Washington sentinel., 1856-05-22

L
ture, he is attracted by the offensive odor Of the
dead, and exults in the vile task Of exhuming
the halfbu carcases, and robbing them OF
their Jewels. Of independence, he knows moth
| ing; simple serf like certain tenants, under
the ancient laws Of England, he is transferred
in deed Of sale as mere incident OF the soil
no more mention being required OF him than
| of the hounds and foxes of the manor; he glo-
ries in his serviity, and boasts that he is ready
| and anxious to do whatever is commanded by
his republican master:
/ "No nice extreme true Italian Knows
Bid him but go to he-to hell he goes"
Weredg rawinno picture of particular men
of any particular time; we are merely showing
what has been, and what may be again. We
have no reason to believe that our republic may
not suffer all the evils which have afflicted the
governments of the past, and it is our duty to
provide for the worst. 1t is not difficult to see
that but a few years will pass before we shall
have an army of ofiice-holders who will, if un-
checked at an early day, appropriate the spolls,
| defy the wishes of the people, and establish an
| oligarchy, as odious and as mischievous as ever
| domineered in Athens. Against this brood we
shall shortly have no resource; at this very day,
| we are powerless before the powers that be; we
| are independent in name and servie IN fact; we
are indeed the very servants Of servants, for we
/
| to others. Are we acting like men in this mat
ter? Is the line of demarkation, originally es-
tablished between the agents of the government
and the legitimate representatives of the people,
to be blotted out by the usurpation OF the
former?
The improper use of the patronage OF the
government is not peculiar to this administra-
| ton it is owing to the fact that we tolerate
| the reelection Of Chief Magistrate. Let US
shut down the gate: then will a President OF
tl,is nation be independent; then will he look to
| the advancement of the great interests OF his
people, and not to his personal aggrandizement;
then shall we have no more stipulations be-
tween the appointing power and the appoint
ees in regard to the support of any particular
candidate for the Presidency. We have thus far
been singularly fortunate, for we have never yet
had a man possessing at once inordinate ambi-
ton and superior the Presidential Chair;
but the day may come, and, undoubtedly icH
come when the interests Of this continent will
be. placed temporarily in the hands OF one
| wanting neither the ability nor the inclination
| to trample down the dearest rights OF he citi-
zen. At such crisis, what barrier can we
have so effectual as that which limits the ser
vices of Chief Magistrate to a single term?
| But we are told that it is necessary to hatter
| President witha prospect OF a re election that
| Constitution and laws of the land. Are we
| so reduced in these degenerate times that we
can only have justice at the price of gold and
| Office! Is there no dishonor In making draft
| on "the ambition of men?" When did the
Democratic party learn to stoop so low as this!
| When did it forfeit that acute sense OF the dis
tinction between right and wrong which char
acterized it in the days of jackson? Are we
bowed to the very dust in our humiliation or
| are we the genuine descendants of the heroes
and martyrs of the revolution? We have
loftier opinion of human nature, and we have,
| in particular, higher respect for the American
Saxon, than is compatible with an approval of
the spirit of this base insinuation. Mol let it
never be said, America purchases patriotism
,cith the hope Of office The man who is honest
simply because it is Improbable to be dishonest,
is nothing but knaye, and unworthy to
breathe the open air Of heaven. Out upon
such heresy as this. We desire man who
will look above the groyeling considerations OF
| personal bene6t-a man, if possible, who will
| 'Follow virtue cen for virtue's sake.
| The approaching National Democratic Con-
| pention will represent mere section Of the
Union; it will be legitimate exponent of the
| popular voice OF the nation. In that body
| there will be no attempt to avoid or ignore the
great issues of the campaign. A platform will
be adopted upon which all men honest and
true can stand. The delegates will come fresh
! from the people, and their action will be chat
| acterized by that boldness aud independence
which will command for the verdict which they
| shall render the respect of the honest sentiment
Of the country. Equal justice will be meted
| to the North, the South, the East, and the
West; we may, in short, anticipate the disin-
/ terestedness and harmony which should dis
| tinguish brethren of common political creed,
indulging a common hope OF the ultimate
triumph Of liberal principles in the world.
| The idea should not be countenanced, however,
that in our Convention we would consent,
| under any circumstances, TO purchase freedom
| from discord at the expense OF any OF the car
| dinal and cherished articles Of the democratic
faith. There are certain great doctrines for
which we must contend; these are dearer even
than the Union of the States; they lie, indeed,
| at the very basis of our constitutional system,
and TO desert them would be to prove ourselves
unworthy to be the descendants of the patriot
| band to whom we owe the charter Of our hber
ties. We labor for the toiling millions, and let
us show that we are attorneys capable of dis
charging the duties pertaining to the important
| trust committed to our hands. Let us not dis
| appoint the hopes of the myriads Of oppressed
humanity that turn instinctively to Us for aid
against the tyrants of earth, "who ruin while
| they reign !" and let voice long and loud 90
up from every hill and dale, in favor of the
privileges Of the many, and against the exac-
/ tions of the few.
| In such crisis as that which IS approach
i ing, we shall require standard-bearer OF ster-
ling integrity, iron nerve and gigantic intellect.
There is a demand for such qualities as made
the name of Andrew Jackson terror to his
enemies, and tower of strength to his friends.
We desire no time-serving demagogue, no shall
low pretender to merit, no mere eulogist Of
doubtful virtue; we want a man whose talents
will enable him to shine primary star in the
| armament Of American statesmen; we want
such a character as such land as this is ca
pable Of producing--a character that will inn
pres, the age in which it is manifested, and
whose administration will attract BY the bril-
liancy of its policy and the boldness OF ITS
deeds the admiration Of the world.
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