Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-08-30

NOW, IndL q pOLllIcdl OOHNSHt4oh II
to be held to-day, and several Others
will engage the attention Of the pub
lie during the next three weeks, a
few reflections upon the philosophy
of party will be read with interest.
Two parties have always existed,
and two parties always will exist.
This fact is not to be deplored. 1.-THE
price of liberty is.eternal vigilance
Parties are checks upon each other.
They prevent corruption and hcen-
tiousness. Keeping a vigilant watch,
they are eager to find impertections,
and ready to sound the alarm. If
we had no parties existing, we would
soon have the monstrous power and
the terrible rigOr Of the Council of
Ten, which once existed in
Venice, or the Inquisition of Rome.
II parties are essential to the liberties
of the people, party associations and
organizations are Indispensable. This
can only be secured by concession.
Society itself is formed by each indi-
vidual and class giving up just so
much of its own liberty as is nece5-
sary 10 secure the greatest amount Of
liberty. So, likewise, political organi-
cation is formed by each individual
or class giving up just SO much Of its
own opinion as is necessary to enable
all to eDjoy their opinion in the highest
degree. To secure party discipline,
caucuses were first reSOrted to, and
the first caucus was held in Boston
by the Otises, Warrens, Han
cocks, Prescotts and chickering's.
Caucuses were held by members Of
Congress until the year 1881, when the
first convention was held in Balt-
more to nominate a President and
Vice President of the United States.
Since that time conventions have been
resorted to by all parties and factions
as the only successful means by which
TO organize and cOnciliate elements
that would otherwise become antago-
nistic. A mar who recognizes the con-
ventioR system is as much bound by
the fiat Of a convention fairly made
as a good citizen is to abide
by the decision of a jury. If
conventions are worth anything
at all their laws should be mex
orable. 1t is only the weak who oppose
the convention system. A man con-
scious of his strength is always ready
to abide the behests Of his party in
council. When a political man seeks
to secure to himself special distinc-
ton, not shared by his party, the mo-
tive becomes as apparent as the sun
in a clear sky at noon; he covets a
fame which the principles of his party
will not confer. He in effect says:
81 am wiser and better than my
party, and desire the world to know
it." Instead OfgOing with his friends
upon the common road, and sharing
with them the labors and honors of
their common position, he mounts an
elevation by the way, and calls upon
them TO look at their superior, and
then suggests they had better follow
him. Ambition, and not merit, has
been committing these mistakes in all
past time, and seems destined to con-
tinue to do so. In some high posi-
tions, temporary distinction has been
acquired by these means, but no man
has been made President of the United
States by resorting to them. Not a
man has secured that high station
by assuming a special perfection
which was not common to his poht-
ical party /; and no one has
been elevated to it except
by the united energies of his party
acting upon ground common 10 all its
members. Hts the party and notthe
ambitious aspirant, who select their
stsndard-beare toTepresent their COM
mon principles, and, il elected, TO
carry their views practically into ef-
feet. The Democratic party has
elected eight Presidents, Jefferson,
Madison, Monroe, Jackson, Van Blu
rem, Polk, Pierce, and Buchanan), no
one of whom sought to stand upon
special ground or to occupy a position
above that common to his associates.
They were elected because they har
1nonized with the whole Democratic
party in its principles and acts, and
possessed superior qualifications for
executing their wishes in administer
ing the government. They had, in
all the positions held by them, per-
formed every duty assigned theml
in the best possible manner, thereby
acquiring an enyisble fame which
no seeker of special distinction
ever obtained. 1t was their devotion
to the principles approved by the
whole party, and not an attempt to
a superiority over a portion
of it, that secured them the high POI
occupied by them. They were