The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-08-17
THE TRUE POLICY.

tliUiy WHOtCoohtS "hu
gestions, which are equally applicable here at
this time, where the same party has been de.
feated, to some extent at least, by the causes
which led to the disastrous result in Virginia.
We publish the Wings article below, with
the remark that il the American party ever
expects to succeed in Tennessee, It must
adopt policy in regard 20 candidates ard
other important matters essential to success,
different from that which has prevailed
otherwise il had rs well disband at once
The principles of tho p.rty are good, the
platform constructed at Philadelphia is sound
and unexceptionable; but the secret feature
of the order, with its obligations, &C., are
repulsive to many who approve the princi.
pies, aud who will not act and vote with the
party until the Objectionable features are dis.
carded aud dropped. If the party will put
itself before the country upon its principles,
willing to stand or fall upon the merits Of
these, with the right sort Of men in the lead,
men known to the country and in whose ca.
pncity and wisdom the people have conf
dencc, it may succeed in achieving something
approaching to its Observation-Disclosures, rs
the Wing intmates, it will hardly ever be
called upon TO rejoice over any greater tri.
umph than the election of town constable
or municipal magistrate.
The following is the article, which we
heartily endorse, and commend to the atten.
tioh of all who feel that the exigencies of
the country and preservation of its institu.
tions, require the establishment of such mea.
sures as the American party propose:
awe have only word or two to say, TO
day, in respect to what we consider the true
policy of the American party in future. It's
late defeat in this State teaches many useful
lessons, which those who control and direct
its movements ought to give prompt and ear
nest heed to. The Philadelphia Convention
took an important step in the right direction,
in recommending to the party to abandon the
sccresy feature--a feature of its organization
which has provoked intense and bitter oppo.
siton, and which, we are free to acknowledge,
so far rs our opinion il worth any thing, finds
no justification under existing circumstances,
whatever may be said in vndication of its ne.
ecssity in the early infancy of the party
Then, perhaps, it was necessary, especially
in the large towns and cities and in the more
drnsely populated portions of the country,
where IL was dangerous for n man to avow
himself an American in favor of excluding
foreigners from political Office. But that time
and that danger have both passed-the Amer.
lean party has come to be strong and power
fu, and with the strength and power it has
acquired, it is now amply able to dispense
with secresy as a means of protection and
defence, and is foliy competent to ward off alt
assaults, open or covert, come from what
quarter they may. This being the case there
is no longer any necessity for the partys as.
sembling and performing its work in the
dark. When n child, il was its privilege to
act rs n child; but now that it is grown
man, with some little beard on its face, and,
il is to lie hoped, with n reasonable stock of
brains in its. skull, it should put away child
ish things, and elevate itself to the dignity
and consequence of man. Otherwise its
triumphs will be confined to the election of II
magistrate or constable, here and there, but
it will scarcely ever be able to accomplish the
heavier and more important task Of elec,ing
Governor or n President.
W. VI oplliou Oub iOt oSCiS"
sy.fenture, which rcpelled from the support
OF the party thousands of Wings, the late
election would have resulted very differently
from what il did. The course OF these wings
was inexcusable, we admit, but we are deal
ing with facts rs they are known to exist,
with the view merely Of bringing to the con.
sideration of the American party some of the
errors and defects of the OrganizatiOn-in
hn, h.,
and no longer be permitted to stand as STUN
bling blocks in the way of their future sue
cess. The country will soon be involved in
merican party wishes to make itself felt, and
not only felt, but to put itself on the high
road to victory, it must institute very rigid
self examination; and whatever there is of
fallacy or wrong in its organization must be
gotten rid OF and abolished utterly. As we
have had occasion to say before, there is no
manner of use in mincing matters, there must
he thorough reformation and re.organiza-
tion. You have n platform on the slavery
question, which is far superior to any which
any party has heretofore presented to the
country; and with it, with proper manage.
ment and discretion, you can sweep the
South at the coming elections:-it would he
a pity to spoil the prospect by short.sighted.
ness and dOgged oostinacy. 1t would be well
TO recOlect, that in the control and manage
ment of great party, zeal is not the only
requiste-for zeal without brains is far less
desirable, under most circumstances, than
brains without zeal. The two united can nc.
complsh any thing. A word to the wise, we
trust, is sufficient.
Another thing. The secresy feature be.
ing abandoned, and the action OF the party
made public, il is to be hoped that not only
members of the organization, but all who mp.
prove its principles, or In any manner sym.
pathise with il, will be allowed an equal
voice and participation in directing and con
trolling its policy. Heretofore, its rigid ex-
clusiveness has kept many of the best and
discreetest men in the country, embracing
those who are thoroughly with the American
party in heart and spirit, at II distance. and
their counsels and their influence have thus
been utterly lost to it. 10 the late contest
in this State we heard men demonstrated
with because in their speeches they saw fit
to tonch upon topics and indulge in appeals,
somewhat apart from the few specific Issues
involved in the Know Nothing question:
For example, rs members of the old whig
party and no other, we concluded we had a
right to address ourselves t. wings and to
advise with them in snch manner rs seemed
to us best-bcing perfectly free, there being
no wing organization In the field, to unite
with the Know Nothings, or any other party,
in order to break down and tear up by the
roots that corrupt Locofoco dynasty which
has so long ruled with rod Of iron. But
We were even sometimes approached and