Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-03-18
THE PEOPLE WILL do THEIR
OWN THINKING.

very apt, we know, to assume the |
character Of spokesman of the people !
without sufficient warrant ofauthor-
ity. 1t is familiar phrase or what
the French call a fashion Of speaking,
and comes convenient to say that the
people have made up their minds
about this or that, or intend to do SO
and SO. OF course it is often an
empty formula, meaning nothing
more than the conviction or it may
be the fancy Of the writer or speaker
that he has formed certain conclu-
sion and that the people ought to
agree with him.
We believe, however, that the for
mula frequently SO inane is literally
true as it has been often used of late
i'm connection with the revelations
Of corruptions IN Washington and
elsewhere. We believe it absolutely
true, that the people, the great over
whelming majority of the natien,
look upon and judge these crying
conceptions without reference either
to party relations or partisan coEsid-
CREATIONS. Wedo not mean that they
necessarily aeave out of sight or for
get their antecedent party connec-
tions, but that they recognize the
obligation and the necessity laid upon
them to apply remedy to the dread
full, deadly moral disease, whatever
may be the operation of the medicine
upon the condition or prosperity of
the old parties. Likely enough,
some of the people for whom we ven
ture to speak may be mistaken as to
the possibility of ministering to the
the patient without using the old
organizations. But the popular
feeling certainty seems to be that
partylines sink into insignificance
in comparison with more vital ques-
tions which have been pressed upon
general attention.
Leaders and prominent members
of both the great parties of the coun-
try appear slow and reluctant to re-
cognize, even if they receive, the
foregoing fact. On no other suppo-
sition is it possible to account for
the tone OF newspaper articles which
deal with the great subject of the
hour in a purely partisan way. Those
fierce and vehement Congressional
debates, or wranglings rather, in
which Democrats and Republicans
appear to about equal advantage or
disadvantage point to the same hypo-
thesis, and indicate Enthusiastically
the blindness of mere politicians to
the demands of the crisis. Manifest
ly, Democrats are simply wasting
time and energy in labors designed
to prove directly or indirectly that
Republicanism in and of itself invol-
YES corruption and portends univer-
sal ruin, just as Republicans equally
beat the air in exertions intended to
warn and guard the people against
Democratic articles and fascina-
tions. The people, in fact, know
the history of their country during
the last forty years too well for them
to stand in need of such guidance
and guardianship. They are in no
danger of fiinging themselves into
the arms of the Democracy under
the simple illusion that they may
safely rely upon Democratic integri-
ty and patriotism for deliverance and
safety from their. plunderers. How
absurd the suggestion to those who
remember the past !! Nor, ON the
the other hand, is there any charm
in the mere name of Republicanism
to disable or DANISH the horrible
spectres which threaten the future
of free institutions. To the popular
| mind these spectres, not creatures of
of the imagination but unquestiona-
BILE realities idealized and magnified,
however aecidently at the moment
associated with the Republican name
actually stand forth independent of
party. Corruption is of no party.
1t is expansive, liberal, cosmopolitan
in its tastes and aspirants. To it
Trojan and Tyrian, Wing and Tory,
Democrat and Republican, are all
the same. 1t diligently seeks, how
ever, alliances and friendships every
where, and the great thing which
both Democrats and Republicans
are now called upon by the people to
do is to cooperate with the direct
ness and energy of sincerity, truth
and self-conscious honor against the
coming enemy of the nation.
If either party, under the manage
ment of unwiSe leaders. declines CO.