The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-01-05
Party Spirit.

Personal abuse and detraction have become so
common In the political contests of both England
aud America, that the effect which followed the
first use Of such weapons has long ago ceased, no
one thinking at all the less Of public person be-
cause he Is denounced by the other party totally
wanting IN sense, decency and every imaginary
yirtue of the human character. When a Billings
gate fshwomsu chsracterizes rival fishmonger
~ "a con of b-b," no one Is expected to receive
that as a literal statement of facts. 1t is simply
an expression Of the intense hatred and disgust
that the fshwoman entertains towards her antag-
ouist and saves her the trouble OF splitting in his
face or scratching his eyes out, which would only
be another mode Of conveying the same senti-
nents In like manner, when a tory journal in.
eists that the whig or radical candidate 10 tra-
tor 10 tho British constitution, and that "hs
blood has crept through scoundrels ever since the
food" or when tina radical retorts upon the tory
by accusing him of great number OF scandaious
crimes, the public do not believe, and are not ex-
1ectea TO believe, a word of 1t, and one would
be more surprised than the antagonists Themselves
II any one should suspect them Of telling the truth
We have Inherited In the q. s. the fierce party
spirit of the country from which We sprung. and
In high party times, candidates for office heve TO
face shower Of wordy missiles, thicker and more
Offensive than those which the opposing ranks
hurled upon each other at Waterloo. Tho public
are % much accustomed to this mode of warfare,
to the viruent discussion of personalities, instead
OF the calm vindioation of principles, that they
would DO very much sstonsbed at the adoption
of any other line OF warfare. The very excess of
this kind Of controversy has happily deprived it
Of all power of mischief. The whole vocabulary
of hard names has been SO completely exhausted
that foul words have no more Significance attach
ed to them, than the hideous faces which angry
sohool.boys make at each other, or the somersets
which Chinese soldiers turn in the face of their
enemies. If the organ OF one side iutimates that
tho candidate of the other is a depraved aud har.
dened william aud the organ Of the other insiauates
that the opposing candidate Of his party has
been detected In stealing sheep, no one attac es
any meaning to the words, and every body re.
cslves II as q matter of course. The only da-
mage that one could do the other in a heated
contest, would be to admit that his opponent pos.
ssssed any of the ordinary virtues of humanity.
In country which recognizes the intelligence
and virtue Of the people, We might expect that pc
lit cal discussions would address themselves to the
Judgment and reason of men, and expend their
energies upon tho establishment Of enc tet Of
principles, and the overthrow Of another. Such
q course would prove the sincerity of professed
belief In the popular intelligence, and command
the respect of absolutist governments. But what
NUT be tho impression In monarchicai nations of
free institutions, when their public men are pro,
nounced 10y themselves the most corrupt and in-
competent OF mspkind' The bitter personal war
faro into which political contests 80 frequently de-
generate, both in England and America, have pro.
badly done more to retard the progress of liberal
principles in the world than the open antsgonism
Of monarchy and absolutism.