The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-04-23
EDMUND BURKE AND PARTY ORGANIZATION.


Party divisions things nseparabe from free
government. This is a truth which admits Of little
dispute having been established by the uniform ex-
perience of all ages. The part good citizen ought
to take in these divisions has been matter Of much
deeper controversy But God forbid that any con-
troversy relating to our essential morals should ad
nit of no decision. This question: like most OF the
others which regard duties in life, is to be de-
termined by our station in it. Private men may be
wholly neutral and entirely innocent but they who
are legally invested with public trust or stand on
the high ground Of rank and dignity which is trust
implied, can hardly, in any case, remain indifferent
without the certainty Of sinking into insigncance
and thereby, in effect, deserving that post in which,
with the fullest authority and for the wisest pur-
poses. the laws and institutions Of their country
have fixed them" $50
These were remarkable words Of Edmund Burke,
whose purity and independence deserve to be held
in perpetual reverence on the continent for whose
liberties he pleaded in the times which tried mems
souls. In Bukes estimation, the private citizen
might at his option, stand aloof from those party
organizations inseparabe from all free government;
but tho public filnctonary could in no remain
neutral without violating the trust reposed in him
by the organization that elected him to power, and
without deserving that duty which was expected at
his hands by the supporters who lifted him to Office.
We copy another sentence from this Same paper Of
Edmund Burke, paraphrasing portion Of it TO
adapt it to circumstances more familiar to American
readers than those Of which he was writing ut
was matter of serious and indignant affection
to the friends of very respectable party in
this kingdom who thought themselves in conscience
bound to oppose another party, dangerous to the
country from its very constitution, well as
its measures, to find themselves, whenever they
faced their adversaries continually attacked in the
rear by set Of mon who pretended TO DO actuated
by principles similar to their own
Here is epitomized the whole history Of party or
ganization under free government II il necessary
in every country where maorttieS are necessary to
carry elections or measures. Private citizens may
eschew party organizations; but no man can be
elected to official position without their instrument
taity The option which belonged to the private
citizen to unite with stand aloof from party, be-
longs not to the servant of the people elected
through the agency of political combinations That
servant violates the trust reposed in him, when he
turns hs back upon the organization which elected
him to position, and gives aid, direct indirect to
the party he was expected to oppose. To what end
will the majority of the people have organized them
selves into party, if the servant they elect he at
liberty to play traitor to the organization and the
purposes for which it was framed? And what
meaner subterfuge and more contemplate hypocrisy
can be imagined than that of who constantly
and loudly processing fidelity to the organization
which elected them to Office, found, like those
mentioned by Burke, continually attacking in the
rear the political organization to which they pro-
test their devotion, and cooperating from behind
its lines with the enemy opposing it in 'front.' in Grip
ping its movements, defeating its measures, and
shooting down its true men. 1t was serious and
sore affection to the true men Of the party, mem
toned by Burke, it seems, to find themselves,
whenever they faced their open adversaries, con-
tinually attacked in the rear by set Of men who
pretended to be actuated by motives similar to their
own M y
The man who, under an elective government and
free institutions, holds aloof from political combi
nations and acts his own arbitrary notions Of pro-
priety, acts always as cipher. He has q perfect
right TO resolve himself into a political cipher
if he be 80 disposed, or If his political conscience
be so nervously and nicely ssrung as to exclude
him from contact with the republican masses Of
his country. Individual private citizens, indivd-
uas of the people, may pursue this course at
their option with honor and in honesty; but when
the majority Of the people, breaking through these
nice scruplcs Of conscience combine with each other
into party organization, for the purpose of advanc
ing measures of public policy approved by their or
ganization, and accordingly elect men to public
position with pledges Of fidelity to this organization
and its measures upon their lips, expecting them to
support that party and its measures in Office as thew
themselves supported it at home then the option Of
the individual citizen as to those pubic ser
wants, and their pledges Of political fidelity bind them
in honor and honesty to obey the political obligations
they have assumed
The men who in the history Of politics and poli-
clans Of our country, have disrcgarded these obi
cations, have all had to pay the penalty of their
treachery III the speedy loss Of the popular conf
dence and sympathy, and in the ignominious ruin
of their political fortunes Men of small minds and
feeble talents drop into Oblivion under the quick
succeeding frowns of public opinion, as weeds wither