Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1852-08-06
The People.

The People rule in this country. The rov
eminent Is wholly theirs and for their benefit
The whole structure Of government is basec
upon the supposed capacity of the People to
govern themselves. We have firm and abb
ding faith that they can do it, and do it well
We admit the principle in its whole extent in
It's whole force. To doubt it, is to knock out
the great foundation stone of our Republican
theory. But if we admit it, we must admit that
there is much weight in the popular es-
innate Of men and measures. We must admit
that their judgment is not made up rashly, and
at hazard. We must accord wisdom to their
DECISIONS sound common sense and wise
discrimination to their preference and choice
1t Is so in fact, and the people in this country,
IN their estimate of men and measures do dis
play sagaclty, and sound common sense.
That party which styles itself democratic,
par excellence, may deny it. But it has never
been really itself since the great campaign of
40. 1t has lost much of It's assurance. It is
more than half conscious that It's long and strong
hold upon public confidence is gone. Yet it
recalls the days Of its former glory, and doubts
1t no longer feels certain Of power or sure OF
success. They have Just as many good pro-
LESSONS Of democracy as ever, but their pro-
LESSONS won't 90 half as far. They affect to
distrnst the popular Judgment. Yet many Of
them feel that 1t has been but too Just for them,
and have sought by due course Of repentance
to restore to the party its lost virtues. Smart
ing under the popular judgments Of 10 and rs,
they deny indirectly the capacity of the people
for scii-government. But as this queer demo
cratic sentiment has crcpt into their creed since
40, it is very easy TO sec the source whence i,
sprngS,-for "what rogue ere felt the halter
draw, with good opinion Of the law" They
complain that the popular judgment was led
astray in 40 by songs, cider, coons, log-cabnls.
and ioo!cry In rs by the military rcnown Of
a simple old man. These things, and nothing
else, determined the popular judgment, and
carried tqnlte away, according to them. And
TO this day, the old campagners of the deploc-
racy, cannot pass an innocent cider barrel, or
log cabin, without giving a queer look, ana
feeling strange sudden motion of the leg
They complain bitterly because the Wings
present military men for Presidents. But their
greatest grief is, that.the Peope,have approved
and elected them, in two instances, and will do
the same with the present nominee.
The great mass OF the people in this country
are not trading politicians. They have ration.
al views Of government. They arc honest in
their opinions. They are patriotic in all their
impulses. They love virtue, integrity and
moral worth. They want men to carry these
qualities into public affairs. The love Of libcr-
I, IS in their Saxon blood and with them Free
dom is pare and beautiful being, ever ready
to flee at the approach Of basencss. They have
keen eye to these qualities in public men,
They are ghrewd to discover,-they are quick
to discern. They do not often mistake char
accrs They weigh public men very closely.
They were not fooled in 40; nor cheated, or
blinded in rs; ncr mistaken in their estimate
OF Zen. Harrison, nor amigs in their JUDGMENT
OF Gen. Taylor they knew them both, and
what is more, they knew the opposing candi.
daIes.
That OF which complaint is made in the cam
paign of 40, was result and not cause. and
only betokened the Intensified fee hing and deeu
convictions that filled the popular mind. That
tide VI feeling before which democracy stood