governments purely elective

In his farewell address at the end of his term as President, George Washington warned us about too much partisanship, calling it "spirit of party" in the parlance of the time:

...The common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.

It serves always to distract the public councils, and enfeeble the public administration. 
[Washington gridlock]

It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another; foments occasionally riot and insurrection.
[Chicago 1968]

 It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passion. 
[Rupert Murdoch]

Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.

There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the government, and serve to keep alive the spirit of liberty.  This within certain limits is probably true and in governments of a monarchical cast patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. 

But in those of the popular character, in governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged.  From their natural tendency it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose; and there being constanty danger of excess, the effort ought to be by force of public opinion to mitigate and assuage it.  A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.

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