Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-04-06
New Party Tess q

While ingovernments it is the centri- petal, in parties it is tf e centrifugal force, that is to be guarded. against. In the one there is tender.c to concentrate all power to the center, in the other there is ten dency to fly off and form asteroroidai cen ters> When party becomes as strong as the democratic party is in Arkansas, ambi- tious men seek to form new party by d.
 viding the dominant one. To do thls and yet preserve semblance of consistency IS
 very difficult. In the first place, the new organization must pretend to retain the old principles so as not to require those who may join them to become traitors, and at the same time, to make 1t distinctive, must engraft something on the old creed; must make a new test and require their fol- lowers to subscribe to some new dogma or tenet. Eventually, the old landmarks are lost sight of and the new ones alone serve to steer by. The history of all assertions of party, from the highest to the lowest, runs alike. They all travel the same road, all use the same language, all make the same protestations and all end ill direct op- position to their former faith and friends. From Senator Douglas or Benton down to constable Smith or Jones, they act precise ly alike. As writer observes, ''you will notice that every demagogue's feet are most firmly planted on the platform, just as he IS about jumping off, so these fel- lows, when preparing to bolt, become in tensely democratic. They tell us that they leave the people because the people are not democratic enough They detect heresy, smell corruption and ferret out error in everything. Their robes are so white that contact with their former associates soils them. So they make new platform-a new creed, or a new test. As almost al- ways happen, upon trial they are beaten, and then they favor us with their stereotyped formula of indignant questions and proph- ecies. When Jones was beaten for consta- ble, he would by no manner of means ad- init that he was beaten because he did not get votes enough to elect him. On the contrary, he tells us that it was done by intrigue, by coalition, bargains and corrup- tion. Democracy, he assures us, was tram pied under foot; principles disregarded and the party demoralized Jones is beaten for constable and the democratic party is ruined! Henceforth, he tells us gloomily, that he stands ready to act with any new party of pure principles, meaning thereby, that he is ready to bolt.
 When a. leading man wants to carry off number of the party, in the hope of gain ing the presidency, he swears his new doc Urine is purely democratic and his feet are firmly planted on the platform. When the people refuse to follow him he declares that democracy has ceased to exist, and all principles save those and of his followers are scattered to the winds.
 Sometimes the new tests proposed are dangerous, but generally, they are simply Would our readers believe that the new light in democracy-the new test of orthodoxy, is simply the indorse- ment or repudiation of a legislative caucus? 1 So it is. We are no longer asked if we believe in the right of the people to gov ern; in a strict construction of, and fulfill | ment and carrying out of the compromises of the constitution; the rights of the states; a full recognition of the interests of each | portion of the country-no, none of these ! We are no longer questioned as to our pa desire. to do right, to resist op- pression, or to unite to roll back the tide ! of fanaticism. Instead of this, our demo- cracy is measured by this interrogatory: '' Do you indorse the action of the eau cus?''
 Suppose this question put to a democrat who neither knew nor cared whether a eau GUS had been held. His answer might be by asking others:
 What did the caucus do?
 They voted down our resolutions.
 What else?
 They admitted know nothings.
 How did the know nothings vote?
 They divided, some voting for and some against us. They admitted dioorganizers llso
 What constitutes disorganizer?
 Men who were elected by pledging them selves to cast the vote of democratic coun- y for democrat.
 Did they do 1t?
 Yes
 Did the caucus elect democrat?
 Yes
 Would the result have been the same if no caucus had been held?
 Yes.
 Can mere legislative caucus lay down ! platform for, or bind party by it's acts?
 No.
 Then, according to your own showing, 70 far as any error was concerned, both tides in the caucus received and counted he votes of know nothings; it was an out tide action of the members of the party; did not..alter the result, and the expressed will of the people was carried out.