The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-06
THE CHARLESTON MERCURY AND ITS
WING FRIENDS.


| 1t is quite long time since we have thought it
worth our while to tnks any notice of the doings Of
the "Charleston Mercury" Very early in the
first year of the present administration, that jour
nal in the estimation of the democratic party, lost
nearly all the character which ii had TO lose. II
never gave Mr.. Polk an honest and hearty adVo-
cacy. From the day Of his nomination it gave him
but cold and hesitating support But It's course
whether Of opposition or Of aid TO the democratic
party in the canyass-was matter purely for It's
own determination. II could remain firm secede
az il ehose and its secession could be borne with
out any great injury. But the true charge against
il is, that while maIcontent at heart to the demo-
cratic party it has yet sought to follow on in the
rear Of the great host claiming the democratic colors
for its standard and hanging on the outskirts Of the
advance like those camp-followers who follow but
TO betray. Yet the Mercury" has wholly failed
in the tact requisite sustain it in its mischieyous
course. Its dissfection has been too manifest u
has Haunted itself Gin the coors Of its trade" II
employed an English scribbler-one Cyril w. Gray,
whose name we find ourselves compelled again TO
gibbe-to belle and defame this administration from
the frst. It suffered him to misrepresent the char
acer and conduct Of the President and the Secretary
of the Treasury. 1t goated upon his abuse. 1t at
tempted to scatter irebrands of discord into the par
y, and to bring the Presidents views into suspicion.
1t suffered its correspondent to charge the Executive
with dishonest purposes-wth betraying the party
by a hypocritical profession Of principles which he
did not entertain; and it predicted that the Presi-
dent would sacrifice the South to the interests Of the
proectonists. 1t ridiculed the very idea that the
Presiden, would do anything direct or honest to re.
duce the burdens Of the people by change ofthe
tariff law. Yet what President has more nobly
taken the strong and the true ground in favor Of
the revenue principle What message is better enti-
tied than his to the support Of all the true friends Of
the constitution or of free trade
This is not, however, the only gross trans
gression OF which the Charleston Mercury"
was guilty during the last autumn. At the very
opening Of the Oregon discussion, it had the
shameless folly to denounce our claim to Oregon
as call a humsbugj" and it then produced the very
most imbecile and empty piece Of scribbng which
we have seen in the whole discussion-a mere lite
rary laughing stock to men Of all partes-in the
shape of elaborate argument, mostly plagiarsed,
too, from English review, to make good its MON
strous assertion. Since that time, finding itself Who'll
y without consideration with the democratic party
at large, and, as we believe, substantially with all
sections of the democratic party it has ofate thrown
off all moderation and measure in its abuse of the
present Congress. Only "a few days ago, we fell
cidentally, in exchange paper, upon a passage
quoted from the Mercury, denouncng in terms
which we really thought no one American journal
lost enough to use, what it was pleased to call the
coarsencss, rudeness, ignorance, and vulgarity
shown in the Oregon discussions in the House of
Representatives and contrasting the scenes SO pre-
scented with the decorum, the patriotism, the wise
craftsmanship the elevated views, and the moderate
tone of the British Parliament
What such journal as this shall have to say of
Mr.. Polk, of his administration, of his measures, or
his supporters, is of little consequence. The only
thing to be dreaded by the democratic party frem
the "Charleston Mercury" is the odium and dis.
credit of its alliance. The democratic party has
only one favor to ask rather one right to demand
from it, and that is, that it should spare them its
panegyric or advocacy, and take itself from among
their ranks. Let it carry its front Of brass and its
tongue of venom over to its friends of the "Er-
press" Such qualities may be valued in that quar-
ter; surely not in the democratic party 1t is now
again attempting to scatter dissensons in ranks
The wing press sees this too clearly not to profit by
it. and is accordingly seizing upon its attacks the
j means of dividing 1t is better, therefore, that
the Charleston Mercury should 60 over at once
and openly over to the wings, so to inurc US.
To this destiny It is doomed, sooner or later, il it
pursues its present policy, and the sooner it makes
its election, perhaps, the better.
The "New York Express" in quoting late artl-
Gle from the "Mercury," by no means the most indie
cent, as we are informed, Of those which have re-
Gently appeared in its columns, openly claims this
journal as the organ of great southern party. We
give the whole passage, including the commentary
: of the Express -
"The present administration was got up, elected
and installed as southern administration; but it
seems to give as little satisfaction to its creators an
, to us wings, or to the worsted Van Buren, part of
the party, which has much strength in Gov
i Wright, and with the Barnburning school in this
State. The Charleston Mercury, Calhoun organ,
for example, speaking of it, says
"'It is obvious that the administration began its
career with vast admiration of western power and
statesmanship. II mounted, accordingly, the great
western hobby-the Oregon territory, 1t seemed
to suppose that new era had arrived, in which the
path to distinction and success, in the affairs Of the
general government, lay exclusively in the western
wiIds. Distinction it has certainly got, and is very
likely to get. II has made great noise in Europe,
and has struck the prosperity Of our own country
as with blight. Nobody who has had property to
sell, or debts to pay but will long remember Mr..
Polk and Oregon. But success, like meteor over
a western prairie, although mpetuously followed
through boys and brars, is as far of as ever. The
democratic party is divided in Congress- Although
commencing with majority of some eight in the
Senate and seventy in the House Of Representatives,
, ailad in hran
Congress; and now, by lean majority Of some
eight or ten votes in the House, It is striving to
take off some of the keen edge Of the Senates stern
condemnation and rebuke. The whole course OF
the western statesmen on this question has shown
their incapacity TO rule this country The coarse fu.
Try Of their language ssd denunciaons, and the in
considerate, reasoness policy Of their measures has
ilsqueted and alarmed the great body ofthe peopl
4 on the Atlantic border; whilst their interruptions
rapacity for appropriations Of the public money