Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-11-18
PARTY FIDELITY.

dent and binding the fate Of the administra
ton to the fortunes Of local faction. From
the beginning we have protested against the
attempts to degrade the Chief Magistracy by
dignifying system of appointments with the
title of "the Presidents policy From the
beginning we have repudaed the idea that
absolute subserviency should be imposed as a
test of party fidelity. From the beginning we
have denounced those who, for base purposes.
have labored to debase the great principles OF
the democratic union into a bandtti coalition.
looking to the spoils alone, whilst we have in.
sisted always that the view each democrat takes
OF the great measures of the administration,
and of their conformity TO the party creed
should determine his party position.
Having maintained these points with undev-
ating consistency, it affords us much pleasure
to perceive that the Washington Union has at
length come to our assistance. Yesterday tina.
journal, in speaking of ''the duty Of the dem
ocracy," says: "The idea cftrwi,,g this or any
administration upon its appointments. mithom
regard to its measures, IS too absurd to DC enter
y
says: "The real trial Of administration
arW come on ,chen the President comes fi,ymard
ruth has recommendations, and ,cAen the pubLc
judgment IS inrokea upon tile measures pro
posed"
If we understand the purport of this Ian
guage, it fully sustains the course we have pur.
sued, wherein we have insisted that the fidelity
of no man to his party could rightfully be i'm
peached merely because he objected to official
appointments, or to the manner in which pat
ronage was bestowed; or because he cens,ued
the impertinent interference of heads of depart
ments in local quarrels and the movements of
State organizations. We never understood that
the Baltimore platform looked to distribution
of patronage. On the contrary, we always be-
lieyed that it took cognizance only of great
principles, and appealed only to men Of princi-
pie, without holding up the hope of plumber
IN nrr-:~-:r1l --~- :.1.ous u,'avIsaAittg W
fix scale Of prices by which factions should
be bought up, or establishing a tariff of rates
which prizemoney should be distributed.
Thus believing that the Baltimore platform
took cognizance only Of great principles, we
have always been thoroughly convinced that an
administration should be tried by its measures,
and that party fidelity should be tested only by
reference to the party creed. But there are
those who insist that the acts of cabinet Off
Ger cannot be criticised by true democrat
that the system by which patronage is distrib
uted cannot be mildly objected to without in
curing the penalties Of bull Of excommuni-
cation. Under these ideas, men who have
stood firm in the darkest days-true men, who
have stood steadflst and immovable in the face
of certain overthrow, have been denounced as
foes to the President, and traitors to the demo
humble submission to the will of frecsoil bull
lies, and approve the course Of Mr.. Secretary
Guthrie. We-yes, even such men as Daniel S.
Dickinson and Greene C. Bronson-have been
denounced as dsorganizers-as deserters from
the true democracy, and enemies Of the Presi-
dent, because we spurned meretrcious alliance
with freeesoilers, and would not bow our heads
to the Guthrie dictation, but obstinately repu-
dated the idea of spoils tariff adjusted at
the Treasury Department, as an element Of
the democratic iaith-as a plank in the Balti-
more platform.
But the result Of the New York election has
worked wonders. The ignorant official stipen.
diaries and loudmouthed expectants Of official
stipends, who undertook TO re-cnact the Syra.
cuse outrage, by breaking up the democratic
meeting of Monday night, did not fully under.
stand the effect of the New York returna Bu,
we must not be misunderstood. While we give
our full concurrence to the remark of the Lnioa
that "Ne idea Of trying This or any Gdmnis-
tration upon its appointments, ,cithoW regard
TO its measures, is too absurd TO be entertained
for moment" we must guard ourself from
misconstruction by saying that the manner in
which appointments arc made is important, as
indicatin. the influences that surround men in
authority. AS a mere matter of emolument
we do not care fig who is quartered on the
treasury. But the distribution Of patronage is
important, because the bestowal of patronage
is always understood to carry with it party
endorsement.
1t is, in this point Of view alone, that we
have given so much space to Mr.. Secretary
Guthrie. The first production OF that notori.
Gus, if not eminent letter-writer, was offensive
and acknowledgement because it required that
hungry freesoilers should he fed, but because
1t recognized the spoils coalition Of lSI9, and
threw the weight Of Mr.. Guthre's official innu.
ence in favor Of the followers of Van Buren,.
Cochrane, and company. But, unless the per.
ceptions of that gentleman are as bad as his
taste, we have no doubt that the result Of
the New York election has taught him that
1.-The idea Of trying this, or any administra.
ton upon its appointments, without regard to