The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-09-16
Political Wisdom, ss illustrated by ths
National Administration.


mental knowledge. II is 9,ianium suf. when
reasoning runs out; II determines oil con
troyersy, and closes all argument. II Is the
Inst appeal---the universal settler" There
Ia an abundance OF truth In the theoretical
idea, and world OF bumbug In lts practi.
cal application. Men prate about their
conduct being guided by the knowledge
gained 10 the actual business and contest Of
life while the fact shows either that they
have had no experience at all, that they are
incapable Of making logical deductions from
liz lessons, or that they wIlfully disregard
It's plainest teachings.
This truth, which IL one continually in
course Of development In the common
concerns OF lie, Is especially noticeable In
the business Of potics Every political
observer must be struck with the fact, that
politicians learn nothing from the expert
encc Of themselves or their predecessors.
The same wrongs and blunders committed
year after year, by administration after I'D
ministration. are followed by the just con.
sequences OF defeat after defeat, without In
any degree, enlightening, or changing the
policy, Of those mos, interested in learning
and needing the teachings Of experience.
The entire line Of politicians, from one gen
Grafton to another, seem predcstined to fall
into the same quagmire Of folly and stupidi
~. There Is not only no aew thing under
the SUM-" with the mass Of politicians, but
there is no old thing which is permitted to
serve its legitimate purpose as beacon or
warning
There are two great facts which all polit.
ical experience suggests and establishes
The one IL, that no administration can sus
tain itself except 10 accordance with the in
telligent sentiment OF the people /; and the
other Ia, that such sentimen, can only be
regulated and controlled by reason and jus
tice, and never by coercion.
When the idea was FIRST proposed Of fore
Ing the IScompton constitution upon the
people OF Kansas against their wishes, aud
by the power Of Congressional authority,
Il shocked the heart aud mind Of the whole
country, When the present national al
minis,ration endorsed the project, and sought
10 engrait It's principles upon the Democratic
creed, and make the fact Of its support a
test OF Democratic faith, the party receives
n blow such ~ il had not suffered before
during a quarter of century, II would
have been absolutely ard irrecoycrably ia
tai had not the administration fallen back
upon the project Of the English bill, ana
thus given the people OF Kansas an oPportn.
nifty to kill at the polls the mons,rous impo-
si,ion Of the Lecompton constitution. The
administration, however, saw the gathering
indignation Of the people, and knew that, II
II were not checked by at lcas, partial
compliance with their demands, it Eust be
overwhelmed and utterly destroyed, This
catastrophe was postponed, aud, We had
hoped, avsrted, by the judcious interpoatsa
Of the English project. The people Dc
handed the right Of aims: assaamslled
vote upon the LecomptJi in:trussca! bit
they were satisfied with the opportunity
which was secured by the English hill Of
tCs,ifying their adherence Of the LecomP
ton swindle, and Of blo,ting i. Gu, from the
list OF living constitutions.
With this result attained, the Democratic
opponents Of the original Lecomp,on scheme
were willing to let the question rest to ~
gard the English bill as a fnality and to Ia.
Dor in concert with their old associates on
oil the vital measures which divide the poll
tics Of the country. This position has been
faithfully maintained by the antiLscompton
Democracy up to the present time A like
position was also assumed by the Admins.
tratiou and everything within the party de.
toted harmony. and forCtoli success, which
Is always the result Of union. The masses
Of the Democracy are generous and forgiv.
ing and they were glad to overlook the er.
rors into which the Administration had fall
en-, and to pardon ii even in spite Of the per.
lis to which il had subjected the organisa.
ton Of the party. In this happy state Of re-
traction on tie ore hand and forgiveness on
the other. the party remained until the open.
inc Of the Senatorial canvass 10 Illinois The