Virginia Free Press

Principles, Not Men.

The humbuggery of this rallying cry of the Democracy is exposed in everything they do, but in nothing, perhaps, more distinctly than in the use they make of the two thirds rule. As our friend of the Virginia Herald says, it is a notorious fact, whilst they require a two thirds vote to require a nomination, yet, a simple majority is sufficient to determine the character of the principles enunciated in the Platform of the party.
Strange and remarkable inconsistency!
The Richmond Enquirer itself breaks forth with the apostrophe "By a strange anomaly, 'principles,' the life-blood of the party, are subordinated to men, the mere instruments to carry out principles." When a Democratic elector prates to you from the hustings, with the loud, boasting boast, that his party creed is "principles, not men," ask him how it is that he subordinates "principles" to men, the secondary, while the primary, the Convention. The lighter, the nominee, must receive the endorsement of a two-thirds vote, whilst the weightier and main matter, the principles, may be settled by a mere majority vote! There is food for reflection and a vast field of meat for political mastication in this roll of inconsistencies.