Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-09-11
PARTIES AND PARTIES.

There are democrats and demo-
Gratis. There are republicans and
republicans and republicans. There
are parties and parties. Democrats
who believe that to elect republi-
can president means the destruction
of the republic, and republicans who
believe that to elect a democratic
| president means the conspiracy
against the union and the national
government, are morbid partisans,
and if numerous, may prove very
dangerous fanatics. Parties that
are mostly, or wholly, held together
by the "cohesive power of public
plumber" are necessarily fruitful of
political corruption, and are essen
TALLY unworthy to rule. But there
are other democrats, other republi-
cans, other parties. AT least we
must recognize this to be the case,
or utterly despair of the country, If
we are to cherish a firm and living
hope of the country, we must rest
that hope in the conviction that the
average American freeman, though
the adherent of one or another dis
tinctly named and visibly organized
party, is first and last an intelligent,
conscientious, true-hearted citizen.
Such citizen, whether democrat,
a republican, or greenbacker, must
belong to the purest of all, the best
of all, the most useful of all parties.
This party is without a name, with
out an organization, without a lead
ership, without platform distinct
from the elements of natural justice,
the fundamental ideas of republican
government and the dictates of su-
preme public eXpediency. It's men,
bers are under no stipulations to
each other. They are under no dis
clpline with respect to political con-
tests but the discipline of individual
conscience. They are under no pied
ges to accept without question and |
as conclusively obligatory the plat
form or the nominations of any con-
Vention. They think for themselves,
observe for themselves, inquire for
themselves, make up conclusions for
themselves. They acknowledge the
right of no political managers to
for them as to either doc
trine or practice. Having no en-
no passionate preoccupa-
tons, as partisans to blind them to
their duties as. citizens, they are not
carried away wildly by electioneer-
ing appeals, and on election day they |
deliberately vote for the man or the
policy they deem best calculated to
promote the good of the common
wealth. The power of this party,
though always more or less an I'M
known quantity, is the terror of
selfish and designing politicians. 1t
is shadowy but redoubtable pres
ence that may dash all the calcula-
tions of the machine engineers by
vetoing caucus arrangements,
scratching the Irregular" ticket, or
supporting some acceptable indepen-
dent candidate. This party can not
be too large. The larger it is the
purer the political atmosphere, the
better will be the management of
public affairs. 1t is always needed
both as a preventive and correc-
tive force. 1t is needed to check
the arrogance of bosses and the ex-
cesses of partisans, to punish mis-
management and corruption in the
rule Of the party in power, and to
rebuke shortcomings, follies, per-
versities, evil aims or unworthy de-
vices in the party in or out ofpower.
Such party can not contain too
many democrats, too many republi-
cans, too many good citizens who
acknowledge qualified adhesion to
any designated and visible party or
ganization.
-ru 0-1zr A Manu- Cornu1T