Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1853-10-26
FOR the Nartiasburg Gaxcffs-
..nEnocRATiC USAGE.

nDEMCcRATiC USAGE
! TIE last issue ii the Virginia Repaei'ca''
has al article under the above caption IL re-
latien to the p.sR Of the Democrstic parsy'
Which demands word Of comment. i says;
| .Tbe convention system is the only re-
publican mode Of majolities ruling, aad those
who submit. to the viii Of the, majority ophly
when il suits their particular convenience but
/ .nisen it d0ca not. resuss to yield sHdsssdaal
feelings or interests to the popular will eyince
an entire anti republican spirit Of dicta'ion----
| II il plain that individuals Of this character
refusing to be governed BY the fairly express
ed win Of the majority, cannot remain 70
peace in the democratic party. They can o.
" be looked upon IS disorga',izers by the ma
jority who abide conventional rules and De
eisions. and II thy neither submit to TIE
same usages NOR leare the party. the party
is bonnd 10 lrdre them" ~ ase
This is the tone which the Republican
msin:a towards some II the scundest DEM
ocrots ID Virgins |; men who have been trsined
up 10 the principles Of the democratic party.
and haze never Departed from them. fcs
they are sought 20 be proscrihsd--to Be dFiv-
en- from the psrty---to be degraded in its
ranks II is not pretended that they are re-.
creant to any Of the carda,al principles Of the
party. The uppsrdonsi leitin j., that they
refuse TO sabma to the dictation Of q few
caucus leaders. snd exercise their own judg
ne,t With rerpect toscaudidates. s. l9sn
The Richmond Enquirer ofthe 18th Inst,
one OF the most ppcompramising democratic
journals in the Union--the polo star Of Vir.
mia democracy an article on PARTY In
dependence. Gays :--"Among the nsticeaile
tendencies Of the times. nat the least remark.
ablo is the gradual relsxstioa Of party decip
liae and the growing disposition Of men 70
assert an Independence Of judgment 10 politi.
cal affairs ''
The Erqairsr then shows concln.ively that
the crisis is psst IN which il was absolutely
irdispens BE to eotcrcc perfect party or
gspizasion BY stern discipline and relentless
punishment; that the danger over, men be-
gin to resume the privileges Of ordinary times
and to think IS they pleese and act as they
please without regard 20 party platforms, and
caucus nominations and continues thus:
"This strange condition Of things is the
honest democrats. But they do not proper.
ly appreciate the crisis ! They look only to
the pas,--they donot comprehend the bold
progressive spirit Of the present day Ordi-
nary land marks are ohliterated; the waters
are out. and we cannot stop their fow by pa
per barriers. We must prepare FIR present
exigencies; we must take counsel ofthe spir-
j. of the age. The Democratic party is
party of progress in principle, aud tolerance
for individual freedom. Its cause has moth
ing to lose by the utmost liberty in specula-
ton. It's PRINCIPLES rest not on prescription,
but on reason; and they appeal not to the
prejndices, bu. to the Judgment Of men,"
The liberal and enlightened views here pre-
sented. are directly opposed to the narrow,
proscriptive. tyrannicsl policy Of the Tirgin-
ia Republican, and its kindred spirits.
The assertion that 1.-THE convention system
is the only republican mode of maJorities ru-
ling" is unfounded in fact : the converse is
true. Tho convention system is the most
perfect continuance ever devised by the few
to govern the mass--the minority to rule the
majority This is manifest to every unpreju-
diced man who is acquainted with the practi
cal operation ofthe system, ltis demonstra-
ted by the fact that men are often nominated
for the highest Offices in the gift Of the people
who are unknown. even by name. to q very
large majority, till they are proclaimed as
candidates In many cases they have no
quail 6cation to recommend them to the sup
port Of the party hut nominatiop. which is
as often the result Of accident management.
or fraud A RrRKgLEY DEMOCRAT
% 1t is said there will be noble monu-
ment erec'ed to the memory of Henry Clay,
in Kentucky, the State Of his home and adop-
ton. In Ohio there has been two sabscrip-
tions Of $1,000 each, By two citizens of that
State, and $500 by citizen of Mississippi,
who refused to give his name. Fayette Co.,
KY, has subscribed $4,000; Bourbon 81
000 Franklin more thau that sum, and 9th
ers in proportion. ~ l0W
EsE About two Thousand tins OF guspo
srrised at Baltimore on Tuesday week, in two
ships from the Pacific the Tuskar and
James Corner Several other vessels arc re-
ported 70 be in the Bay, II the present fine
weather should continue. it will not be too