Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-10-09
The Mhig Party.

81
s,bscr;bes himself g A Farmer Of Grant"
undertakes to show that the Wing party Is
dissolved. The old gentleman, fancying
that there is not so much as grease spot
Of the Whig party left, after making his
desperate assault upon it, iizzles out coli
umn of frothy radicalism, which needs no
answer. because it means nothing, and then
concludes. greatly to his own and the read
er's satisfaction. Now, for the instruction
of this writer we ask him to read the fol-
lowing exposition of the living, active prin-
ciples of the Wing party. contained in the
Louisville journal. The "Farner'' will
vet learn that Whigism not only exists, but
that it is still potent to queh the spirit OF
rabd Radicalisrn, which is attempting to
urge our country hell-wards:-
s.There is no doubt but that the war with
Mexico, so wantonly brought on by the Adj
mipistration, has wrought change IN some
of the old issues between the two parties IN
this country or adjourned those issues for an
Indefinite period. The distribution of the
sur1,lus revenue is not now an issue before
the people, for, the Administration having
expended all the funds of the nation and in
cured an immense national debt, there is
no surplus revenue, and it is not probable
that there viii be any during the present
generation. The distribution of the pro-
ceeds of the public lands is not now an Is
sue before the people, and it cannot become
an issue while the war continues, for even
Mr.. Clay's distribution bill provided, that,
in the event of war, the proceeds should re-
vert for the time being to the public Treas
ury. The protective policy is not now an
issue before the people, for, in addition to
the fact that the present Locofoco tariff is
unequivocally, avowedly protective in its
features, we all know that the payment of
the great war debt will require such a tariff,
for at least a quarter of century, as will
afford all the protection that the most siren
uous advocates of protection regard as de-
sirable. A national bank is not now an is
sue before the people, for the Wings, al
though their opinions are unchanged rs TO
the ultimate necessity Of such an institution,
are resolved TO make no movements in favor
of it as long as the State institutions con-
tinue their present prosperous career--to
make no movement in favor of it until an
other financial CONFUSION shall impress the
fact of its necessity upon the minds of the
whole people of the United States. Thus,
most of the issues that divided the parties
in 1882, in 1886, in 1910, and in 1914, are
now either obsolete or are adjourned TO
future and perhaps a distant day, the awk
ward and miserable Sub Treasury, with one
hand full of gold and silver for the Govern
ment, and the other full of rags for the peo
pie, being almost the only one of the old
questions that still remains for discussion
and for action.
Ia+ no ono r,,-,r,o-a ,,ao,,,o7,- 4bat
because most of the old questions between
the Wings and the Locofocos are questions
no longer, having been suspended by the
appalng condition 10 which the Admins
tration has recklessly brought our country,
the great distinctive lines between the two
parties are in the slightest degree obitera-
ted. Those lines were never broader Or
more palpable than they are at present.
The nature and character Of the Wing party
and the nature and character Of the Loco
foco party are unchanged. The Wings
stand where they have always stood, the
guardians of conservatism, the champions
of the Constitution and the laws, the friends
of popular rights and popular interests, the
opposers of that wild spirit of destructive
ness and innovation and lawlessness and ra-
pacity, under the influence of which the
LOcofoco party has stricken down some of
throughout the nation general distrust of
the stability of our institutions, and inyov-
ed the Republic in perils and difficulties from
which it can scarcely be extricated by
quarter of a century of good government.
The Wings, now as ever are opposed to
that spirit which Furnishes the free citizen
by prescription for his independent exercise
of the right of suffrage. They are opposed
TO the spirit which has ordained that the
offices of the country shall be regarded as
legitimate plnnder to be seized on and ap-
propriated: like the money and goods of a
prize ship, by a conquering party. They
are opposed to the spirit which ruthlessly
struck down great and valuable financial
institution for its refusal to become a tool in
the hands of the leaders of the party in pow
er. They are opposed 10 the spirit which
aims at concentrating in the Executive the
constitutional powers and functions of the
other departments of the Government. and
which bv turns threatened the Senate of the
United States, and the Supreme Court of
the Republic, with humiliation, for daring
to interfere between the Executive and the
objects of his malice or his ambition. They
are opposed to the spirit which sought to
destroy the greatest AMI most important
functions Of the Judiciary and TO render the
courts of each State supreme by the repeal
81 that sectien of the Judiciary act which
authorizes appeals from the State courts to
the Supreme Court. They are opposed to
the spirit, which, for partisan purposes, up
held the Georgia Nuilifiers in their execu-
ton of a victim against the mandate Of the
Supreme Court, and which has upheld and
cOunteuanced the South Carolina Nuliiers
in the almost open rebellion against the con-
stitution and the laws. They are opposed
10 the spirit, which in the State of Rhode
island set at uaught all the forms of law