The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-12

BLAIR's DETECTION AND EXPULSION FROM THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY-It is unfortunate that Mr..
F. P Blair, General Jackson's editor Of the
Globe, was turned out Of the councils of the
democracy. Mr.. Blair in his day was vigor-
Gus partisan. He ruled the democratic party
on the maxim that his party was divine in
stitution, especially organized to root out all
its enemies, who were considered as enemies of
the country. Mr.. Blair was called to the Or
gan at the moment Of the thorough adoption
of the national convention system by his party.
He came to Washington under the auspices of
Gen. jackson, and to carry out that sys.e n
with distinct reference to the men OF that
period Of our history. Mr. Van Buren, was the
central power behind the throne, aided and
assisted by VIM. L. Marcy. 1t was the latter
gentleman that introduced into the party the
spoils maxim, that suggested the idea of put.
ting the press into subserviency and depen-
dence through the power Of public patronage.
1t was Mr.. Marcy that enforced the policy
Of making rulers feared, and who secuted the
idea Of binding men to party by love. That
was the soul Of the spoils system. Power was
made to mean just wha: it expresses; and it
was to be perpetuated by rewards and punish
nents. Mr.. Blair was the hangman of the
regime; and never was man more faithful and
remorselesa in his work.
Now it is something in Mr.. Blair's favor that
he was followed by Mr. Van Buren,, B. F. Bat
Ter, Mr. Benton and Others even into the ranks
Of the niger worshippers. His story in de-
fence Of his detection, that Mr.. Calhoun was the
head and front of the league which drove him
out Of the Globe bya coalition with Mr.. Polk
and Others is unfortunate in this: that Mr. Polk
on the organization Of his administration
never for once consulted Mr.. Calhoun. Mr.. G.
was Secretary of State under Mr.. Tyler, and
felt extremely we'll disposed to Mr.. Polk; but
the new President came to Washington, select
ed his cabinet and made his inaugural without
go much as Initiating wish to see Mr. CAL
houn.
Again: Nh. Polk approved the Oregon bill
with the Wilmot Proviso, against the remon-
STRANGE of two native Pennylvanians, then
members of his cabinet James Buchanan and
Robert ]. Walker. The Wilmot Proviso was
shoot from the old trunk-the Missouri COM
promise--and was believed to be unconstitu-
tional by Northern men. Mr.. Marcy was also
in the Cabinet at the time, and advocated the
Proviso, just as Mr.. Blair does now.
How it is, then, that Mr. Blair's prescription
was the result of Mr.. Calhoun's management,
under such a state of facts, it is certainly not
easy to conjecture. The truth is that Mr. Blair
hnd IN 4r1rY, NH in NJ <ho
nearly all the public men in the Union. Mr..
Polk came to Washington and was overwhelmed
with protests against his further continuance
in the Globe Mr.. Blair had fairly connected
his fortune with the Van Buren, dynasty aud
when that dynasty was driven into exile by
the vote OF the Convention of 1874 politicians
all over the country felt that they had an op-
portunity to avenge past injuries and contu-
melies emanating from the Globe establish
ment.
1t is natural enough that Gen. jackson,
whose personal feelings were always strong,
should sympathizs with Blair and it is equal
~ natural that the old Globe editor should
deem bis expulsion as only species of party
homicide. Old doctors often express surprise
that patients survive the ministrations of young
practitioners. The greater the quack, the
more sovereign his cure. No monarch was
ever depoaed without convincing one man ct
least, that his subjects were the greatest suffer-
ers. The democracy under Mr.. Blair were
powerless without his lead. Without him they
were without political virtue-at least this is
Mr.. Blair's opinion.
There Is one Lesson to be learned from this
significant chapter Of our history, and there is
no better time than now to receive such in
struction. 1t Is the folly of concentrating too
much authority In mere leaders II is that
which destroys the representative character Of
our institutions. 1t makes man power 20
litical hierarchy. The instant that you give
undue weight to persons In authority they as.
sumo to act upon the confidence thus bestowed
as an original estate Of their own they m AXE
their own strifes basis Of action, and deduce
from these, rules for the government of the
people. 1t is easy thus to glide away from
principles to maintain and perpetuate the for
tunes Of men. What care we for the sacrifices
of men, one with another sacrifices produced
by personal collisions and often In the pursuit
of ambitious preferments. What care we for
other than great public interests?
INCREASE OF Salaries Cry ExIrNsEs.-
A measure has lately passed the Board of
Councilmen to increase the salaries of the
Nav or C0rn ntrolnr and Strppt (,np, ~,;s,;oc,n