Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-01-23
X OBLIGATION.

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PARTY OBLIGATION.
tits hardly possible that any candid and intelligen
person can misconceive the nature and extent OF TIT
obligation which allegiance to party imposes on 1t
members. When men associate in commercial part
nsrahip, or league together on any common bash
with u single object in view, there results IN obliga
ton upon each Individual of the confederacy, to sub
init TO the general sense, and to promote the genera
interest. This proproposition is iudlsputable, but i
does not imply that a man must be the slave of party
On tho contrary, as his accession to the party wa!
the result OF voluntary impulse, he may abandon i
whenever in his judgment it has been perverted
from its original principles. No man is bound to par
~ by an obligation Of perpetual allegiance, and IL
leavingit he has only to consult his own sense Of
propriory and conviction Of duty. 1t is true, that by
frequent aud frivolous change Of his political reia-
tiors, he may expose himself to censnre as q person
of loose principles and unstable character, but this
10 matter rather OF private concern, than OF party
obligation.
il is not m thing, that a man while
protesting and claiming to he o member Of the De-
mocra.ic party, sets up his individual whim against
the general voice Of the party, and refuses to acqui-
esce in its will as expressed through its legitimate
CIkdulolU. "ueu tulS LINK oSSuioi Civ OWN. AZ
is rebellion, and the supremacy of the law, which ID
but the expression of the general will, is vindicatedb by
the forcible suppression OF revolt. In ecclesiastical
associations, resistance to the Legitimate authority OF
the church is punished by excommunication. The
-terus Of all human association is submission to tho
general will and fidelity TO the common INTEREST
Without this principle, there can be no contederacy
or cooperation among men.
When O man joins q party, he contracts IN engage
menr 10 subordinate his Individual will to u certain ex-
ten, TO the will of the party, and to submit to Its de-
cisions; and when caprice Ut feeling Restraints HIN
from the discharge Of this obvious and lmpera-
tive obligation, be cannot claim membership with
the party. We do not mean to imply that party = IS
infallihle, and tba, its authority supprcSscs the right
Of private Judgment. On the contrary, VIC readily
ooucede thar party Id often wrong, and the Individual
often right. And, while we maintain that the indvldu'
a should go with his party, as far as judgment and
conscience will allow, Ut the same time we admit thar
he cannot surrender his solemn conviction OF duty by
any engagement whatsoever.
The fundamental principle Of the Democratic Or
ganiza:ion, consists i'll the obligation Of its members
10 support the regular nominees. 1t is perfectly obvi
Gus that without q compact which exacis this pledge
there can be no party organization. Aud the man
who d~;sregards this original and paramount engage
mont, 10 tina, extent associates himself from his par.
ty. He may have q sufficient reason for his conduct
be may be right in the particular instance, but, then
he and his party are not together; their association IL
severed for the occasion and by his own act. lhelrsepa
ration may be short, but for the time the individual IL
uuausstiorably distinct from and antagonistic to the
party organization.
Independently Of the obligation to support the
nominees, which results from the Very orSanizaticH VI
purty, a man may bind himself to their support by an
additional engagement of personal honor. Thus, il
he participate, in the proceedings Of O nominating
convention or caucus, he thereby pledges himself to
abide by it, action. And by still more binding obli-
CATION does he engage to acquiesce in tho decision OF
the convention, when he consents to be brought be-
fore it rs an applicant for its nomination. In this case,
obligation. Of common honesty come III aid of duty
20 party, and the man is pledged to support the can
dida;es of the convention by the most sacred engage
r1eut Of honor.
1t THE grave crisis, when the Democratic party
aopes!s 30 earnestly to the fidelity of its members
ard claims their service by every consideration Of
patriotism, we cannot believe TINT they will prove
.a!ss TO their high engagement, or fail to extend = COT.
0ldi dlQ 1cdiOue euppVit
PARTY. TO suspect that any gentleman who was q
member Of tho Stsuuton Convention, or a candidate
ir is nomination. will now r~epudiate it's action. would
imply sreproooh upon bis honor, to which we will not
believe ,ba. any Democrat. is justly obnoxious.
THE DEMOCRACY OF THE NORTHWEST.
The following extract from a letter from an .inauen-
cial gentleman Of the North West, exhibits the feel
ing Of the Democracy in that quarter Of the State;
The Democracy Of the Northwest will now, as
ever, stand firm in the present canvass. The cnndi.
dates of the party. fuirly nominated US they have
been, will receive in this section the largest minority
ever polled at auy previous election. Look out fol
Democratic ,hlnder. Agains, secret or open foes ar
undivided front will be- prcseutrd.-Our candidates
arc WORTHY Of support. and ii in any portion Of ,ht
STATE there be ANY disaavction, or secession from
The army Of Democracy, in this section the increased
nlGjo:!ties will moro than heal the gap"
II. A. E~DMUNDSON, ESQ.
w have to announce, by authority, that Hcury a
Eanuudsoo, EST, will not again bs q candidate to
Congress. We make this announcement with SINCERE
ysSre,. for there is no Representative from Virgini'
Of higher personal honor, or Of truer devotion TO lh'
s:Sse Rights Party, than Mr.. Edmupdson.
AlSo ba'GNh oni'-lha gifted lazy repre-
~s4utstion Of "Adrienne the Actress" last evening
draw u brilliant audience. The drama was written b,
Dumas tbs Younger. tor Mude,noisel!c Rachel. II
was afterwards translated by John Oxeurprd, aud
produced on the Loulon stage, Mrs. Stirling euae,iup
tho heroine. Miss Daveutort's version was the frs,
1ha. appeared in this country, and she herself is tn.
original Adrienne in America. The rendering of III,
character gave 70 much popularity to tbs play, TINT
has beconc q favorite role amongst lady stars. Mis-
Darcnport's embodiment Of Adrienne was one OF h.
grsade.. sIorts. There was something almO'
terrific in her sudden burst Of passion, whe
she turns upon the trcscherous priucess and IT
cites the whitening language Of Phedre. Th
SLOW eppreach of death from the effects Of po
goa-Adrienpe'. Jealous phrenzy-her prayer for III
aa6 srade, conviction that .he uust dio-her farewe
20 the tr::ampts Ct her art and her adieu to Maurie
AID MiaAoaaet, ~ers thrilling in the extreme an
sill leave & lasting impression upon the w'ods
those who were Fortunate enough to Sitpess them.
We are glsd to ses that our prediction" y yerihe
and that Niss DAysspoza hss become q fixed fsvori
with The Richmond pubic, sud 10 nightly drawn
large audieaces. Tonight she Wit appear in th
much admired play of 'Caniu.."
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STAFFORD AND KtSo GEoRoE.-Tbe FreSe-ickt
burg papers state that q Democratic Convention is
BE held a, King George Court House on the fir
Taa.sdsy in March, Ia nominate q candidate for IL
Legislature for Stafford aud King George. The D,
:iSrrais ri S;Itinrl are I" appoint Delegates ut Eel
...i.y Cart. WuI. Il. Brown, Esq., il tie presel
-l.v a~t.r,ate.