Year: 1872

FREOH DEFAh1UhEo.


We understand perfectly well that an honest
man may be thoroughly attached to a party
may love its name and dote upon its ira
ditions. We understand how man who for
many years has annually acted as q member
of great organization may regard its disso-
luton with feelings of sincere regret The
world is a good deal governed by sentiment,
and the love Of party is not sentiment
which is likely to decrease in force through
increasing years of devotion to it. Yet nothing
is more decidedly demonstrated by all pOlit-
ical history than the truth that parties bear
limited life, and, during the historical pro-
gress of nation, are often found
occupying reversed positions, with no al
teratiOn of name, or actually fading
out of the public thought and almost out of
mems memories. When such change occurs,
whether it may be permanent or only tenn
porary, the accusations of treachery or of
inconsistency, which may be many and
vociferous, come from those who either do not
take kindly to change of any kind or who
fancy that there is certain personal merit in
adhering, however circumstances may have
altered, to name, a clan, banner, and
slogan. We do not say that there is not
something worthy of respect even in this bind
devotion, for it implies honorable qualities OF
character; but it is evident that if all men
were of such obstinate mind we should not
get on at all and that party contests, by
becoming merely faction fights, would lose all
their valuable relation to the civil needs OF
society.


We have spoken of party sentiment. 1t is by
no means the worst part of politicians consti-
tuition, but itmust be conceded that under GER
tain circumstances it may assume somewhat
ludicrous form. We have before us a newspa-
per, the editor of which does not relish the
probable result of the Baltimore Convention
and it seems to us that his brave words are
worth quoting. He is troubled about what he
styles departures" "They can be nothing"
he SAYS, "bui a total abandonment OF principle,
"and if ever Democrat, from one end OF the
"Union to he other, shall fall into the eyre
"gious error, we are resolved to cling to
"the mast Of the old Democratic ship until
"the storm is over, and then, though there
abe but a dozen old marines left above the
"billows of the turbulent sea, we will have the
Heartfelt consolation of knowing that wo sur
"vived the storm in good faith, and without
" dssimulaton on treachery.n The rhetoric
of this is excellent but if we take it out
and try to reduce the glowing and rather long
sentence to its rational elements, we find
them to be represented by 0, or perhaps by
minus zero The figure of the ship is noble,
but critical justice compels us to say that 1t
has been 1sed before. The storm is an old
acquaintance the pillows are not a novelty;
the only fresh feature is presented by the
"dozen old marines;" and yet, what could
twelve, OF even twelve hundred, ancient sea-
soldiers do if opposed to a majority
of the inhabitants of the United States in
Presidential Election 2 Now, while the edi-
torial gentleman was writing this resolute an
nouncement of his intentions, he thought him.
self right. and we honor him for saying what
he thought but the probability is that in spite
of his own determination, he will be governed
by the action of the Baltimore Convention.
He supposes that he will bolt, but he is mis-
taken.


Orthodox fidelity to a party when it can only
defeat the ayowed purposes of that party, is
merely bigotry, if it be not something like
fatuity; and it happens that the nation has
come to such pass, that it can only be restored
to civil order and political prosperity, 1st, BY
the special grace OF God manifested through
miracle, which we have no reason to antici-
pate and, I'd, By the union of honest men of
all parties who care more for justice, pru-
dence, economy and philanthropy in public
affairs, than they care for places in the Post
Offices and the Custom-houses. If ever a land
was in sore and pressing and immediate need
of liberal and Independent action and fresh
and wholesome policy outside of old party
lines, ours is that land. What we need the
honest instincts of the people will supply.
Nature has not yet repealed her law of self
preservation.