The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1843-12-30
W A SHIN TON.
SATURDAY MORNING. DEC. 30, 1913.
THE PROSPECT BEFORE US.

Coming events cast their shadows before them,
and, from the shape of those shadows, it is easy
to perceive what is approaching. Who can any
longer doubt that Mr.. Van Buren, is to be the
candidate Of one party and Mr.. Clay of the other
The withdrawal of Mr. Buchanan from the can
yase, and the declaration of his organ that he viii
support the nominee of the National Convention,
when it is already ascertained who that nominee
must be, dispels every doubt which before hung
upon the future. The coast is now clear to Mr..
Van Buren,: he viii be the nominee, and he will
be defeated. Never did political events ripen
with greater rapidity than they have within the
last three weeks. At the opening of Congress
the Calhoun men. the Buchanan men, and even
the three Cass men in Congress were all buoy
ant with hope. But there came frost, killing
frost, from the North, that npt their hopes in the
bud, and soon they dropped and wthered. Mr.
Van Buren's friends can say, /" we came, we
spoke, we determined" for such indeed was the
celebrity with which every other candidate was
whstled down the wind, and himself made lord
of the ascendant.
Mr.. Richie was delighted with this rapid con-
6utiiudtiOH vi HIS uOpeSs anu was Ill most excel
lent humor. So was not others.
He was in such admirable good humor with
the Democratic party generally" says the Spec
tator, and himself in particular, from recent de-
monstrations of harmony in Washington and else
where, that he could not lay aside his smiles for
alteration. We from the same events, have no
smiles. We cannot see in them the realities oil
present peace, or the harbipgers of future success
In the organization Of Congress, and in its pro-
ceed'ngs SINCE we see dissatisfaction deepening,
and the shades of suspicion darkening all around.
1t is plain that on the tariff and 2lst rule the
Democratic party are not united; and the South,
with Democratic majority of two to one in the
House, still finds all of the Democratic policy,
which is vital to her, as far from being realized
as ever. In this state of things, we turn to all
in the South who either in profession or reality,
regard the principles Of the Democratic party, for
friendly cooperation. If they are united and re-
solnte, something may yet De done, and the party
be saved. To talk of party having principles
which, with numerical power of two-thrds, it
cannot carry out, is absurd 1t has them not
and those who deem them paramount must look
to other means for their enforcement 1t is not,
then, from hilarity, but from heaviness of heart,
that we hasten to extend all the courtesy in our
power to the Enquirer, in answering his ques-
TONS"
The editor of the Spectator sees clearly what
the fate of the party is to be-what defeat it is
destined to meet; but Mr. Van Buren, and his
friends do not perceive this. They rush on in
their course, and because their intolerance 81
fences some and nirndatcs others, think that
they have secured the union and hearty co-ope-
ration of all. They will be as much and as sadly
deceived as Mr.. Van Buren, was when, after the
election of Presidential electors had taken place
in 1S40, he expressed to friend his entire conf
dence, his kno,cedge indeed, derived from letters
from his friends in different States of the Union,
that his election was certain, when, within TWEEN
ty-four hours from that declaration, the astound-
ing fact of his defeat was made known to him.
The editor of the Spectator knows full well
that no party can long retain the public confidence
which is not united on principle and that VIC
tory gained by party divided upon important
principles is no guaranty of power or ability to
render service to the country. Suppose Mr.. Van
Buren, should be elected by the cordial CO opera.
ton of Mr.. Calhouns friends could they act cor
daily together? Could the one or the other give
up their principles upon the great and important
subject of the tariff! Could the Pennsylvania,
Maryland, New York, Ohio, and New England
Democracy abandon protective tariff, and adopt
the Southern doctrines of free trade! Never
could the free trade men on the one hand re-
nounce their principles and advocate protective
tariff. To ask this question is but to answer it.
Such thing cannot take place. While the CON-
promise act was in full force, the two portions of
the party could act, because this was not then
~
question. and it is clear that it divides the Demo-
cratic party so thoroughly that the two parts can
never firmly unite. That party, then, is forever
ssparated--sovered, and the two parts must each