Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-05-31
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ENNUJRERs
RICHMOND ENQUIRER
TUESDAY MORNING, MAY 81. 'e':
Aw.eNING FOX THE FUTURE

Omll -"
:, !. ,r:s ,bs,. through over weening aspirations, we have
los, from the Legislature many good and true men, WI"
xouId certainly have been elected, had the usages OF the
narty been carried out-but still, on the whole, inc resu' Is
mos, gratifying. The scenes through which we have lus'
p,ssed, poin, u moral and indicate the high duty hereafter !"
be performed by the democracy. We cordially re-echo -.
language OF the Alexandria Age that now lha' 'e .o"'
10 our State has terminated, and angry feelings ~ o"'.
fauds tina, have distracted our party in several districts 10 a"
extent unprecedented 10 our political history nave :" .
fenced by the popular fat OF Thursday last, let US gamer a'ouu
the altar of our common political creed, and agreeing 10 outy
,hs n.s, determine upon our course OF action ior the future
VIRGINIA occupies no subordinate position, IN MS sfea' 'o",
fsderacy of S,utes. The mother OF pfesioen's' ae'oes y
Statesmen. Republican Democracy, onpt'sed 10 u o"ou
If the Revolution, and confirmed during Inc memotaoe
..,oh of ,os and ,99 is also one Of her brightest and MODEST
;ewels. The eyes of The nation have ever turned towards
Virginia. whenever The Union. for which, 10 common WIN
no, ,w.lve ,is,er., she struggled 50 hard, is menaced with
duooer from without, or the spirit OF Democracy, SO closely
u,iteJ with the name Of her distinguished son, Thomas Jefier-
son, is emperined by the a~scendency OF antagonist P1lhcip'es
or tame submission TO federal %usurpanon within Virginia
has ever proved herself worthy OF this high dis'ihct'oh %
unanimously accorded TO her. When sectional s'f'ie anu
psrsonal preferences characterized the Deliberations Oh Inc
,a,ional con yention of '52 10 an extent that excluded every
hope OF securing for any one Of the distinguished names DC.
fore that body, the votes necessary TO u choice, me
voice If VIRGINIA was heard amid the strife and bus
NOICd u Ehh -
lie OF the exciting scene, proclaiming New Hamp-
shire's fayoritc son as the standard bearer OF tht
Democracy of the Union. North Carolina, her sis'ef
State, followed and the Keystone State, surrenderins nef
preferences in favor of her own distinguished son. took up
the shout, and franklin Pierce was, by reclamation ah'
nouuced as Virginia's preference and the nations noice
In every emergency our good old State has CALAMITY come
10 the rescue, and flung herself into the oEeach. WINS, '"'n'
ia our duly, now that the elections of Thursday have hushed
the voice of dissa tisfaction, and a glorious victory resulting
almost in an unbroken Democratic delegation, invites every
Virginia Democra, TO an oblivion OF the past, ana a nooie
determination 10 harmonic and pull together IN Inc iutufe'
10 DO this we must at once organize in every district where
disuuIon has cast its 6re-brand amongs. US, and Whatever
the cause, set to work like men determined TO DO their ~hoie
duty TO their respective districts, and 10 their State, and
watch, hereafter, with The most jealous vigilance, every at
,empt, come whence or from whom it may, 10 excite TO DIS
affection or lead 10 defeat. II is thus, and thus only, that
the democracy of Virginia can discharge the responsibilities
of its proud position in this confederacy of States, and II is
shus only we Gun reach the still higher distinction OF being
the banner State Of the Union"
"Men are but the creatures Of a day, principles are eter-
nal" was the profound and eminenuy truthful and wise re
mark of James Buchanan, in a letter cordially %ratifying the
selection Of franklin Pierce by the Baltimore Convention.
The acknowledgement, of The truth Of this proposition leads
necessarily 10 the recognition of the necessity and e~rpsdieH-
ey of party conventions. This point is thus clearly and
beautifully demonstrated by the Marion (Ala.) Common.
wealth. We attach ourselves 10 a party; That ls, we fnd one
Tor more) man who entrrtains theories OF government based
upon his or their construction OF the constitution, cores
uondinp with our own. This simihtudc OF political senti-
nent attracts US towards him, and the final result is coail.
zion In The discussion OF ihuse theories, or abstract prinei-
pies, we make pro,elyles, or discover many others whose
opinions and our own form a unit, with minor and inmate
rial shades of dissent. This is The germ OF party. The mum
Der gradually augments, until the responsibility OF IT'S nu
merical power gives ii moral strength, and the purpose Is
naturally considered Of giving the principles entertained IN
common a practical bearing upon the administration oil our
ia,srnai aud foreign policy. In th,' manner originated the
now triumphant Democratic party Of the United States.
There must be mcatod in the installation OF our principles
else all efforts 10 that end will be abortive. Men have ma
tural desire for office, which confers personal dignity and in-
diyidual power. This desire. being generally entertained, ls
an existing obstruction 10 the success OF principles, and
must be rcprcssed. Hence the origin OF the wise anon
nrR,scIpLEs, no, men," or principles before men" To rem.
der principles operative 10 give them li!e-like aud fruitful
practicability, the fundamentally OF men 10 indispensable.
Therefore, though necessary TO the cttaAfy OF principles
10 make them ideas which are sensibly fA-men are but the
secondary instruments. OF course, then, their position in
the public esteem must be subordinate, that OF principles
paramount. A party meets in Conventional muSi meet 10
aues, It's unity. The purify is invited 10 assemble en- mcssc,
but being composed Of hundreds of thousands, II is inprac-
sicabe. The masses, then, must be represented oy proxies
men 10 whom they delegate their authority, and to whose
Integrity they temporarily conhde The exercise OF their OIL
g!naI sovereign power, with which, IN our glorious hepuoiic'
.hey are self-inses,ed b. the unmisiakaole hat ot heir own
organic law. The proxies OF The people, previously instruct
ed, and with credentials Immediately from the popular seaii
convene. The primary ob5ec: Of such convention ia to In.
stall palNcIrLEs. The first act then, is TO declare those prin'
eiples-to give them lingual form, that all may know them
The mex, and most consequential act Is to designate, from u
multitude Of aspirants, that man, o: those men, whose NE
has been in most unexceptionable harmony with the political
tcnels enuncialed, whose talents had given them the most
splendd illustration and advocacy, and whose own chnrac
ger IL intrinsically such as TO guarantee The best future de-
fence and practical application OF the paity's political Greco
Upon this action, all are sgreed; upon the choice OF The per-
son there is rarely an entire, and not often q partial Gomez.
deuce; and hence the rejection OF one taVorite name i io-
lowed by the presentation of another, until at last a majority
recognize in Il particular individual the ut representative oil
their principles and The appropriate agent for their apphca'
dion. The whole party-the friends Of others as well as his
own original friends-give in their adhesion to him, yield
personal preferences to more important PRINCIPLES; and
thus vindicaie. in the most satisfactory manner, the sincerity
of their profession. principles, not men,"
~ such maenanimous mutual concessions, the friends OF
principles, which perhaps ere The life OF The Constitution
Snd The palladium of free government, place them in high
and potential places where they shall be ieit, descending
uuon those whose patriotism successfully advocated them
with benedictions like those which follow the summer rains
OF Heavens.
IL such be the aim Of Conventions AS It unqusstIonabiy
is-ghy denounce %them-why attach TO them, as u term OF
opprobHum, The name of caucus J and why disingenuously
attempt TO cultivate a popular aversion to them, when, 30
far as tho Democratic party is concerned, they are Inc true
conseryators OF our ~principles3 They are Us ef'ecluai 70
that end in county organizations rs In State; IN State as 10
national. II they are lolerable in one instance, they are 30
Ia all. IL evil be incident to them-if their pare aPd Patrl'
otlc purposes are sometimes attempted to be prositi'utcd 10
the sinister and mercenary designs Of the demagosue, TINS
ia ONLY additional evidence how tho bes, institutions may
be abused. Religion has her shameless and disparaeine
pharIsees, as well as her deyout and good Samarilans.
For this. should her sublime inculca,ions be rejected, or her
temples, whence cmanate holy incense OF devotion 10 Deity,
10 abantoned7 Let the people, as conservators OF their
own inalicnable rights, guard from the poNutions OF the
mere demaeogue, their conventions, whether primary, State
or national, and they will continue, as hitherto. the best ally
of Democratic principles.
President Pierce does not forget the literary fraternity 10
his foreign appointments, (well remarks the Hartford
= = oItat no