Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-03-27
WOODSTOCK, VIRGINIA.
POLITICAL Ethics.

IL now ulScusStu w
papers. If the only object of party
ORGANIZATIONS, is TO enroll the
majority of the people under their
respt csive banners and thus ge'
the control OF the government an"
administer its off Girs solely III the
interest Of party, we can red'i!
understand why the lndiviGua'
sboulI sacrifice his personal senti-
ments, however lst they my oe'
ard b,indly follow the leaders OF
his party. Bot, on the other hand
if the main object of party organ
cation is to unite a class II H.
1iy,duals who believe that Ger
tain polny is nght ani adVanta'
gsous to the interestsJt the people,
we can not understand why an lu'
diyldual should become a me nOer
of party CT support one whose
principles are diAnetr'c 'l'J oP
posed to Lis Ows.
In republican form OF govern
meut, where power proceeds from
the people aud the will Of the PEG
nile il the sovereign power, the
olj-ct of tue government should
he 10 ascertain what that VIII l.;
and where the people do not agree
upon a subject to ascertain the
will of the majority, aud to aid III
this purpose, political parties were
instituted, aud so long AS they are
honestly conducted, and become
,nstruments of ascertaiuiDg the
sentiments of the maj 'rity OF tue
people they ale a blessing to thr
county.
When they ale diverted from
this main object and become III
strumepts for advancing the sell
fish purpose OF individuals, without
resaid to the interest ot the great
mass OF people, they cease TO De a
blessing aud b ecOme curse to tue
country. De sigElng politicians
and aspiring dema gogues CI.tn
confound their own personal AN
bi,lens and aspirations with what
should be political principles, and
would drive frOm patty ani'la Ion
all who would not fawningly ac'
knowledge them as influential
leaders, aud be willing to change
their political sentiments as often
as a self constituted boss would
consider polite. Sach party
management may run well for a
short time, bnt in the eud will be
crushed by the common sense Ut
the people.
Success may he the most I'm
portant feature in the estimation
of politicians OF the class 'feired
10, but not 10 that of the higuest
c ass Of statesmen, who are as true
TO principle 10 The hours ct de-
feat as they are when their banners
float VIGOROUSLY To the bret 70. AS
one eminent statesman remarked
Il had rather be right than ce
nresidtnt." A party hat has well
defined principles which are III ac'
cord with our theory OF govern
ment, can AFT 'rd to DO defeated,
but Que whose principles shit with
popular sentiments or popular
prejudices can only exist upon
DO spOlls of success.
There will, at al times, he Il
difference of opinion among mem.
hers Of the same party as to party
management, party policy, or some
of the minor issues that are con
stsutIy spriuging up. for all men
are not constituted ahk- aud do
not .hluk alike, but upon questions
which are sufficiently important as
to DIVIDE the people into two or
more parties, there should be
absoIu ute barmOnS ia every parry.
We occasionally fad men Ia
parties who estimate themselves
and their opinions as more i'm
portrait than the prlucip rs OF the
party which they profess to sup
port, They are 30 selfish that they
are Fiji cted with kind OF politi-
cal color blindness. They use all
their ammunition upon men of their
ewn party, sui would deslr J those
W bom they cannot force to i6sss>sss
they do. All parties are curseN
With such people. They make a
great deal OF noise for awhile, but
in the end thsy fall to their level
and learn that others have as
much light TO tbIuk as they have,
and are even more strongly at
tscbed to the real principles OF their
marty. The idea of 'OLr party
wrong or our party right" bat uu-
der all circumstances ''or parry
IL hsresy which has CONCEALED in