The weekly Columbian., 1857-03-07
Politics and Reforms.

LUG HiaIOl VI ouI CouHLIy y WNcIl pOHIlCdl
reformation was so much needed as at
present. Sectionalism has run mad, and
beneath the cloak which prejudice throws
over the actions of individuals, system
of political corruption has spung into ex-
istence, hourished and became strong !.
which has for its tendencies tho utter
subversion of all the fundamental princi-
pies OF free government.
Once established that, "to the victors
belong the spoils," and we have a COM
munity at once made liable to all the
abuses that may arise from tho preiudices
ofthe people or the selfish intrigues Of
shrewd and unprincipled politicians
Hence. while laboring under the Slavery
excitement which has engrossed SO large
a share Of popular feeling for several
years past, we have been besiegsd by as
glaceless set of public cormorants as
ever disgraced the Administration of
home, in the years of her most abandon
ed Consulates.
The struggles with us. as they were in
that ancient Republic, previous to its fall,
has been for power! The retention of a
balance of power has started the woody
horse" on the battle fields of free Ter
ritory" while at the same time, similar
motives have nerved the action of the op-
poSite section to strike for the further
privileges secured to them in the election
of "Buck and Breck." AS is ever the
case under national excitement, every
thing else must yield to the direct prin-
ciple involved in the great struggle !;
while the country with all its local rela-
tions, is left prey to the avarice of un-
bridled selfshness. If a man was spoken
of fol Office, the most important question
asked has been, is he North, or is he
South !-and in accordance to the preva-
lence of that peculiar sentiment. he was
either to be received or rejected, without
regard to morals, or even mental qualifi
cations. 1t is not strange then, that un-
der regime like this, men should be
elected to fill responsible offices, who
neither feared God nor regarded the
wants of man and when elected under
the system that "to the victors belong
the spoils," it is not to be wondered at
that our laws have been disregarded,
that felons have escaped conviction
that inurderers have gone unhung, that
our treasures have been plundered and
that the richest State in the confederacy
has almost been reduced to population
Of her debt
Even reform movements have been
characterized with the same success and
with the same brand of infamy on their
altars. Not because the masses were not
in favor of reformation but because, un-
del the excitement of elections, and of
the "leading question" they disregarded
the means by which reformation could
be attained-the election of men Of 7'ran
ciple, men of mind, moral worth and in
tegrity who would look to the entire in
terests of the people, and not base their
claims upon one idea, without another
Under influences like these, Democra-
cy has been governed for years past, and
unfortunately for those
upholding their reform measures, was
wrecked upon the same rock.
But we have now arrived at period
in which we can reasonably hope for bet
ter things. The great national question
dividing the feelings and interests of the
people having been settled at least for the
next four years, by the election of Bu-
chanan to the Presidency, will for the
present, remove all necessity for the test
and at the same time place the
election of our representatives and Off
GERS, upon strictly local questions, indi-
vidual worth and availability. This is
the view which it is to be hoped, every
good citizen will take in casting their bal
lot at the coming election. And in the
Distracted and suffering condition of pub