Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-01-09
EASTERN TIMES.
Bath, Thursday, Jan. ., 1850.
rxt;netion CT old Party Lines.

rxtinction Of old Party Lines.
.,xsmen, rs in certain quarters some of our
Contemporaries seem to think, indicate dispo.
.;,ion 70 break down the lines of the two well
known and long standing parties in our coun-
try. The union of these parties to suppress
the undue commotion growing out of the agi-
tation of the slavery question, is considered as
one of the symptoms. That there are those
who would glory in a dissolution Of these par
ties, is as probable as that there are individu-
al. who advocate the dissolution of the Union
but in our opinion the one class is to be rs
little commended, as the other. The last
Presidential campaign affords one of the
strongest instances, in the history of our gov
eminent, Of willingness on the part of one OF
these great parties, TO attain power at the ex-
pense of an abandonment Of party issues ard
principles but ia the fraternizing of wings
and democrats, in the present exigency of pub
lie affairs TO sustain the supremacy of the Con-
stitu,ion, and for the defence of the laws. we
anticipate no danger of demolition of party
lines. The perpetuity of our common country.
we have the charity TO believe, is the great
actuating principle of each of the two parties,
and in laying aside. for the time, their different
politics, to meet 4 common enemy, no tear need
be apprehended Of dissolution OF party ties
This has been demonstrated in our foreign
wars, each one of which, though, afforded
.oYe instances of excess of partizanship to the
extent of rendering aid dad oon.ror. 10 the erepyi
But these cases were exceptions and only
evinced the extent to which party feeling was
capable of being carried.
While the government stands, and the Con-
,titution remains the supreme law Of the land,
no future even, can be morally more certain
than the continued existence Of two great ma
tional parties. Changes may occur in the pol
itics of each and there may be interchanses of
members but the elements composing the whig
and democratic parties can never be combined
in one separate body of men. Their existence
is as natural, in a free government, as the in
heren. growth of good and evil in the human
heart-(we use not these terms as representa-
tive of TIE character of the parues)-for we
far from believing that either party corresponds
TO the principle of era, nor, we might add. en-
bodies an over supply of good-but we do con-
slider the antagonism which has existed and
which will continue to exist between them, 50
far as policy and principle may be concerned,
rs having been attended with no slight degree
of advantage to national progress. 1t has
served TO call into vigorous exercise many viz
tues which otherwise would never have been
known in their excellence-it has proved that
any people who would be benefited by popu-
lar government, must deserve the enjoyment
OF freedom.
Diversity ofsentment very naturally existed
ct an early period Of our government. There
were two antasonistical principles-the pro
gTessire and eonserrG.ire-at work. and they
settled down and were embodied into two OPP
posing parties. One party would have the
general government exercise unlimited power,
while the other would conhne it to those pow
ers which are conferred by express grants from,
the people. In the hands Of one party the
Constitution becomes an instrument to deIo-
gate from state sovereignty, while in the hands
OF the other il is quoted authority 10 protect
the rights OF the states, and Of each state
distinct prerogaiive of the people. Wherever
there is room for difference Of opinion in the
construction Of the Constitution, and even
where the plain words Of thai instrument would
seem to forbid any possible misconcep,ion of
its meaning, the opportunity is seldom allowed
to pass, when any desired objec, is 30 be at
tanned.
The wisdom Of the trainers OF the Constitu-
ton for our American Republic, has stood the
test of experience, and those circumstances
which have furnished the mos, serious grounds
of complaint 10 domestic malcontents and for
eign intermediates have been the principal
means BY which the popular character OF the
state government has been maintained and es-
tablished. The Republicans were for retaining
the rights of the states to a greater extent than
the Federalists, who were more in favor of en-
larging the powers of the general government.
Had the former view, which guards the popu-
lar institutions of the states. and checks the
absorbing tendency of federal usurpa,ion, been
more generally observed had the independent
rights of the states been vindicated- much
hard feeling and bitter luminosity between diff
feEent sections of the country would have been
spared. But all must now agree that the
faithful defence of the Constitution, and the
Just execution of the laws on the part of the
general government, are objects Of vital inter-
est. Each party and all parties have an inter-
est in this-for the questions of secession in
the South, and notification in the North, bear
upon the Constitution, and consequently upon
parties with like effect. The duties 10 be per-
formed to answer the ends of the Constitution,
are OF a reciprocal nature. AS, in 1882, in the
South Carolina storm, the people supported
the general government in taking strong but
conciliatory grounds agains, it, thereby saving
the Cnion-so now, similar course should
il be called for by the occasion, would meet
with like favorable result, without any fusion
or CELEBRATION of parties. For the common
danger being over, men would return to their
respective standards. The rights of the states
can be preserved, and the Constitution vindi-
Gated, and this should be done, even if the
cooperation of the two great parties is requir-
ed 10 accomplish it.
Vermont Notification.
When the State of South Carolina, in an
Ia