The American Democrat/On Party
ON PARTY.
It is commonly said that political parties are necessary to liberty. This is one of the mistaken opinions that have been inherited from those who, living under governments in which there is no true political liberty, have fancied that the struggles which are inseparable from their condition, must be common to the conditions of all others.
England, the country from which this people is derived, and, until the establishment of our own form of government, the freest nation of Christendom, enjoys no other liberty than that which has been obtained by the struggles of parties. Still retaining in the bosom of the state, a power in theory, which, if carried out in practice, would effectually overshadow all the other powers of the state, it may truly be necessary to hold such a force in check, by the combinations of political parties. But the condition of America, in no respect, resembles this. Here, the base of the government is the constituencies, and its balance is in the divided action of their representatives, checked as the latter are by frequent elections. As these constituencies are popular, the result is a free, or a popular government.
Under such a system, in which the fundamental laws are settled by a written compact, it is not easy to see what good can be done by parties, while it is easy to see that they may effect much harm. It is the object of this article, to point out a few of the more prominent evils that originate from such a source.
Party is known to encourage prejudice, and to lead men astray in the judgment of character. Thus it is we see one half the nation extolling those that the other half condemns, and condemning those that the other half extols. Both cannot be right, and as passions, interests and prejudices are all enlisted on such occasions, it would be nearer the truth to say that both are wrong.
Party is an instrument of error, by pledging men to support its policy, instead of supporting the policy of the state. Thus we see party measures almost always in extremes, the resistance of opponents inducing the leaders to ask for more than is necessary.
Party leads to vicious, corrupt and unprofitable legislation, for the sole purpose of defeating party. Thus have we seen those territorial divisions and regulations which ought to be permanent, as well as other useful laws, altered, for no other end than to influence an election.
Party, has been a means of entirely destroying that local independence, which elsewhere has given rise to a representation that acts solely for the nation, and which, under other systems is called the country party, every legislator being virtually pledged to support one of two opinions; or, if a shade of opinion between them, a shade that is equally fettered, though the truth be with neither.
The discipline and organization of party, are expedients to defeat the intention of the institutions, by putting managers in the place of the people; it being of little avail that a majority elect, when the nomination rests in the hands of a few.
Party is the cause of so many corrupt and incompetent men's being preferred to power, as the elector, who, in his own person, is disposed to resist a bad nomination, yields to the influence and a dread of factions.
Party pledges the representative to the support of the executive, right or wrong, when the institutions intend that he shall be pledged only to justice, expediency and the right, under the restrictions of the constitution.
When party rules, the people do not rule, but merely such a portion of the people as can manage to get the control of party. The only method by which the people can completely control the country, is by electing representatives known to prize and understand the institutions; and, who, so far from being pledged to support an administration, are pledged to support nothing but the right, and whose characters are guarantees that this pledge will be respected.
The effect of party is always to supplant established power. In a monarchy it checks the king; in a democracy it controls the people.
Party, by feeding the passions and exciting personal interests, overshadows truth, justice, patriotism, and every other publick virtue, completely reversing the order of a democracy, by putting unworthy motives in the place of reason.
It is a very different thing to be a democrat, and to be a member of what is called a democratic party; for the first insists on his independence and an entire freedom of opinion, while the last is incompatible with either.
The great body of the nation has no real interest in party. Every local election should be absolutely independent of great party divisions, and until this be done, the intentions of the American institutions will never be carried out, in their excellence.
Party misleads the public mind as to the rights and duties of the citizen. An instance has recently occurred, in which a native born citizen of the United States of America, the descendant of generations of Americans, has become the object of systematic and combined persecution, because he published a constitutional opinion that conflicted with the interests and passions of party, although having no connection with party himself; very many of his bitterest assailants being foreigners, who have felt themselves authorized to pursue this extraordinary course, as the agents of party!
No freeman, who really loves liberty, and who has a just perception of its dignity, character, action and objects, will ever become a mere party man. He may have his preferences as to measures and men, may act in concert with those who think with himself, on occasions that require concert, but it will be his earnest endeavour to hold himself a free agent, and most of all to keep his mind untrammelled by the prejudices, frauds, and tyrranny of factions.