New-York daily tribune., 1854-07-18
WILL 1T HURT THE PARTY t,

There are q good many spectators in politics who
are perfectly willing to give expression and effect to
the natural and general indignation Of eemen in view
of the Dougas-Nebraska outrage, provided such ex-
PRESTON such effort, can be made to subserve and
advance the interests of their party Up to that
point, "agitstion" is good thing, to be commended
and cherished; beyond that it is iactous, disoyal,
detestable. Let us consider
We know no legitimate of Party except to en-
body and give effect to enlightened Public Sentiment
The free, patriotic citizen identifies himself with
party in order to enforce thereby his independ
ent convictions. There may be minor and incidental
points on which his parys attitude does not accord
with his views; but he recognizes no obligation
to repress conceal his convictions on those points.
The party has no control over his opinions, no au-
thority to modify or suppress them, no power over
his action but that given it by the approval OF its
leading aims by his understanding and conscience.
It's sole value to him nheres in its capacity to render
effective exertons which, if put forth individually,
without concert, would inevitably prove abortlve.
Imperfect as il necessarily must be, the instrument
taty of party is subservent, indispensable to great
public good and therefore cannot be wisely rejected
But it idle TO seek to fetter the march of
Opinion, the development of IDEAS in accordance with
the formulas or the interests of Party. Society per-
petuay advances, and every year unfolds truths re-
yeas necessities, presents exigences, which trans
cend all formulas of the past The partisan who
boasts that his political creed is exactly that of his
father or grandfaiher-of Franklin or Washington,
Paine or Jefferson Madison or Clay-only proves him
self bgot or zany. Very possibly some great
question which divided fathers may be vital to-
day. and with material change of modifying cir
cumstanoes; and on this question the wisdom OF the
great departed may enlighten and guide but three
iourths of the propositions which made up the polit
cal creed of clearsighted patriot of the last
generation have bearing on the contests of our time;
while many of them through the radically changed
circumstances of the country only lead to bewder
"and dazzle TO blind" the of to-day. We here
10 think well to do, and the blind following of
what timely and wise half century ago, is evil
dence of mental vacuty and source of constant
mischief and peril.
/. has long been our belief that thorough disper
sion of parties with obliteration and dsuse of all
their machinery watchwords and discipline, as often
as once in twelve years, if not at the close of each
Presidential contest would be public blessing. We
have witnessed such baeiu results of blipd partisan
bgotry-of unreasoning devotion to this or that party
standard because of the name thereon inscrbed-Of
dishonest prscticing this Enaticism in the conf
dent belief that the great body OF the party will swal
low anything that bears the approved label-that
should be perplexed if required TO say whether party
spirit has, on the whole, done more good or evil.
True, it has often averted public Dangers but has il
not as often created them True it has melted
vast dissemination Of knowledge with regard to pub
he Affairs but it has also closed many eyes inexoraby
against the reception of that knowledge. True it mas
caused, and still causes the wielders OF power and
patronage TO be watched with lynx eyed penetration
and unseepng vigilance; but it has at the same time
surrounded them with blind supporters whom no
revelation OF their ncOmpetency or knavery can alien
a;e, because they viii see nothing believe nothing,
that contrayenes their faith in the party and its
Idols. If the wise patriot finds Party often useful
servant, the simple and iRformed oitener grind in
ITS prison-house through life, unreasoning obsequious
slaves.
There are two points on which we believe ma
FORTY OF the People Of this Country are agreed
first, that Slavery shall have no further extension
Under the Nag OF our Union, but shall be constrained
to release the dubious hold it has lately ACQUIRED on
the vast central region beginning to be known As
Kansas and Nebraska; secondly, that men shall no
longer enrich themselves by the injury aud ruin of
others through the traffic in intoxicating Beverages
The former is subject of Federal. the latter of
State legislation; and while they have no necessary