Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-04-13
THE DUTY OF THE PARTY IN MICHIGAN.

THE DUTY OF THE PARTY IN MICHIGAN.
The Democrat who writes Of his party In
without feeling of pride and pat
is unworthy Of hearing We have
every cause to be satisfied with the work we
have performed to the country and to our breth-
rem of other States. That we have presented
our own distinguished citizen as a candidate for
the Presidency, that he is worthy of all honor
and confidence; that he has nobly sustained
US as we have sustained him; that he is the I'M
disguised favorte of all, supported alike by the
North and South, the East and the West; all
these things would avail nothing if the slight
est sacrifice of principle was required ut our
hands. We are not Indifferent to the past; to
the contest of l848, and to the events which
have transpired since, and above all we are not
Indifferent to the condition of the country and
to the necessity Of change of Administration.
All this is made apparent to the most careless
observer. We doubt, indeed, if the good sense
Of our opponents is not ready to admit that the
Government is better administered by the De-
mocracy than by the Wings. The failures and
short comings of the Administration are too APP
parent to require notice. Upon all the points
upon which they came into power, they have
signally failed. Not promise has been fulfill
ed, and not benefit has resulted to the coun-
try, except, perhaps, to the numberless indvd-
uals who have gained office in too many nstan-
ces, at the expense Of the public Treasury. In
every direction and in every way, in high and
low places, there has been found disregard of
the public interest, and the building up of indi-
vidual interest. In reference to the great ques-
tons of economy that have divided the two par
ties, there has been the silence of death since
March A, lS49, the day of Gen. Taylor's access
sion, and there has nothing occurred to disturb
those principles and measures of the Democra-
cy, for which we have steadily contended, from
the days Of Jefferson to the present time
There is in this the very heart of stability; and
in the conduct of our opponents the highest
testimony Of weakness and disregard OF the
public interest
What then is the counsel which these events
give to the Democracy Of Michigan and the
Unon2 We are not above the necessity of
instruction, and we ought not to be careless in
receiving lessons from those in whom we have
no confidence. The means they have adopted
to gain power, and their fathlessness and for
fixture Of the trusts reposed in their hands,
should impress us with the evils resulting from
like policy; their experience should be our
teacher; their divisions should incite us to uni
ty Of action and close regard Of the time-hon-
ored principles by which we have been govern
ed. The unity Of the Democratic party has ev-
er been its chief recommendations to popular fi-
vor, and the main pillar of its strength. lndi.
vidual aspirations should ever be subservient to
the public honor and the public good and this
fact should be remembered by every Democrat
There are parts of every political organization
but those parts should be components of CON-
mon whole, and should move in harmony with
great central motive, the common good
Where we have suffered most has been in VIC
lating this principle, where individual prejudices
and interests have been made to clash with the
common good. That man is unworthy of his
position rs Democrat, who places his own oil
a mere local interest as paramount to the great
end of all. We are ever indulgent to those who
went off from the party in l848; because we
believe that in thousands Of instances they
were stimulated to do so by the operation OF
sefishness, whose purposes and designs they
did not tathom. In this view Of the past anC
presen we beg to tender word of advice tc
our brethren, who are now about organizing
for the great struggle of 1882 The body o.
the party act from an unchanging principl e-th(
public interest is what they seek. 1t is in thei
hands and it is their patriotism to prevent mere
sectional or selfish organizations organizations
with the aim, but bearing none of the fruits Of
the Democracy. bet. Free Press.
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