Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker volume 6.djvu/240

Rh those other weeds just as much ; they mean to pull them up: but I am sorry to hear them say they do not intend to: and I am glad to hear severe censure passed upon them for promising never to do that particular thing,—not for taking one step at a time. If we only find fault with real offenders, we shall still have work enough to do.

I say this party has great names and powerful men. It will gain others from the Democrats and from the Whigs alike. See what it has gathered from the Democrats I Look at that high-toned and noble newspaper, the Evening Post, and its editor, not only gifted with the genius of poetry, which is a great thing, but with the genius of humanity, which is tenfold greater. See likewise such a man as Francis P. Blair coming into this movement I Governor Chase is another that it has gathered from that party. There are various other men whom I might mention from both the old political parties. Then see what service is rendered to the cause of humanity by a newspaper, which, a few years ago, seemed sworn for ever to Henry Clay. I speak of the only paper in the world which counts its readers by the million,—the New York Tribune. The Republican party gathers the best hearts and the noblest heads out of the Whig and the Democratic parties. If faithful, it will do more in this way for the future than in the past. The Democratic party continues to exist by these two causes: (1) its admirable organization; (2) the tradition of noble ideas and sentiments. In this respect, it is to the Americans what the Catholic Church is to Europe; the leaders of the two about equally corrupt, the rank and file about equally deceived, hoodwinked, and abused. Which is the better,—to be politician-ridden, or priest-ridden? Good men will become weary of such service, and leave the party for a better^ soon as they are sure that it is better. 2. Look next at the American party, so called: it is anti-American in some particulars, This is an indirect anti-Slavery force, as the Republican party is a direct anti-Slavery force. I suppose you know what its professed principle is,—"No foreign influence in our politics." Now, that principle comes partly from a national instinct, whose function is this: first, to prevent the excess of foreign blood