The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-22
rhe pemooratic Partx.

ssAbsolute acquiescence in the will of the ma
jority," said Mr.. JEFFERSON, &c is the vital
principle of republics" Democracy is a
state in which the sovereign power is possessed
by the majority of the people. The Demo
cratic character, therefore, of measure, a
principle, or policy is to be determined by a
single test-that of numbers. There is no
question involved as to its tendency or effect
Democracy embodes simply the idea of the
po,rer of the people-expressed and exercised
through such agencies as the people may indi-
cate. Democratic policy is that which the
majority of the people desire. The majority
then is the true Democratic party of this count
minority is an absurdty. When it ceases to
be majority, it ceases to be the Democratic
party in the only true sense of the term Demo
cratic--for it ceases to embody the power or
represent the will of the people.
Such being the true philosophy Of Demo
cratic Government, and such the real consttu-
ton of a Democratic party, it was very inge-
NOUS device of certain Virginia politicians, some
half century ago, to assume the name Demo
cratic" for the leaders of particular majority
in particular election. By virtue of this as
sumption, fortified by the fact that their admin
istrations, for long term of years, actually
represented the will and power Of the majority,
and entitled them to the use of the Democratic
name, the '' elite of the distinguished Demo
crats'' of Virginia established sort of polit-
ical church, that claimed the authority of
laying down canons and creeds which should
be forever recognised as Democratic, whether
or not they might continue to accord with the
will of the majority. The Rome Of this politi-
cal church was Richmond, and the elite constitu-
ted its college of cardinals, Mr.. RITCHTE was the
exposition and apostle of their doctrines; and to
the DEGREES and bulls issued through him by this
central power, rather than to the will of the
majority, the party styled Democratic have
looked for their direction and governance. This
was all very well as long as their policy hap
pened to accord with the popular will. But it
has come about, in the progress of time and
events, that this Richmond church has ceased
to embody in its doctrines the views and wishes
of the majority of the people. All manner of
up among its former disciples and followers.
Split into half a dozen fragments, the Demo
cratic'' party of the old traditional Richmond
organization is overthrown, and cannot be recon
structed. A majority strong enough to estab-
lish itself as the Democratic party must be
formed out of materials very different from the
elite, and profess very different political
faith.
We have been led to these remarks by an
article in the Union newspaper of yesterday
under the head of sc How stands the unity of
the Democratic party 2" This is sort of APP
peal to the people to rally under this old Vir
ginia organization, which was partly beaten by
Jackson in 1923, and wholly defeated by HAIR
RlsoN in 1910, and by TAYLOR in l848, sim
ply for the reason that the majority Of the peo-
pie have ceased to believe in the doctrines and
discipline of the Richmond church. They do
not believe that the beginning and end Of every
thing are to be found in the principles Of '9S.
They do not believe that the narrow and local