Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-11-01
Wseklg Stats Sentinel.
FRIDAY MORNING. OCT. &c. 1886.
The Danger of Great Majorities

which from time to time have arrayed them
selves in opposition to the great, and now,
only National party-the Democratic
proves that their temporary victories, were al
ways followed by certain defeat and the sure
destruction ofthe party. When we seek for
bond Of union among their adherents based
upon great principles. bnt rather a combina-
ton for the sake Of the spoils. And when
the time for action came, division crept into
the family and disorder and confusion en-
sued. producing the results before mentioned.
We need not go further back than the pre-
ceding year. nor out of Indiana to find illus
trations of the fact that "a house divided |
against itself cannot stand" The Democratic |
party had had the misfortune to contain in its
membership numbers Of those "Swiss sol
diers'' who only battle for the party which
pays them best and when, after many years
Of laborious attempts a. Office getting, they
found that the Democratic party preferred an
adherence to true principles rather than to
favor their own personal Advancement, they
pronounced it corrupt, and left it. Though
many excuses were urged this was the true
motive for their abandonment of their party.
A publication Of our party ensued. Unior-
tunately, however, for the new party who
hastily embraced these new patriotic % con-
verts, it was not strengthened by such Access
sions. Mischievous men will still be mis-
chevous, wherever they may go, and it was
so with those renegade Democrats who joined
the Black Republican party last year.
No sooner had the new party secured a tri-
umph by what seemed an overwhelming ma
iority, than these Jealous partizans (many of
whom had already received their rewaid) set
themselves up alongside Of other discomfort
ed leaders as the best claimants for the spoils.
Our legislative halls last winter, were the
fields of selfish combat for more than a hun
dred Kilkenny claimants for Office, each of
whom had ''done the State some service"
and 10 whom a failure to honor with office
would, in their humble opinions, been an
oversight Of patriotic services irreparable =
The contest proved to the disinterested look
er-on, that there was but little principle in
volved other than that Of the spoils, and those
who had honestly voted with the party, be-
heving it to be free from. corruption, were in
active and lukewarm when the next election
cane round. Many who had been thus de-
ceiyed, boldly voted with the Democracy,
whilst large number silently, at the polls
gave expression to their feelings of opposition
to the new party by casting their ballots
againstit.
Such is but a brief history Of the decline
and fall of all parties based upon faction, and
not upon great political truths The great
Wing party, during its day, had one element
about it which gave it strength, and that wa
its nationality, and, so long as 1t had CLAY
and WEBSTER to guide its counsels and
keep it OF from the shoals of Abolitionism. i
was powerful party. But when these grea
men died, it lost It's Nationality, and died
with them. SEWARD and GREEDY were tn,
political doctors and sectionalism the medi
cine which produced its death.
Upon the other hand, the Democrat,
party has always kept in view the great DO
htical truth, that its principles and measure.
could not be truly Democratic unless the,
were such as subserved the interests of tn,
whole Union. Hence it had but one set O
principles for every State and every section
II acknowledged the doctrine of State Right
in contraGistinction to that of a Contra
Power, which, after all, is the distinctive lin
of demarkation which divides it from oppo
sing parties and factions This principle
properly carried into effect, can never max
the party which advocates il sectiona
party, and this, above all ether things. ba
kept the Democratic party truly Nationa
one.
The divisions OF our opponents of the pas
year teach this lesson: that where no princi
pie Is involved, there can be no union or har
mony among those engaged in political cru
SADIE for office; that principle is a higher an,
holier thing than the love Of selfish polti
clans for place and power; and that it shout,
never be lost sight of, but kept closely il
view, by the wholesome organizations whicl
are the aids to secure its triumphs and sue
cess.
tt has been suggested to US frequently. an,
there IS much truth in it, that the only dan
ger to the Democratic party of Indiana, j,
the future, lies in the fact that we have no,
large majorities in most of the Countless
There Is such a thing as our strength bein
our weakness. F." Many asprants VIII
who have held back where results wer
doubtful, may now enter the field where vic
tory seems easy, thus changing the politica
contest into one involving only the choic
between men, and not the nobler one os
battle for principles.
We have too much faith, however. in IN
eternal and immutable principles of the Dem
ocratic faith, to believe that this will be III
case ID general, because the great mass of N
party have them too much at heart To nern,
d'ssenslons to creep into our ranks by sue
means if they can possibly be avoided.
The duty of the whole Democracy is. the,
plain In all our township county, distrit
and State Conventions, let the utmost na
mony prevail, and if disorganizers attempt
carry out selfish ends, by base means, put. +,
once the mark of condemnation upon then
And, OF all things, avoid those time-seyv;n
aemagogues who come into the field und,
the hypocritical cloak of Independents
And steadily keep in view the fact that DEN
ocranc principles, if worth preserving, mu,
sustained by the united efforts Of all an
that snch organizations as township an
county associations and conventions Al
wholesome and effective. and should be e,
couraged and upheld. If all this be don
the Democracy may defy the opposition
its enemies, and dissensions in its own rank