Page:The United States Magazine and Democratic Review, Volume 13.pdf/114

1843.] PASSAGES FROM A POLITICIAN’S NOTE-BOOK.

THE LAY OF THE LAND.

Busmnss, they say, is beginning to rcvive,——s0 are Politics. All the great elements of the latter have for a consi derable interval been lying in a state of quiescence, almost of stagnation. There have been but two points, over the expanse of the political field, where any disturbance of its dormant dust has indicated the presence of waking life

the commencement of a new Volume, from the refreshing repose of the past year, let us begin by casting a bird‘s-eye glance over the Lay of the Land. The spectacle presented at W'ash ington is certainly—(we hate the coarse word, but it must out!)—-is certainly the most disgusting ever yet exhibited by an administration of our federal and motion,-—the one, the convulsive government. It is almost enough to .struggle of that smallest and worst of turn the stomach of an honest man, be 'the isms the country has yet known, he Democrat or Whig. - Such imbecil Tylerism, to make some sort of a little ity and such conceit—such feebleness figure in the world; the other, the and such petty activity of small intrigue rivalry between the friends of the two ——such pretension of purity and such leading candidates of our own party for shamelessness of political venality— its Presidential nomination. The for such afl‘ectation of independent dignity, mer, though its insignificance might and such fawning for the scornfully occasionally attract the notice of a refused favor of a great and noble party, silent smile, yet neither contained nor whose smiles are never to be propitiated portended anything worth the trouble by such men and such means— of nibbing a pen to write about it. The “take it for all in all, latter was a matter to be left to the spontaneous movement of the popular Ve ne’er shall look upon its like again!” instincts, from which, whatever might be both the right and the duty of the The immediate provocation to the .more local newspaper press, it behoved utterance of this opinion and this feeling and became this Review to stand im in relation to that miserable concern of a partially aloof; perfectly content as we government, at Washington, is derived could not fail to be with any of the from the manner in which the country alternative results of which the future has of late had to witness the unblush must soon bring the solution. For a con in% corruption of its attempt to build up siderable period, therefore, the subject a arty on the basis of Patronage. In of Politics, in its more immediate and common with the Democratic Party at practical party bearings, has engaged large, we were at one time disposed to but little of our time and few of our look with an inclination of generous pages,—perhaps to the discontent of liberality toward Mr. Tyler. When a .some portion of our readers, with whom sudden and solemn act of the Providence no degree of merit in the treatment of of God brought him into his present a countless number of other topics, of position, he had it in his power to adopt general literature, philosophy, criticism, a course that would have secured him art, poetry, fancy, and useful instruc a warm and triumphant support from tion, would compensate for the absence the Democratic Party and from an of this one subject of perpetual Ameri overwhelming majority of the country. can interest. But Politics, we repeat, That course was earnestly, patriotical like business, are beginning now to 1y, kindly, and hopefully pointed out to revive; and as we approach the assem him and urged upon him. But he was bling of a new Democratic Congress, not the Man for the Occasion. After and the canvass of a new Presidential all, perhaps, if he had been, he could election, it is time to replenish that never have thus found himself there, in compartment of our editorial inkstand, that precise and peculiar position which now almost dry and mouldy from dis created it. He was totally unequal to use. Rcawakening, therefore, with the strong effort of any bold and manly VOL. XML—NO. LXI.