Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-09-29
THE WILMOT PROYISO.

HE NILMOI fhONISO
''Fhe Southern Democracy will go into
Convention with the implied condition that
no 'UIlmot Proriso man IS to be ,aomi-
mated: for in that event the southern mem
bers will retire and act for themselves: and
their union upon this vital point will bring
the North to their Union Senses, and force
them 10 present a man who can receive the
support of the Southern Democracy
Richmond Enquirer.
Without discussing the question of the Wilmot
Propiso, let us say a word in regard TO the sentl
ment of the above paragraph. Our party organZa-
ton is for the sake of principle and not for the pro
motion Of local or selfish interests if we understand
it. Suppose then, the South comes into Conven-
ton and demands that some essential principle of
democracy be sacrificed, must we listen TO it, and
be forced to take some man who will be satistacto-
ry TO them? What should we gain thereby? We
should gain the man and lose the principle. We
should crafty and satisfy hungry set of cormorant
olice-seekers, and detach from organization the
honest and weldisposed, and find ourselves even
tuay in the minority. If we were to take ortho-
dox, sentiments such as this extract contains, and
such we frequently find in the party prints, we
should believe that party had no other object than
getting into power and securing for rs the pat
ronage and spoils OF government. lou must not,
say these men who much fear party divisions,
breach this question or that question; it is new
it is no part of democracy; you will only introduce
distractions and divisions into ranks and the
party will be defeated Let US stand by the old
land marks so do these sellconstituted guardians
talk The question is not with them whether a
proposition newly preached contains the elements
OF great good to the people, and is thereby demo
cratic but it creates discussions, cXcements, and
ENTERTAINERS it must be thrown overheard; and
those who presume to stand by it are agitators dis
organizers, &c The party is likely to be de
feated, and all principle according to these men,
had better be sacrificed than that this disastrous re-
suit should happen. So do not we think. Democ-
racy is distinct from and better than Whiggery
because il is progrcssre. 1t occupies the re-
laton to government or people that the soul or
mind does to the human body. Its peculiar province
is to search-to stretch off into uneXplored paths
TO trace newly developed truths and accumulate their
results for the benefit of the people, and whatever
may be the resolves of the Conventions or the de-
termination of individuals, question involving
| progress and reform becomes party question, and
enlists true democrats in its support as naturally as
il drives those who lack tie essential principles OF
democracy, into opposition The south, it appears,
/ will not listen to any argument on this question.
| 1t matters not how much good it may embrace for
/ the people at large. and therefore how truly demo
cratic it may be, it must be abandoned, and the
North must take some man acceptable to the South.
! We speak of this only as condemnog the spirit
with which itappears some portion OF our party are
coming into Convention Ii the opinion be enter
tanned by majority of the Convention that the
Wilmot prov $50 is right let them stand by it, for it
IS therefore democratic; and if they abandon it,
they, to this extent abandon the principles Of de
mocracy, and allow the opposite to triumph. Sla-
very is ,crong. \ great body Of the Shareholders
tLcnrsel,e s acknowledge this. Congress has power
all territory not yet formed into States belong
ing to the government Is it not, then, recIeancy
to democracy, TO the right, to establish this u1o"g,
or permit ii 10 be established where the government
has the power to prevent it? Let us have no com
promises with evil Let us draw no parallel Of lat
itude telling the devil that south of that he may
roam undisturbeI but north of it he must not show
his face. We have no right 10 deliver any portion
of our fair domain thus over to the builetngs of
Satan If we have him chained, let us keep him
so Our dQty to the South not less than the North,
demands it OF us That wrong shall prevail can be
for the permanent interest of man, people;
and if for the sake of compromise, for the sake OF
party, we permit evil-that which we know TO
be eyl-to spread and establish itself we do an IT.
reparabie injury to the whole nation.
I Brother democrats, our duty, one aud all 10 to
work up to the highest standard OF excellence and
truth that has been revealed TO US Short of this,
we fail in our duty-short of this we permit the
existence Of evil we might remedy-and short of
this we exist under grievances and su1erings we
might remove.