Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-29
From the Memphis Bulletin.
The Mutations ofParties.

The dissolution of Parties. sooner or later,
is result of law of their being. They
carry within them, in the patronage they dis
pense the germs of their decay. in the attrac-
ton il presents to draw around them less pure
materials than he original elements of which
thew are composed. These-the sOrdid, the
selfish. the nprincipIed--by little and little
push themselves into the lead, and take con
troll Of the party to which they attached them
selves mainly for the spoils. displacing and
frequently disgusting the original founders or
adherents who act alone from principle.
Frail human nature is prolific in the produc-
ton of men who are guided entirely by such
selfish motives; and hence successful party
very soon gathers into its bosom larger
number of place-hunters than there are places
to bestow. Rivalries, jealousies. schemes for
overreaching one another, spring up and
mar its harmony; while the practices to which
these lead, cool and damp the ardor OF the
honest and patriotic. Then comes the work
of disintegratiOn and transpostion OF the
elements of which it is composed-the best
material gradually dropping ffinto neutrality
or opposition, while their place is supplied
by the self-seeking thus keeping up the
delusive idea Of possessing its original
strength-until at length some browning act
of unprincipled folly unfetters the earth
quake Of an honest peoples indignation, and
topples ii into ruins.
TTDon the verge of such dissolution now
stands the democratic party. Whoever was
familiar with it in the palmy days when 1t
was led by Gen. Jackson, cannot but be struck
with the contrast in the character of its con-
stituent elements. then and now. Then it was
a party with fixed principles and definite
system of policy. State and National, Foreign
and Domestic No,c, it is undeniable that it
is little else but an agglomcratiOn of all sorts
and hues of isms-sbifting. like the kaleidos-
cope with every change of circumstance
the name Of Democracy, like charity covering
a "multitude of sins against the staid and
thoughtful system Of Government inaugnrated
bv the founders of Republic. Thus FAR the
confederation of the factions has been held
together by the cohesive attraction of public
plunder;" but. from all appearances, the full
ness of the time would seem to have arrived
when this very source OF its former strength
is To be its greatest weakness. The JealOusics,
rivalries and animosities of its leaders, crop
out abundantly in the course pursued by the
Administration and its official organ toward
the formidable Illinois pretender to preslden-
tial succession and are reflected in the sub
seryient echoes which are sent back from the
minor moutbpieces of the party, with whom
fealtv to the eriSting power is of higher con-
cernment than its future integrity. That a
party nursing in its bosom such fostering
discords. and with an administrative head
capable of such stupendous folly as the egoisnl
of the war on Douglas, can hold together, is
! impossible.
What then? Shall the country be given up
to factions demagoguism? Heaven forbid!
Perish the thought that there is not intelli-
gence, virtue and patriotism enough, to
rescue the fair heritage of this Republic from
the wolves and vultures who would prey upon
il as a carcass for foul creatures to fatten on.
There are good and true men enough in the
land to put down misrule, if they will but
cooperate. Let such men, of all parties,
think of their duty to CountTy over mere
Party, and break the shackles of that partisan
spirit, which, in its blind excess, is the great
est bane of Free Government. If in their
conscience they believe a measure wrong, let
them say and show by their acts that it is
wrong, regardless of official favor or censure.
If the old party is broken up, the new one
which will thus rise up, will be purer and a
better one. To us its name is of the very
smallest consideration.