Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1850-12-19

Likewise, at the Periodical and Newspaper Depot O
Messrs ALLEN u GENTRY, on Broad street-price two
cents.
Southern Unaninity and Democratic Spoils-
Hunting.
1t is matter of notoriety that the Democrats oil
the South have sedulously represented that their
party is truer or sou,,der on the Slavery question
than the Wing party. In every election for some
years past, they have assumed the province OF
prescribing tests and constructing platforms, and
then, like the sel-righteous Pharisee, thanking
God that they are not as those wretched publcans,
the Wings. Resolutions the most stringent, that
human wit could devise, tt ey would pass with
out ssenting voice, and, if the Wings did not
promptly swallow them, the whole Democratic
press would cry treason to the South, and protest
that Southern divisions were all that jeopardized
| Southern interests. How much these brave reso.
lutlons really meant was memorably tested in the
Taylor and Cass campaign, after the Virginia
and Alabama Democratic Conventions had solemn
y declared that they would support no candidate
who did not deny the right of the people ola Ter
ritory to prohibit slavery Gen. Cass was nomi-
mated with the Nicholson letter published as the
chart OF his political bearings and in that letter he
had so pla inly laid down the inhibited doctrine,
that, in subsequent explanation, he has said as
much as that any man wiltully misconstrues the
letter who does not so understand it. Yet the
Virginia and Alabama Democracy supported him
with as ready zeal if the resolutions, which they
had abused the Wings for not adopting, had never
been conceived:
| we recur to this peculiarly of the Democratic
party of the South because is in exact conformity
with the course which its leaders are now pursuing
in Virginia. Unaninaity Of the South is their uniyer-
sal sentiment. Harmony amongst Southern men,
they tell us, is our only safeguard against North
cru aggression. Some of them, who have been
most conspicuous in taking what is termed "high
Southern ground" profess to regard the federal
Constitution as already nvalidated and the Union
as already virtually dissolved All avow that thew
look to the failure of the Fugitive Slave law, which
is matter yet to be tested, as the certain cause of
disunion. Now, if these invocations for Southern
harmony were sincere, and these CONCENTRATIONS
OF the contingency of disunion serious, it might
reasonably be expected that something like forget
fulness of federal party organization, something
like spirit of Cancellation and kindness, would be
manifested in the department of the Democratic
majority in our Legislature towards, the Wing mi
norty Men who really consider harmony of
Southern sentiment indispensable to the attain
| ment of great patriotic end, would surely not
lightly offend great party comprising very near
y if not entirely, half of their feow-citizens,
| Men who really thiok the rupture of the Confed-
eracy possible event. it might be supposed, would
| seek to make friends rather than enemies.
But what is the spectacle presented by the
General Assembly of Virginia? Instead of a
disposition on the part of the majority to act to-
wards the minority as if the party distinctions that
separate them might soon be merged in the para
| mount issues of a common cause, never was there
manifested more illiberality or sterner determi-
nation to monopolize the enjoyment of Office The
only harmony ever proposed by the majority in
practice, is the harmony which consists in Wings
voting for Democratic candidates. Every office
in the two Houses has Democratic incumbent.
Ii Judge is to be elected, the knowledge that he
must be Democcat is so certain that Wing mem
bers do not presume 10 inquire whether there be
any Wing lawyer of superior qualifications The
caucus DEGREES that the wounds received by Mr..
| Green b. Samuels in his disastrous contest with
Mr.. James M. Mason for a seat in the Senate
shall be salvec with the pure ermine of justices
and straightway it is done. The caucus of 1850
enacts that Mr.. James NJ Mason shall retain
the seat which he won in spite of the caucus Of
| lS47; and if Wings dare to cast their votes
for Wing, they are tainted with appeals for a
continuance of the same harmony which raised nc
objection to the election of Democratic Speaker
Clerk, Sergeant-at-Arms, Doorkeepers and Judge
A Councillor of State is to be chosen, and it might
have been thought, that, at time when disunon
and civil war were subjects of daily speculation
the retention of single Wing amongst the ad.
visers of the Executive would be deemed an ap.
propriate Difference to the weight of that party
whose thousands and ten of thousands the Cover
nor would, in the event of war; lead forth to battle
But no an editor of the party is without his re.
ward for contending against Wing men and Wing
doctrines, and the Wing Councillor is summarily
ordered to yield him his place. Every election
thus far, and the temper manifested by the majo
ry in the debates, prove that ruthless prescription
is this day in higher favour in Virginia, than at any
former period. We have not WORD to say agains
the party policy which the Democracy have thu.
openly acted upon. The Wing party will LOSE
nothing whatever, by the removal of Wing office
holders. But, whilst the majority are thus hotly
garnering up the spoils of victory, we must con-
clude' and the people will conclude, that all thei
appeals for Southern unanimity, and all their pro-
LESSONS OF superior loyalty to the Southern cause
are mere empty idle talk, not prompted by any
sincerity OF conviction or reality of purpose.
+ GOV. FLOYD'S RECOMMENDATION.
Our notice yesterday of Gov. Floyd's specia
message, was written before we had an opportu
nifty OF reading the document, and upon the sim
haiti dad