The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-10-07

EAsevs F5erSsian . There are indications OF
= disposition ON the part Of many who have
heretofore affiliated with the Democratic organ
ization Of this county to turn aside ffom the
course to which right and principle have directed
them and to deviate to . greater Or less extent
into what may be considered polite course tor
the immediate present in securing representation
In the Legislature.
The Democratic party is -eminently one OF
great and enduring principles, founded in moral
ity, equity and justice Those who participate
In the operations Of that party are bound BY an
implied obligation to support those principles and
or frowned upon by adversely. When the fun.
dAmental truths, which are the ground work OF
pure Democratic teachings, become distasteful to
individual members OF its organization, they
should gracefully retire and leave the manage
ment Of the party to those who never lose signt
of the true doctrines of the organization. Many
affect disappointment in the course pursued by
the executive officers of the party, while Others
are cha2riued because their personal choice Is
not selected as standard bearer of great politi-
Cal association of which they are small portion,
disregarding the fact that it is principle, not
men, that has kept our organization In its simple
purity these many years, and that principle
alone win prevent its decay. Every true men,
Der of the Democratic organization should at
once realize the necessity of securing lis essen
tial tenets inviolate forever. All personal asp-
ralions should be made secondary to the perpct-
uation Of principle and right. No compromises
of principle to gain temporary benefit should
be counsenanced, but in the selection of cand-
dates they should be chosen from among those
whose fidelity 70 the party and usefulness to the
community have been proved by apractical test.
The men who batiled for the rights Of the cii-
zens of Florida in the dark days of Radicalism,
knew they would meet an immediate defeat, but
they were conscious of having right and sound
principle on their side and pressing forward they
proclaimed to the world the truths that led in the
sequel to glorious victory, and Florida stands
to-day the peer of any State in the Union, gov
erned by honesty and competency at the hands
of her own people. These men cared not for ex-
pedencY, they recognized the rights of the peo-
ple and fought for them, and won. Now why
should we go astray and degrade ourselves by de-
parting from the principles that gave us our all,
aud pursue a course that might seem expedient
to the promotion of personal ambitions? Prin
cple is defined IN its nature. certain in its aim
and salutary ia its effect. Expediency is found
ed in uncertainty and dangerous in its unascer-
tanned and underlined tendencies. Principle will
live forever. Expediency disappoints and is
gone. The preservation of orr interests depends
upon the perpetuaton of the principles Of pure
Democracy and the stability of our institutions
demands that we refrain from the inviting OPP
portunity offered to participate in a reckless
stampede to the dangerous precincts of expe-
diency. LEON.