The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-08-03

Is there a Democratic Party Among Us7
The question has often been asked, "Is
there wliig party among us ~ but no
one has thought to ask the gravcr ques
ton, as there democratic party among
us ln 1t seems TO be taken for granted
that, because a so-callod democratic pres
ident occupies the White House, thore
must necessarily be a democratic party
Now, in our opinion, all that the politi-
cal wits and philosophers can find or in.
vent to show that there is not a waig
party, shows with equal clearness that
there is not democratic party for the
parties were opponents, and if the ques-
tons on which they were founded no lon
ger exist, of course neither of the par
ties has an existence. If i. is proved
that the wing party docs not exist, it is
proved that the democratic party does
not exist To assert otherwise, is to
maintain that one house has been swal-
lowed up by the sinking of its founda-
ton while its neighbor opposite the way
is still standing without foundation,
it having gone down with the foundation
of the other, leaving the house suspended
in the air.
Nearly all the old issues have passed
away, and if the name of one party is
blottcd out because those issues are
dead, why not the name of its opponent
Two great parties still exist, and two
parties always will exist There is moth
ing of substance in name; and if one
of the existing parties is still to be call
ed the democratic party" there is no
GOOD reason why the other should not
retain the name of the "whig party"
Principles can never be so well defined
that there will not be questions raised
as to the manner in which they should
be carried out. Although both parties
believe in the principles of republican
ism. the mode of administering these
principles is matter of controversy
and hence all measures" have their OPP
ponents as we'll as their supporters.
| When one set Of measures is disposed
of. new ones arise, and it would be alb
surd to suppose that the same men will
always be opponents on different ques
tions. Still, all having the same end in
view, one set of questions naturally
grows out of what has preceded them.
and there will consequently be such
resemblance that the supporters aud op-
pouents of the old questions will gene.
rally be arrayed in the same relative pc
sitions on the new ones. Thus the same
men are opposed to each other to-
morrow, and SO on, constituting what are
popularity termed parties. Factions and
individuals without strongly marked
characters fly from one side TO the other.
and thus decide the contcst-victory, in
fact depending altogether on which way
the wind blows.
But occasionally the very foundations
Of party are moved by some strong and
all absorbing question. There is a gen.
cral rushing together and embracing.
Old associates arc forgotten, new &C.
quaintanccs are formed, and there is such
a mixing up that it is hard to tell wheth-
or one party has gone over to the other,
or both have met on q compromise. and
settled all differences. Old antipa'hies
are laid aside each has yielded some.
thing, aud OH the whole is not inclined
to quarrel with his noighbor about trihcs,
since they agree so well on the main ques-
ton. Gradually differences arise Oh mi
nor affairs relative to the carrying out
of the great schc me which has as it were
swallowed them up They begin TO re-
pei each other, and scatter in all direc-
tions-thc posifvcs eventually coming
together on one side and the negatives
on the other. Then they begin think
of old comrades and old foes and it
is sometimes hard for the individual to
tell by which he is surrounded ~ Y
Day Book.