Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-08-20

papers which choose to describe them
selves as "the independent For truly
Independent paper all good citizens must
entertain profound respect, but for the
counterfeit presentment, which impu-
IDENTIFY arrogates to itself all the indepen-
dence and purity of motive, whilst having
but little of either, one can but feel pity
which is near akin to contempt. These
journals mistake looseness of principle, or
total want of it, for independence. An
independent journal is one which has
principles and believing them to be right
is willing to adhere to them through good
or evil report. We can no more under
stand how paper can be conducted with
out these than man can walk in the path
of rectitude without morality as guide.
It is from the callow brain of such men
that we have so much stuff about the eX
tinction of the partisan press and the ris-
ing glories of independent journalism
which are to give better and purer light.
Macaulay has most ingeniously, though
somewhat profanely, defended the charac-
ter of the great Trimmer, the brilliant and
tickle Halifax, who was so very ''indepen-
dent that during the stirring times in
which he lived he changed his politics as
frequently almost and with as much facili-
ty as his hose But we really think, for
all Macaulay's eloquence and brilliance,
that Canning described all such men much
better when he defined an independent
man as one who could not be depended
upon. And when we look upon some of
the specimens Of "independent journa-
lism,'' which we do not have to go very
far from home to see, we cannot but think
that the English wit had them before his
prophetic eye when he spoke. When we
see paper so destitute of principles as to
have no convictions, or having them, fear
ing to maintain them, lest offense be given,
then we have no respect for it and repu-
date its insolent assumption of ''indepen-
dence," and shall continue to do so until
imbecility shall be recognized as capacity,
md pusiflanimity as courage.
The history of the world tells US that
the attainment of political power has ever
been one of the chief ends of human am
bition, and the art of governing their fell
lowmen has occupied more ofthe thoughts
of the human intellect than perhaps any
other subject The greatest intellects of
all ages and chimes have devoted their
best efforts to this end and will doubtless
continue to do so until time is no more.
All the good which has been accomplish
through the influence of parties, and 1t Is
safe to assume that by no other means can
good government be SO successfully
brought about. The influence of party is
most fully felt in nation like ours where
the political power is so widely dissent
mated Here the business of the govern
ment and the laws, by which it should be
regulated, occupy large portion of the
thoughts and reading of the people and
are the subject of an all-absorbing inter
est. Yet our history is but repetition
political contests there have seldom been
more than two parties. A third one will
either absorb or be absorbed by one or the
other. Between two great parties are
now divided nearly the whole people, and
the approaching Presidential contest VIII
be waeed between the Democratic party
and the Republican which has SO long
been in power, and every man who votes
at all will be compelled to vote with one
or the other of these. AS long as the ire
pressible conflict exists between the Demo-
cratic claim for a strict construction OF
the Federal powers, and the Republican
effort at a centralized government, so long
will all efforts at the forming Of new
party be failure in the future as 1t has
been an abortion in the past. The only
opportunity which has offered for forming
new party passed away with the failure
of the Cincinnati movement of 1872. Then
the Democrats, both before and after the
holding the Convention, gave every evil
dence of their desire to meet all sincere
opponents of misrule upon common
eHsHHad Had tlast movement
been guided by clear-headed statesmen
instead of callow politicians like those
now blattering about independence in
journalism and politics, without under
standing what they are talking about, then
and there might have been born new
party and in due time suitably christened.
Now there is no such chance. What was
then the Liberal Republican party is but
ghost of ITSELF fitting around the grave
dug by its own suicidal hands, whilst the
Farmers movement in the West, which
portended political revolution, scarcely
now makes a ripple in the local political
pool and will be utterly lost in the great
ocean of the national contest. 1t is there
fore evident that it is only through one OF
the two great parties that the citizen can
make himself felt; it is only through the
instrumentality of one or the other OF them
that he can hope for political reform. The
man who wishes to make his ballot tell
on the destiny of his country cannot &C
complish this by refusing, under the plea
of independence" to take part IN the
of parties; for this is and ever will
11nsnt. of parties. And no Ian
- strong to enforce the
Ito mingle in politics
y g. ~ controlling ,g inhu-
betaught to the chill
and inculcated from
Vacation is more