The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-05-03
Parties and Politics.

Under this head, by way of showing that the
Wing party il hopeleasiy PROSTATE and cannot b.
revived, the New York Tribune cites the following
passages from q late number of the North Amer
can Rtui<tc.
hat has happened once may happen again
time for the old appelIations and the old parties
themselves, to die out, when the contest between
them, in respect to principles and measures, ha.
virtually ceased, and the opposition ia only kept
alive as means of political intrigue and an avenue
for the attainment Of office. 1t is little remark
able that the old party lines beginning to fade
out at The same time both in England and tbii
country; and great Inconvenience are expert
enced in both from the attempt to continue thr
vitality of the old organisms after their natural
life has departed
elm this country, also, ii would be difficult to
point out any cause of dissension between the
Wings and Democrats except that one party has
now got all the offices, and the other has recently
forfeited them; and this the body of the peo
pie, who neither hold Office wish for it, may
be supposed to regard with profound indifference
There are, indeed, questions enough which are
hercely debated in Congress and the newspapers
but they are not questions in respect to which
Wings are separated from Democrats. In relation
to protective tariff, national bank, the manage
ment of the public ands. the improvement rivers
| and harbors, State rights, slavery, and all other
| notorious topics of agitation and dispute, poiti-
| clans array themselves opposite sides without
the slightest reference to their connexon with one
the other of the two great parties which, for the
last twenty years, have commended with each other
for the possession of the Presidency and all the
other Offices under the National Government.
Though these two parties had other objects in view
when they were first instituted, they have long
| since lost sight of them, and now continue to
exist apparently for the sole purpose of obtain
| ing monopoly of the Government patronage.
| We do not mean that they are conscious oil
this alteration of purpose. Most of those who
quietly allow themselves to be counted as Whigs
ana democrats, though they never do duty in that
capacity except on voting day. and not always
| then, have vague apprehension founded on the
| recollection of old contests when PRINCIPLES and
measures were really at stake, that the Govern.
ment would be more safely placed in the hands o.
their own party than in those of their opponents
Perhaps this confidence has been little sha ken by
the course OF events during the last two or three
| political campaigns. good deal of discomfort
has existed among "the rank and file" as TO the
| conduct and management of their self appointed
mmanders, the Office seekers. Those who have
nothing to do but to vote have begun to be worried
by the incessant solicitations of their leaders not to
omit the performance of this very patriotic duty,
in which about as much liberty Of choice is left
| them as ls given to the convict who is permitted
to say whether he will be ehot or hanged. In spite
| of all this solicitation and drumming in epite Of
repeated assurances that to "throw away ones
vote" by casting it for the man whom one really
prefers, is crime little short of treason it fire.
quently happens that nearly half of the population
do not vote at all, and many of the Others are
| tempted TO exclaim, with honest Mercutio, GA
plague on both the houses!''
H'The present moment seems q favorable one
therefore, for calling attention to the fact that these
| party names Of Wing and Democrat now NEAR
nothing and point to nothing; that they are only
the memorials of past conflict; that the antao a.
nism which they indicate is with difficulty main
tanned by the strenuous efforts of few who alone
have any interest in keeping alive and that th;
fictitious hostility. this seeming warfare, is iniuri
GUS to the best interests, and prejudicial 70 tn,
good name,o the Republic 1t is not at ali 10 III,
purpose TO say II these two parties are allowed Il
ole out others will coon and take their nIaccs
fartles cannot be formed anew unless some erea
principle or measure lie at stake; men will not rail-,
around new standard if it be not erected for
more credltable motive than division of the enos
.1aousn tneir attachment to it may continue lons
AFTER the motto which 1t bears has become m
lng,ess phrase. II but one Presidential electio,
coud pass without contest, as in 1924. this inde
cen! scramble for office could not be renewed for
PERIOD OF eight years. and might not be repestee
ior much longer time. He who was elected viii
tne concurrence Of the whole people would have n,
partisans to reward and opponents to punish
he would be relieved from the humilia ion of ha ~
Ing most OF bis appointments to Office dictated h,
party considerations-by the necessity of servins
the interests OF faction. instead Of consulting nv
welfare OF the State. Legislators would no lon ge
De forced. oy the imperative behssts Of their part,