American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1859-12-29
Ths Political condItioa Of the co1n,TT.
The Signs Of the Ttmea.

Sfeuoeratiepartles were u The politicalaFs
as..heir warlsew vas one parsly ofprincipIs;
eaeh struggled Tor the ssesndenoy upoo
National issues. The measures Of p,lli.
cal sconcmy then asiIA,ing The public
mind. aud dividing Ne as people. have
isber been settled. abandonsd or seal.
lawed up By questions oflOeul Interest.
The policy OF National B-nk. % ably
eondendsd for BY the great lighis Of the
whig party. met It's untimely fate 10 the
qusstions1ls and arLitary exercise Of the
''veto power" and for better or worss.LA
essssd 10 Be . guestiOn before be Ameri.
car psoph. Its necessity is in par, met
and The arguments IN its favor are in part
AnswsFed BY The gold mines Of California,
aud the Banks Of issue In the States.
The constitutional power Of Congress,
as well ss the power ofapproprisiing pub.
iic funds for The Improvement Of River.
and HarbOrs Of the interior. 90 long q
theme OF discussiou-ths acquisition Of new
Territory bV purohase or otherwise --ths
Protection Of American Industry. incident.
ally or directly. and furnishing the rsvs-
nues of The general government BY lsvyine
imports on i.reign commodities. no longer
agiiAte The political element. They have
given PlsCe TO the al absorbing ques.
ton OF Slavery" The public mind |,
now engaged upon this equally foolish and
dangerous abstraction.
Politics has degtnerated from . high
and digri6ed science. to q Efssro6ls schsm.
ing Srt, sfoTding better field for the die.
play Of chicanery, cunning and corruption
than ststssmausbip. patriotism aud worth
~mers game where corrupt duplioiiy. con
iemptibls cunning aud pitiiabIe advantages
triumph over merit--a highway travelled
by tae master rogues OF the nation, ior
purposes Of pluuder aud robbsry-a the.
stsr, Stunned by honest mon. wherein
political KNIVES and tLisying demagocuss
plsy tie chief parts. dsIuding The public
BY their tricks and undermining their priu.
ciples BY duplicity.
Parties are no longer The expouents ol
principles. but organizations resLiBg with
the vile stencil Of corruption. beaded By
unblushing dsmagogues. unscrupuIous Of
means. who would cell their birtA-siRM for
che hollow plaudils Of the mob. followed
by the blind uu,hinking masses who ere
csugh. BY bsublss. who worship "Psrty"
withs hesthen devotion drawing from its
corrupt fountains their very morale and
religion; who suffer thems elves to bs du.
ped and eullsd. aud gulled aud dupsd
agsin. striped Of their principals and
substance. "ss the hunter strips the bssv.
erof its fur"
Politicians have become pariizan dsma.
Roguss, unprinci iplsd and corrupt. with no
object but lucre. no ambition bul
gain, no motive but sordid sel6sbuss,
knowing no bounds--rsady for servils pur-
poses TO barter tba int rests Of their con
sti'uents or the liberties OF the country
willing to build their own fortunes upon
the ruins of.bs Cons titutioD. No abys,
ofPolitical degradation 10 too deep for a
modern day politicians to is,hom. No
sluics way Of political corruption is too
mean to afford them Q channel. When
party is to be subssrvsd. no principle is
too sacred 10 be outraged. Conpsets ere
violsted and. Consultations are trampled uu.
der foot. Truth is distorted, ialsshOod
Published end outrSgss perpeIIa.ed with q
hasdibsod putting the devil 70 shame
Iwould not have the sins Of one Of thee,
misefeants upon my head. / would no. en-
swsr Tor them at the last day. would mol
walk with them the burning Darl Of bell
for the "throue Of sod i,self."
Presidents are no lcugsr digni6sd. just
and honorable executives Of the nMion
lut Prss:dsnts Of party. ready for psrti
san purposes 70 prosecute and Willy ,hos,
who mainIAin 40 honest difference OF opin
ion upon questions Of great national NO
msnt. Wiling to immola,e the psse,
Of the usiiou upon the shrine Of party.
An age Of principles las givsl
place to an age Of partisan folly. Nation
81 measures arsswept sway BY the Whirl
wind Of sectional strife. aud We have al
ready The shameful and hum iliaiinR pic
'uie Of nation divided sgsinst ITSELF" o
brothers born Of one common ancestry
struggling to psrpstua.s the same gssa
principle. knssllug q, the shrine oi Ii,
same goddess. Liberty } qu.rrs,ios .bOu
au abstraction they can never tile, asilA
ting question that osn have no other ten
dsucy than 10 embi.tsr feeling. damps,
iraissasl love And prscipitS.e dIssOlu.ion
The sigas of the times are omiuous Of evil
every breeze that ians tho political element
- realor imaginary .'sinoOs' ''iali issish.
edwirh disssse. PrOs,ra.iou snd dsa.h .
the body polite. The storm clouds .
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