The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-21
THE SOUTHERN PRESS. |
WASHINGTON CITY
SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER 81. 1876


been made with a view TO the recent measures
of Congress for Southern spoliation.
The country has been heretofore divided into
two parties, claiming to be the great National
partcs-Whig and Democratic-whose main OBJ
ject is to secure the control Of the Federal
Government The moment that sectional
controversy arose between the North and the
South, it was seen at once that the North,
having the majority of votes, and thereby con-
trolling Presidential elections, could dictate
terms to parties whose main object was Federal
power.
Immediately therefore a rivalry commenced
between leaders of the Wing and Democratic
party, in bidding for the North, us the party
which secured her vote would be triumphant.
Well, the demands of the North were so ex-
orbtant, as evnced in the Wilmot Proviso, that
the South scorning all party motives, rose up
and almonst unanimously announced her il ten
ton of resistance to that pretension. This dis
turled the plans of partisans. A disunion of
the States, or conflict between them would de-
range all Presidential schemes
The next expedient therefore resorted to- was
to adopt plan and call it Compromise, that
would 60 as far as possible in satisfying the
North, and in dividing the South. But this was
critical operation, and too dangerous for either
party to attempt alone Accordingly, there must
be coalition of the two--and there was By this
coalition the North light be appeased by large
sacrifices of the South, but it was supposed the
joint forces of the two parties would control the
latter, so as to prevent resistance. The infu-
ence of party presses and partisans was relied
on to misrepresent, to cajole, and to threaten,
and it was reasonably supposed that such an in
fuence would be powerful
twas rather strange that two such pa ties
should coaesce at all for any purpose-sti
more strange, that this should be done in series
of measures ali involving questions on ich
these parties had always disputed But it was
most strange of all that the Democratic party
should be engaged in a joint scheme with Wings
toplunder, degrade and insult the South. For the
fact is too well established in our history to be
questioned Ignored by the most impartial print,
that the Democratic party has heretofore claimed
to be more favorable to the South than the Wings,
and the result has been that the strength of the
latter was relatively greater at the North, whilst
that of the Democrats preponderated at the
South. But the Democratic party had recently
suffered defeat by the detection of New York,
the Empire State, and this had resulted from
schisn in the Democratic ranks, between that
portion of the party infected with Abolitionism,
WHICH went off with the VAN BuREN's and that
portion that still professe to fraternize with the
Southern portion of the party. So long as this
schism lasted, there could beEo hope of obtain
ing the vote of New York for Democratic Pre-
sidential Candidate. And it was an Empire
State giving an electoral vote so large as to be
generally indispensable for Presidential VIC
tory. 1t became necessary therefore to heal that
divison-and to effect that to perpetratc such en-
croachments on the South as would satisfy the
VAN buren, faction. 1t has been done. The
next news we hear from New York, after the
passage of the late acts of Southern confiscation
is the reunion of the VAN buren, and old
bunker divisions of the Democratic party, and
the next duty which the editor of the Union had
to perform, after rejoicing in the victory over his
own native land, was to rejoice over the reunion
of Free-soilers and old Hunkers in New York.
And the manner in which this is done is so
characteristic Of that paper and of all political
renegades that we must call attention to it.
The first editorial column of that paper of
Thursday last, the 10th instant, is chiefly occu-
pied with an article on the Syracuse Conven-
tion," where the reunion of the New York Demo-
cratic factions was accomplished. The editor
begins by telling us that "the gross errors and
turbulent spirit of Mr.. JOHN VAN BUREN," piH
hroao shade over every movement in which he
participates Then follows a quotation from
the New York Globe, which although it enters
the coalition, is not half 80 mcaly-mouthed as
the Union, but speaks of the re-admission of
JOHN VAN buren, as a gross outrage" The
Union next quotes the Albany Argus MS speak
ing ''much more tarora6ly of the movements of
the Convention And the Union concludes that
if New York will come in on the ancient plat
form of Democracy, she " will be received ,cah
open arms by the Democracy of the Union and
'cah her porer and her principles, they will 90
on conquering and to conquer the party who
have always opposed our Democratic faith -
In the next editorial column of the same paper
and at the head of it, there is an article with the
caption of "The Extremes" classifying the Bos
ton Atlas with the Columbus Times and Nil
ledgeville Union of Georgia, as extre mes, because
the Boston paper complains Of the Fugitive
Slave bill and the two Georgia papers of terrific
rial spoliation--and the same column closes with
another denunciation of the editor of the Geor
gia Times gentleman whose talents, democ-
racy and patriotism are worthy of luis llustrious
father, the late JOIN FoasYru-arc worthy Of
Georgia, and of the crisis
Following up the same policy, the Union Of
yesterday has in the first editorial column an
editorial article headed aAgitators," which