The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1852-05-06
The Truth Of History.
Whiggsry Os. lie "Rgu5liean. ("

The misConsFT uctions Of the uniformed,
and Industrious misrepresentation Of the
malicious, as to 4ho past and present position
Of this paper, devolves upon Us the unpleas-
ant task Of special yindicatiOn. Justice to
ourselves and to tho well-disposed portion OF
the public, no less than regard to truth, is
our apology for violating at this time that in
stinctive and sensitive aversion to every
thing personal, which has marked our course,
and postponed thus far, an act Of necessary
sclf-defence. Nor is this duty to ourselves
and the public less appropriate because ellie
tied BY the secret and malicious gossip Of
party malice, instead of frank and manly
criticism of our political course, which so
far from avoiding, we are always ready to
meet in the same pnblic and honorable man
ner.
A brief statement of facts will be amply
sufficient to disabuse the public of any un-
favorable impressions as to the party rela-
tionships of our paper, and to vindicate our
course against the contemplate speculations
of those wbO:reeogniseno higher standard of
political ethics than mere party consistency,
and whose unworthy ambition neither COM
prehends or'synpathises with any such thing
as the independent and patriotic pursuit of
political7trutEf!. ';';s4 81, 50. .. -
To begin then at the beginning, while we
never were, nor never expect to be party
man in the strict acQeptatiOn of that term,
we arc now and always have been a State
Rights democrat of the strictest school, in
Guiding not only che abnegation of all ques-
tionable powers IN the administration of the
government, but also the doctrine of State
Remedies for plain and palpable violations Of
the constitution.
Trained in such faith, we were one of
thOse.who stood our ground, when the mass
of the great republican party of '33 became
absorbed by northern whiggery. We with
stood the bacchanaian orgies of 1910 and
gave our first vote for President in favor of
the democratic nominee. We rallied in A
to the support Of those democratic principles
represented ia the name, and triumphantly
illustrated in the administration of the la
mented Polk. The canvass of 1848 pre-
sented to our mind new considerations of
sufficient interest to exclude a mere party
aspect, especially as the whig party tacitly
acquiesced in the domestic policy of Mr..
Polk, and thus narrowed the issue down to
the individual claims, of the two candidates.
Between Gen. Cass- and Gen. Taylor we
preferred the latter-not as the representa-
tive of party, which position he all the
while repudiated-but as a man fresh from
the people, interrupted by the vices of party
warfare, the illustrious proofs of whose fidel.
ity, sclf-sacrifce and public virtue, under the
most trying tests, eminently fitted him, in
our view, for the settlement of that danger
Gus question which had already loosened the
bonds of party and threatened to destroy
the Union itself, his afinities as Southern
man, giving, as we thought, most power
full and propitiOus prestige to the just claims
of the South.
Being thus identified with the supporters
of Taylor-not the advocates of whiggery-
we were appealed to by kind friends to as
sumo the editorial control of the "ColumJu
Wing" for the purpose of sustaining his
administration. We finally yielded to their
persuasions, 5000 having been added t.
the patronage of the paper as an inducement
to encourage us. In assuming this position
it was distinctly understood that we did nc
in the least degree compromise our politica
opinions, or commit ourselves to the supper
of the principles of the Wing party. W.
purchased and paid for the Columbus Whit
establishment on our own account, and with
out any other assistance than the increased
patronage alluded to above. twill be seel
by the following extract from our intrOduc
tory, that we not only clearly stated tn
principles which governed US in our supper
of Gen. Taylor, but also formally announce,
our democratic faith. We defined our pori
ton as follows: -.
"The POLITICAL CHAR AeTER of the Colum
bus Wing while under our care, may be dc
fined in yeryfeW words. 1t will be devc
ted to warm support of Gen. Taylor's &C
ministratioD, so long asit reflects the inde
pendent, patriotic and American positions q
dopted previous to lis, election and now oc
cupied by him. In every aspect in whic
we were enabled tOsSiew the comparativ
merits and conflicting claims of the two lat
rival candidates, for the Presidency, our min
was honestly and irresistibly led to the sam
conclusion. Whsthet as apatriot we We've
} the question upon broad national principles
having regard u tie. personal qualification
and individual fitness Of the two prominen
competitors, or whetheras a,Democrat n
serving the right to think for himself, W
) tried them BY what wesacpneeive to be tn
; fundamental maxims Of true Democracy, W
f believed it to Be our duty, as we certainl
esteemed it privilege to aid by our su