The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-25
1Ae slienl - ssem Of Parsies-Tns Cane -
American Psligics.


neither speak nor write. Like rough mshoga-
ny, they may be cut up and flushed to suit
the workman Their chief value consists ia
what is done for them. The raw material is
both cheap and ugly, and withal valueless. ex-
cent for instrumental uses. So il lie With MANY
of our politicians under the operations of the
machinery OF politics. They are the rough
timber in the hands OF the politics! nschinists,
and are manufactured into statesmen by the 81
lent system Of parties. This lie a pstent process
Of making great meh by mplication-h heroes and
candidates by Caucus resoluticns and manage
ment. By it Q reward lie offered for coaceal-
ment, and proscriotion secured of all the out
spoken talent AID patriotism Of the country.
WIS will say ;hst il has ret been thus with the
democracy?
VIVA. more worthless -aw material and what
more utterly valueless manufactured article,
in this way, is to be found than Franklin
Pierce? His nomination WA trick, his cleo
ton /. fraud. and his administration disgrace
He was placed in the Presidency by the silent
system. His election was q prescription Of
such unquestionsbly able men as James Blu
chanan, Lewis Cass, Mr. Dallas, aud others Of
his party. It was the protective system, car
ried into party, by which a few political manu-
facturers were enabled to lay heavy tax
upon and even utterly prescribe true states
manship and merit. The power Of the people
was ignored.
Wha. is democracy, in these days, if Pierce
is it's representative 1t avows the maxim
Of popular sovereignty, free inquiry, speech
and Judgment It maintains that the people
are sovereign, independent, seifgoyerned. It
appeals 70 the constitution as the guide of its
policy and the life of its organization. Is this
idle lipservice, meaning that the most detest-
ed man in the republic-a mau whom half the
Union and more regard with that disdaia
which springs from the conviction that he lie
without personal honor or political integrity
shall be it's nominee, or failing in this, at leas;
that ne shall have the power of naming his
party. That party, with all its errors-tte
greatest of which was lis elevation to the Pre-
sidency-has not fallen so low as to acknow-
ledge euch man as it's chief. He was Of the
party and is now the head Of it's mercenary
troops-but the great central power, the sove-
reign power of numbers, utterly abjures him
and his associates
There are certain selfish aud ambitious men
surrounding Mr.. Pierce-eertain camp follow
ere, political buzzards, who say, "This man has
had his day; he has 10 friends; let US court his
favor and become his legatees" But the Pre-.
Gdency has not become negotiable, like bill
Of exchange, to be transferred by endorsement,
nor can it be conveyed BY will and testament.
1t is not party Office; and he who attempts to
confer it upon party grounds and by such q
process or for purposes OF individual benefit,
is an enemy to the Union.
Democracy is well enough; but il is not a
man, it is principle-the power Of numbers,
Of majorities-a patriotic instinct great law
by which the people assume to act for them
selves, to punish crime, reward merit, disooun-
tenance selfahnees, and to frown upon iuf-
deity. Its work, in the case Of Mr.. Pierce,
who was imposed upon it by the silent system
Of nominations, would remain only half exc
cuted il he were rejected and his accomplices
rewarded; that would be compromise under
policy and not from principle-to set aside the
man and adopt his cause aud his morals-to
convict the criminal and retain the stolen
goods. It is fit, indeed, that no such hybrid
scheme as this-that no such fatal Pierce poll
cy, no such mosaic compromise shall guide the
democracy in their efforts to redeem their
cause from the curse Of the present admins
tration.
If there has heretofore been justification
for parties and party politics, there isnow ane-
cessity for craftsmanship. The silent system
will work no longer. We have had enough of
cliques and cabals-enough Of manufactured
men-men promoted for not uttering foolish
things, though never known to say wise things.
1t has been enough that man was not known
"a distinction to which Mr.. Pierce could as
pire, but more to be coveted now by him as
cloak than it was four years ago as help to
his insane ambition. The democracy dragged
him from obscurisy; but an indignant and be-
trsyed people will permit him to return to its
congenial shades.
Is it not public calamity that honest criti-
ci.m lie compelled thus to speak of one who
occupies the chief Office of the nation? We
have arrived at that pass when it is treason to
be silent; and the democratic party can only
redeem itself by decided, prompt and thorough
condemnation of Mr.. Pierce and all his asso
ciates.
Has it come to this that improvement is
stamped upon every department Of life; that
we are advancing rapidly in mechanics, in ag-
riculture in education, in the arts and in the
sciences; that our commerce has become
messenger Of peace to all the world; that our
inventive genius is providing remedies for 60.
cisl evils and vast means Of physical comfort;
and yet that we are compelled to acknowledge
a downward movement in government? Who
will say that we have advanced step since
the Revolution in the practical administration
fpublic affairs? Who will deny that we have