Washington telegraph., 1852-12-15
Value Of Principle.

bastian for United States Senator, and draws
an lnvldious and unjust contrast between
these members, whom he charges with having
abandoned their party and principles, and
the few who continued to vote for a Wing
when there was no possibility of his election.
This is, certainly, very grave charge to
be made by Wing editor against so large
and respectable a portion of his own party.
a due regard for truth and for the reputa-
tion of the Wings Of the Legislature, as well
as our duty as Wing Journalist, demand of
us some notice Of this uncalled for and illib-
eral article. 1t is headed "Value of Princi-
pie, and bursts, at the start into blaze of
indignation at what it calls an abandonment
Of principle by the Whig members of the
Legislature in the election of United States
Senator. A party without principle would
| not only deserve the 'sHecalds censure but
would be unfit to exist Principle is not
only valuable but indispensable to party
But we deny that the Wings of the Legisla-
ture, in this instance abandoned their party
or their principles. According to the state
| ment in the Arkansas Whig" it was pre-
viously determined in a Wing Caucus not
to run a Whig for Senator; and the Wings
were left free to vote as their preferences
dictated-some voting for Mr. Sebastian
and some for Governor Roane. This course,
it is true, was dictated By policy, and tell
us, Mr. Herald, when tie principles OF
party, however soundev achieved any thing
valuable unless supported with some degree
Of discretion and policy.
But when the editor comes to give an
example Of his adherence to principle, how
does his practice correspond with his theory?
his comment with his text! He is indig-
nant that the twenty five Wings in the Leg
islature should have voted for Mr.. Sebastian
and yet says, almost in the same breath, that
they would have done right in voting for the
Hon. c. c. Scott, of Camden, as strong a
Democrat as Mr. Sebastian, and although a
highminded, intelligent gentleman, no bet
ter qualified, we presume, to ell the Office of
United States Senator, unless it be that his
residence at Camden clothes him in the ewes
Of the editor with that superlative excellence
with which his local partiality invests every
thing appertaining to that place. 1t may be
Camden Whiggery to denounce nearly the
entire Wing party through their representa-
tiyes in the Legislature, for voting for any
other Democrat than Camden Democrat
but it certainly exhibits in very ridiculous
light the editors windy TRADE about the
"value Of principle" We believe Mr.. Sc
bastian is the choice of this and the adioin-
ing counties, and as such, that our members
did perfectly right in supporting him. We
believe, moreover, that he is as suitable a
person as could have been selected from the
Democratic ranks
The Herald very toploeically says, that
Mr.. Sebastian's mental and political glavi-
ty has never enabled him to make the print
Of his foot upon the impressible sands that
lie upon the beach Of the great political
ocean, And here we would like to know
OF what complexion is Judge Scots 1oLni-
cal gracaty that a Wing editor should de-
sire to see his footprints "on the sands of
the beach of the great political ocean," Is
it not thoroughly Deneocruzac? How then
can we attribute the Heralds article about
the "value Of principle" to any thing else
but partial disposition to say something
fine about respectable fellow -townsman at
the expense Of his party and his principles"
and to induce the people of the State to be-
lieve that Camden is the only place capable
Of producing men Of such mental and polit-
ical gravity as to make any footprints what
ever upon the sands that lie upon the beach
Of the great political ocean?
We do not know that Mr.. Sebastian has
ever made the print of his foot On the beach
Of the great political ocean We have al
ways thought indeed that politicians we're
usually represented as bufeting the waves
of the political ocean, and not described as
saunteriug idly along its beach for no other
purpose but to make perishable footprints on
its ''impressable sands The proper place
for Senator to make an impression is on
the Public Journals Of the country; and his
mental and political gravity" should be es-
timated, not by dimly-traced tracks in the
shifting sand, but by the aceigAt which he