The Portland daily press., 1865-01-23
Binding Effect of Party Spirit.


Binding Effect of Party Spirit.
When man is willing to subordinate every
thing and every consideration to mere party
interest, he ceases to exert any influence for
good. We fear this is the ground that our
neighbor Of the Argusis likely to occupy, II,
indeed, he does not already. He cannot refer
10 the passport system adopted at a security
against raids from beyond the "border," WIN
ont invoking the demon of party spirit Inc
men who have inaugurated the passport sys
fem are dolts. destitute of common sense, and
worse than this, they are dishonest, having
sold themselves to Pennsylvania railroad In
terests and similar concerns, and dedicated
their powers to the demolition of our city!
These constitute a portion of the dark cata-
logue OF offenses of which they are guilty,
from which even our own distinguished fellow
citiz sn-Ar. Fessenden-is not allowed to es-
cape.
Such is the stultifying and damaging effect
Of party spirit; damaging, inasmuch as, so fer
as it can produce any influence. 1t is almost
sure to be adverse to the very interests which,
ostensibly, the person possessed OF it would
promote. It is very likely our Cabinet min-
lister may made mistakes-for they are only
human-but we doubt if they will be led se-
riously to review their action, and thus detect
and correct their mistakes, II mistakes they
have committed, by denunciation and abuse,
when ones acts are grossly misrepresented,
and his motives impugned, he is not likely to
change his course as the result ofsuch assaults.
Their very righteousness satisfies him that he
is not far out of the way. sW@Wsv En- vel
We have given our view Of the passport
business. We dare say necessity terrible
necessity-exists for very stringent regula-
tions. st. Adams and Calais, and the Chesa-
peake affair, all combine to enforce this les
son. We cannot afford to have our border
towns laid in ashes, their banks robbed, their
citizens murdered and their property stolen,
though to prevent such acts serious business
Inconvenience has to be submitted to. We
hope, however, the authorities at Washington
may be induced to review the action, and to
slacken off SO much Of the rigor as may be
dispensed with consistently with the public
safety. $500 Us 4 bea 1850 issrr,a.i,
The argus sneers at danger from raids, and
even denies facts; says the st. Adams raiders
came into the town and left it on horses. They
left on the stolen horses of citizens whom they
robbed; but suppose it should be impossible to
close every avenue through which southern
rebel may find his way from Canada to COM
NIT depredations upon our citizens, is that an
excuse for leaving every avenue exposed?-
This seems to be the logic of the argus DA
Nor do we see the necessity for represent
ing that the passports required from travellers
serves to stop all business on the Grand Trunk.
Says the Argus. after complaining Of the ter
rible blow to Portland, "Five' hundred thou
sand barrels of -four and million bushels OF
grain have come overit 1.-THE G. IT. to Port
land the past year" But what has this to do
with the passports required by Mr., Seward ?
Flour and wheat come without let or hin.
drance; so does all freight, as heretofore, and
the passport regulation has no more effect up
on it, or upon the passengers by the English
steamers, than 1t does upon the changes of the
moon.
That the passport requirement. seriously
interferes with the through trausl upon the
road is very true. and this is the chief extent
ofits evil influence SO far as this locality Is
concerned. We are not sure that Govern
ment has not some special reason for keeping
sharp look out for this road, for it is. said
that while all new employees on the road, ap-
pointed 10 al the places Of old ones, are sent
from beyond the border, nearly all Of them
are strongly tinctured with secession sympa,
thies, and arc anything but friendly to our
country's cause, and therefore, may have
strong sympathy for raiding parties. We
have this from gentlemen whose friendship for
the road and for Portland have been proved by
tests that might have jostled minds of less de
votion. We hope they are mistaken. We
hope that in the personnel OF the Grand
Trunk, there viii be found to be no special
reason for sharp oversight in the direction
alluded to-. Good filth would seem to dictate
that if the managers of that road cannot con-
sstently with their interest give employment
to Anne lean citizens within our lines, they
should atleast employ only such as sympathise
in our great struggle. 52HBd8x4 6s