ought to be followed, although the precise per-
sonal wishes of all the members NAV not have
been gratifed by the action of the primary
meeting.
! Then, how stands the case, We say to
| you, friends, that your present course is pal
| pable violation of long established usage But
| although such is the fact, it does not necessa-
| rily follow that you are culpable. You may
have conscientious motives, which we can not
ask You to disregard. We solemly ask you,
then, what justification you have to oflerl Is
| the regularly nominated candldate,-a candi-
date nominated by an almost unanimous vote
of those who chose to attend the legislative
caucus of the party-not personally agreeable
to youl Do you fear he may not in some re-
| spects give his influence in the distribution of
offices i'll manner to please you1 Or has
some official action of his, or some known prin-
ciple of action offended you! Some one of
these motives, l think You must acknowledge,
has led you to your present position.
And now we solemnly put the question, dare
| you continue successfully to thwart the action
of your party while in the ascendancy, from
such motives, Have you no fear that your
present course, if persisted in, will produce in
finite confusion within our ranks, as well as
bring destruction upon yourselves, The
course of events, which seems to be foreslIad-
owed by the present state of things, is that the
/ SicSiioh VI IL pCliutol may NC uClClICu tllC
next Legislative session; that there will be an
effort by the leaders of the opposition to the
nominee of the party all over the state, to pro
cure the election of members of both branches
of the Legislature pledged to their own faith );
that this will be strongly resisted that thence
will arise rancorous feelings and factious pro-
| ceedings, and that the election of wing Sena-
Tor may be the fatal consequence of such party
| divisions
Now, as a party constituted on true princi-
pies, has within itself the clements of perma-
nence, so it is the duty of its members to seek
its preservation by all means not in violation
of conscience. For its principles being true,
they ought to be propogated and wrought into
the government of the state. So then, although
a minority may have different views as to mi
nor measures, or as TO the choice of men, they
ought, to avoid self-destruction, to yield to the
deliberate action of the majority. Any other
action is factious and destructive of perpetuity.
In the light of these views, you stand before
the people, convicted as boilers. Will you not
analyze, with faithful searching of the heart,
your own motives of action, and the probable
consequences What honest member of the
democratic party is so heartless, that he can
look on with complacency, and behold the pro-
gress of a vandal spirit desolating the hopes of
the cause of true democracy!
But say you that there is difference In
principle of so extensive and permanent ma
ture, that you can not unite conscentiously in
cordial action with majority of the party9-
Then / have but one word to say. In such
case, you occupy one of three positions. You
are either the Democratic party, or an offshoot.
If the latter, then, either faction, or branch
possessing principles of kind SO well defined
and SO extensive as to be able to assume dis
tinct character, in other words to become new
party and frame party organization with a
code of partizan doctrines. That YOU are the
Democratic party, you will not pretend. That
you are faction, you will not admit. That
you are new and Independent party, you dare
not assert. We can, therefore, only ask YOU