Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-06-12
Morality in Politics.

illus, the Roman, once said that no man
ought to go away sorrowful from an Emperor;
meaning, doubtless, that such should be the
generosity of his nature such his liberal and
enlightened policy, and such the lofty and
equal justice Of his laws, as well as his indi-
vidual conduct, that all should feel the gra-
ciousness and benignity Of his administration.
Governments, to be most effective, should seek
not only human elevation, politically speaking,
but human happiness, moral as well as physi-
cal; and any government devoid Of such ten
dency, should be Immediately and fearlessly
disavowed. Such disavowal the selfish and
designing frequently term treason, and we are
as liable to be branded as traitors for refusing
to submit to the corrupt and debasing tenden--
cies of government, as for seeking to over
throw what is obviously right.
He is, in truth, traitor to God and human
ity, who can barter his conscience and all the
diviner constituents of his nature for political
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT or party ascendency. Yet we
daily find the pernicious doctrines taught, that
we must yield our conscientious convictions of
right and wrong to the demands of numeri-
cal majority, however unwise and unlawful
those demands may be, and however democrat
izing their tendencies that truth and honesty
do not necessarily enter into the formation Of
political character, and that to consult con.
science, in matters pertaining to political STRAIT
egg, is as silly and impolitic as to invite the
oracular soul of wandering gypsy to attest
the truth of Heaven. Policy-party policy
in its insatiate exactions, requires that we
should be as wise as serpents, and as subtle
and heartless as so many Shylocks.
1t is also claimed that we must yield our
better judgment to the contrivances of policy,
and the schemes of those known to be selfish
and corrupt because they are in the majority
and have been successful in their career; that
it is duty which we owe to the party, Or,
which we, in common with such selfish zealo' q
may be members; i and that for us to repu9 date
such dogmas is dangerous and absolute her
esy, inviting at once upon our devoted heads
the maledictions and anathemas of tie Marty
Must we then sacrifice our manhood our CON
seriousness of right and wrong, ansi our indie
pendence Of thought and actor, in. order to
retain position in the partye Must we sur
render to the prevalence of the haser passions
all that ennobles and diguifes humanity p
Rather would we say, let that party go if it
exacts such humiliation Such drifting hulk
must, sooner or later, dash Upon the rocks al
ready covered with the VIZ ecks of MANY once
righteous cause Unior.l, under such circum-
stances, is vain chiynera-a nero phantom
for you can no NOR hold together the heaving
mass than you can "cbain the Henespont
vexed with stoy.ms."
The Amer lean party in this country limbo
dies elements as imperishable as the heavens
above us, and as dear to our hearts as our very
life blood; elements which, Improperly directed
and controlled, must ever prevail over all other
Influences principles which have been trans
mitted from sire to son, blending with all that
Is lovely and inviting in our free institutions,
and from which we would not be separated
but with life. These elements and principles
unite us with man in the highest elevation OF
his character, chasten while they strengthen
the associations of government, and tend to
produce that noblest and most dignihed of all
human classes now on the face of the globe
the uue-hearted American citizen But ther 9
arc other principles which must be sustaint al
by that party, or it fosters within it the Ae-
ments of its own destruction These unite us
with God and Heaven. These make us nen.
and enable us to feel that we are such
10 do right is the immediate and pe,pa tual
duty of that party. To do right, fe,rit rss Of
and so circumscribe toe limits
Of rules and platforms as not to sunds the ,nly
true bond that constitutes its real might !, nd