Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-12-29
A WARNING.

WARNING.
We have never thought it possible that all
who voted for Pierce and King at the last presi
dental election could be united into one homo
geneous party. The democratic party went
into the canvass of 1852 under many advan-
tages, which could not be considered perma
nent, and could not be relied on in future con-
tests. Whilst, on the other hand, the wings
entered that canvass under extraordinary dis
advantages, which little prudence and saga.
city may avoid hereafter. AS natural conse-,
quence, the democratic ticket commanded
vote which no amount of political management
could possibly keep together and retain.
But beyond all that, every administration
must, even when carrying out strictly and faith
fully the principles which brought it into
power, give dissatisfaction to many of its origi-
nal supporters. Leaving ont of view misunder-
standings and msapprehensions, ana misinter-
pretations, and looking only to the distribution
of public patronage, and of executive and Of
party favor-eyery man at all conversant with
human nature, and the principles of party
movements, must perceive abundant and pro-
life sources of discomfort in the first year Of
new President, more especially when that new
President succeeds President of opposite po-
litical faith
1t would be weak, idle-and at the same
time uncandid and dishonest-to pretend to
deny that much dissatisfaction exists through
out the country. Say, if You please, that that
dissatisfaction is the result of disappointment;
bat the fact that it exists no sane and sensible
man can deny. This fact being conceded-as
it must be conceded-forces us to consider the
course which democratic presses and demo-
cratic politicians should pursue, so as to give
the greatest force to democratic President
and the greatest strength to democratic prin-
ciples.
To us the true course to be pursued is as
plain as turnpike. 1t seems to US as clear
as the MONDAY sun in a cloudless sky, that
democratic presses and democratic politicians
should tax their energies to sustain and uphold
the honest men of the party, and to sustain
and uphold the true principles of the party
to abjure self and selfshness-to resist the in
PRODUCTION of improper and irrelevant issues
and to thwart the schemes of the adversary
by assailing his batteries and countermining
his mines
There is some analogy between political and
military movements-much more than that
generally admitted analogy between game of
chess and a campaign. Being impressed with
this fact, we have frequently shaped our course
by the light Of weltred military maxims.
Among the military maxims WHICH VIC have
always thought to be peculiarly applicable to
political movements is. one that emanated
from Napoleon Bonaparte, which says, never
do what your enemy wishes you to do, if for no
other reason than that your enemy wishes it."
This is sound maxim, which we would com
mend to the especial attention of the Washing
ton Union and those prints which have aided
and abetted it in its efforts to carry out the
wishes of the wing party.
The journals to which we allude, under the
lead Of the Washington Union, have done all
that their feeble strength could accomplish to
convince all disaffected democrats that the vote
for printer to the Senate was blow, and
successful blow, at the administration. They
have, as if struck blind by stolid idiocy, tried
to make the country believe that the result of
that vote was an administration defeat. They
have gone even SO far as to make proclamation
that the senators who voted against General
Armstrong were foes to the President and to
his policy. H..
Cannot these men see and understand what
they are doing? Are they made deaf and blind
like ladders, from an excess of venom? If
they have their senses about them, can they
fail to perceive that they are striking cruel
blows at the administration? Surely they
must be aware that their conduct urges to
disaffection-and encourages disafection to or.
ganize, and make itself strong and formid
able. The groundless announcement that nine
democratic senators, and all of them men Of
high character-of great ability-of known and
tried fidelity to the democratic party and to
democratic usages-have gone against the adj
ministration, cannot but give encouragement
10 disafection, by hopes of succor and support
in high quarters!
The Jnion's fierce and furious denunciations
Of the Senate tend directly to produce the
evils which that journal pretends to avoid. We
must, therefore, warn the country, and more
especially we must warn the democracy against
"the false clamor" of the Washington Union.
DissHection will meet with no encouragement
from the Washington Sentinel; no encourage
ment from those senators and representatives