Washington sentinel., 1856-05-22

ana Rome, ana brltaln IN their proudest days
would have delighted to honor;-orators in
noWise inferior to Pitt, and Sheridan, and
Tully, are to-day fighting in this land the great
battle of personal and individual liberty against
The monarchcal maxims of consolidation and
tyranny; shall we pass over this illustrious
band, aud gather all our honors for the un-
worthy and the incompetent?
We are told, with every rising and setting
sun, that . nomination at Cincinnati will be
equivalent to an election Let us not be the
dupes Of any such fatal error. A majority of
the voters Of this Union are democrats, and
under ordinary circumstances will vote the
Democratic ticket, but let us not trhe with the
honest and well meaning masses of the people;
there is line beyond which we NAV not pass
with impunity. Let us not forfeit the conf
dence OF those upon whom we are to depend in
the coming crisis If we would succeed, we
should state our case fairly and absolutely to
the untrammeled voters Of the nation. Let us
keep nothing back; let us look this presidential
matter in the face; let the whole machinery by
which TIE few .contrive TO control the many be
exposed to the gaze of the millions who till the
soil and fight the battles OF the country. We
have endeavored, in discussing this great ques-
lion, to avoid personal ties our object has been
simply to make war upon principle which
never was sanctioned by the people, and which
owes its origin entirely TO the practice Of des
potic and aristocratlc governments. There can
be no doubt that, by means of the vast patron
age in the hands Of the chief executive officer
OF the nation he is able to exercise an inau-
ence in the national affairs rivaling that Of any
British or European constitutional monarch"
How many instances, indeed, have we had in
our history, Of measures highly Objectionable
in their character being carried through Con
gress by the personal influence and exertions
of the Executive! Even powerful majorties
have, in many cases. been reduced to only re-
spectacle minorities. by the Intervention OF
Presidential patronage! 1t is sheer nonsense
TO contend that 1t matters not who occupies
the chair honored by Jefferson and Jackson.
Every citizen of this republic has an interest in
the question, to which he cannot shut his eyes;
it is impossible for him to remain indifferent.
unless he is willing TO hazard the Liberties and
wel-being of the country. 1t is the duty IT
every man, whatever be his creed or profession,
TO examine carefully and rieidly the claims of
every aspirant TO power, and 10 vote for or
against him on the day Of election. We have
no respect whatever for that sort of character
who INDUCES hearty pride in protesting him
self neutral upon every important question,
and who never suffers an election to pass with
out making all the world acquainted with the
fact that he neither knows nor cares who are
the candidates for office, or what their quali6.
cations are for the stations which they desire.
We do not object to independence in politics.
no man is bound to set himself up as mark
for politicians or others to shoot at; but ye do
object to indifference in regard TO the laws
under which we are to live, and which are TO
form the sole protection for our property our
liberty and our lives. No man, whatever his
IL. 4.
disgraced by helping to place in power, or to
drive from power, one TO whom is committed
the supervision of the dearest interests Of him
self and his fellow-men The indipidual for
whom or against whom he is to operate, may
be the merest apology for capacity and worth,
but the office which he holds, or desires to hold
is of serious and vital import.
In looking forward to the Presidency in 1856
we take it for granted that the principles for
which the Democratic party have ever con-
tended will be in issue again. Minor questions
OF policy and expediency are modified by "a thou
sand circumstances of time and place, but
cardinal political doctrines change not with
generations. Those of the Democratic party
who fatter themselves that they are to meet
new enemies and new principles, labor under a
delusion of which few weeks will relieve
them. Staring US in the face in all It's naked
deformity, will be the tariff Of AZ; by its
side viii be seen Congressional interference
piM the question Of domestic sidrey; appro.
priation Of the public lands to gigantic schemes
for internal improvement; loose construction
of the potCers Of the General Government In
short, it IS not too much TO say that the hosts
of odfashioned federalism are assembling for
another terrific conflict with the progressive
Democracy Of the nineteenth century, Shall
We meet them upon their own ground, and
secure a signal triumph over their incipient
efforts, or shall we suffer them. under the
specious plea Of compromise and desire for
peace, to enter our own camps and destroy
our organization?
In nominating a candidate for the race Of
Sc, as We have intimated, il is of the first
importance that a man be selected in whose
ability and honesty the Democracy can i'm
pliciily confde. We want no demagogue TO
enter the lists for the highest office in the
world. The Presidential chair has generally
been filed by men of acknowledged talent and
high moral worth, and it is the duty Of the
Democracy--to whose hands have been com
mtted the honor and glory Of the country-to
see that this lofty station shall, through all
future time be honored by statesmen 10 whom
the republicans Of the world can point with
pride. IL is no part Of the creed OF the great
to pay attention to any other qualification than
merit. We have no "decent," respectable, =
"well-bred, "higbborn," ''good.looking" "what
has he done TO deserve the station 2 candidates
for the Presidency. All the decency aud all
the responsibility and all the talents are mono
polized by our opponents We nominate men
on account Of their democracy, and care not
If their ancient and gnoble blood"
has never flowed through the veins Of single
stratum of the nobility. No Democrat was
ever born 10 be President-no one ever
graduated for that particular purpose-no one
was ever appointed by the fates to "preside
over the destinies Of the country"
We address ourselves particularly to the
active, progressive men of the land; it is for
them TO rule the country for veal or woe; they
must apply inductive philosophy to politics. 1t
is in our power 10 cut loose from the harbor OF
Conservatism and error, and sail into the clear
and open sea of abstract right and common
sense. Syllogism, in its most extensive signiica.
ton has been discarded in,every other depart.