The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-09-28
The CSnAfsasn ~ sAe DcnoesA&Ss Psrty-Iss
Merits and iu Managsmeat.

NsrSes and iu Management.
The fearful discussions in the great family of
democracy cannot have escaped the notice of
the country Considering its past discipline
and It's present strength, its contentious in New
York and elsewhere may well excite inquiry, If
not alarm. We are all apt to think there is no
effect without its adequate cause-that mere
accidents are not rightly credited with such
broad and comprehensive disasters. Men now
a-days are not disposed to complain without a
reason-to quarrel without provocation. Great
divisions in a strong and united family are not
properly chargeable to mere inherent deprav-
ity. We fear, then. that errors have been COM
mitted-serious and undoubted errors-unin-
territorial it may be, but not the less mis-
chievous and no less demanding remedy.
This remedy, We apprehend, is to be found in
consulting the true relations OF party and
people.
If any lesson is taught by the universal ex-
perience of mankind it is that the past is no
proper criterion by which to Judge the future
There are SO many viscisstudes, so many
changes unforeseen so many circumstances
controlling but undeveloped, as to make to
day an unsafe example for tomorrow. What
men most need is to learn that they have only
to do with things as they find them The
language OF the Greeks and the Hebrews may
be full of valuable and beautiful material, and
knowledge of them may aid the reader to
reach higher conception of the capabilities
and accomplishments Of mankind, but they
constitute no bases by which to guide him in
conducting his affairs or in settling the charac
ter of his own people. Nor is it necessary to
go SO far back to prove that the past should be
studied as history and not as example. II has
been the great fault Of US republicans to draw
counsel from Greece and Rome in order rightly
to determine the character, prospects and true
policy Of our great republic. There is no
similarity, no resemblance. between them and
us. The two systems of government bearing
the same name were based upon opposite prin-
ciples, just as the constitution of the United
States has been supported by opposite and con-
licting elements. At first il was essentially
theoretical in its character so far as the masses
were concerned; now it is essentially practical.
Then itrested upon the Washingtons, the Frank
Inns, the Jeffersons, the Adamses, the Jays and
few other noted men; now it rests upon the mil
lions whose admission to elective rights has
Taught them that the constitution is their own
precious Inheritance and that to them is en-
trusted its preservation. There has, in other
words been diffusion Of power, as of educa-
tion. The schoolmaster has been abroad. and
men now read the charter of their liberties, not
out of books but out Of their daily intercourse
one with another. They read it in the sublime
spectacle of people who are as full Of graft
tude for such unexampled blessings as they
are of worldly goods. Men have become individ-
ualized; they are no longer, like bricks, fast
ened in their allotted spaces, or whitfield ont
to be driven into place in society; but each
man constitutes part of the whole-and yet
the parts are as independent and as free as the
aggregate.
These observations may not be uninterestng
to the democratic party just at this time. The
chiefs Of that party, we fear, ore relying TOO
much upon its ancient triumphs-upon the re-
cords of its past deeds--upon old examples and
old habits-and too little upon the actual con-
dition of public sentiment. Would it not be
well to remember that the past with the Anne
rican people holds very feeble grasp upon
the present There is certainly some
thing vastly stimulating, if not exalt-
ing, in good ancestral name but
such advantages were not given to ena-
bic us to assume airs, much less to au-
thorize US to control orr obliging but less
favored neighbors. A party is nothing with
out principles and its principles cease to
have power over party men precisely when,
by common consent, they are acknowledged to
meet the sublic necessities. They then enter
int. the political system unquestioned 1t
would seem by this simple showing that the
democratic party is just now in the greatest
danger for ii is conceded that its administra-
tive policy, its liberal and humane doctrines
concerning naturalization. its notions of poll
teal economy, and its republican principles
no longer find opponents from any considerable
portion of the American people. The cause
seems to have been tried the verdict rendered
and the judgment entered up. Why, then,
should the audience be retained? Why not
dismissed? Undeniably, the latter work has
not been done. The election of Gen. Pierce
however, if events roll on as smoothly as with
in few months past, may perform this work
of dismissal with absolute effect 1t could not
be done in the face Of the enemy. The old
soldiers of democracy could not be called off as
long as gun remained to be fired, post to
be defended, or victory to be won. But we
repeat, the victory has been complete. The
hosts of opponents under the gallant lead Of
Mr.. Clay have been drawn off or surrendered.
Every strong point Of the enemy has been
taken Their bank has stopped payment their
high tariff and restriction has surrendered TO the
more congenisl spirit Of free trade their bank
rupt and distribution policy have Jared no
better their American system has been torn