Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-02-28

therein repudiated, the who had fed to intro
duce their principles INTO the construction of the go
vernment machine, sought to make it work their |
ends by twisting its members from the performance
of their intended Offices They claimed FOR Congress-
by implication, sometimes implying a power from
the inherent qualities of governments l. e., according
to the European ideas of soyereignty1 powers which
were purposely withheld from that body. 1t is not
necessary for purpose to go over the different
measures advocated by these men. But it is reveant
to remark that all these measures whether advoca-
ted by the party calling itself federal national repub
lcan or whig, i-federal--aimed at CONVEX
ting the federal into national consolidated govern
ment, exercising powers claimed only on the ground
of Implication from national sovereignty ant-repub-
-outragng private rights; and truly vhig-I
that is to say based upon the idea that to favor
tain species of property is the end of government.
The change of the financial condition of the coun-
try, from of extreme debt to of surplus
nues led to long and bitter encounter of the two
parties one holding to the constitution, the other
seeking to usurp for congress forbidden powers The
overthrow of the national bank the establishment of
q federal treasury its overthrow and final restora
ton are the last events in the history of these par
ties, until we come to the present day. Now new
struggle has commenced, and individuals hitherto be-
longing to one or the other of the late parties must
choose under which to serve-that, which fights for
strict construction of the constitution and the de-
fence of the reserved State powers or that which,
under the delusiye plea of philanthropy, clothed
with the right to overthrow law and constitution
seeks to usqrp for Congress powers which
it refusesf TO NEEDLE With.
Let no one deceive himself in this matter. Every
man must be either federal republican democrat,
unfolding the reserved power of the States, or ma
tonal m0narchical partizan, fighting to pull down
the constitution by appeals to that SLAVERY
feeling which has been famed to its present intensi
ty at the north by the late whig party. There can
be no alternative. We grieve the fact, because
we conceive that it was public calamity that the
,ub; tod 10
We wash the hands of the democratic party of all
the consequences to which it may lead. That party
has fought nobly amid sneers and jeers, and aunts
for the right. The sectional character of the con-
troversy begun by calling US northern men
with southern principles, if the glorious princi
pies of the constitution had any thing sectional in
them, and if to have southern princ Piles were
disgrace great as, by calling us by that title to
give us the worst name. This cry of mad dog has
been successful in respect. 1t has kept the de-
mocrats out of power in the state 1t has famed the
antsouth fame, till it has reached members OF the
democratic party, who could not withstand so hot
fire The late wing party at the north, however
has been dissolved and rent asunder 1t really dis
solved itself when it abandoned the advocacy of all
its lately cherished measures, and by the nomination
of General Taylor for president threw overheard all
the leading men who for many long weary year2 had
advocated these measures. At the north it went
heart and soul into the ant-slavery agitation, with
the view to defeat General Cass. AS the democrat
ic party has defended it's nonnterference with slave
ry in the states and territories upon constitutional
principles and as it cannot abandon the state right
power of regulating personal relations if it had
the power to alter the constitution tomorrow, it
must remain where it has been it always must re-
main there The individuals who abandon these
principles the very foundation of the party associa
ton. do and must abandon the party.
Those persons who have formerly acted with the
wings of the north and seeing the OF their
WAYS adopt the democratic principle of non-inter-
venton with slavery, have left the northern whig
party; they abiure their unconstitutional doctrines
on this one subject. But this does not constitute
S them democrats The agreement with democrats
in the principle of nOn-intervention with slavery at
the south no more constitutes them democrats than
does their agreement with not to have national
bank or national canals and railroads. There can
be no union between such DESERVING wings with the
democrats, unless they adopt the broad constitution
al principles which have always characterized the
democratic party from the beginning. ! hat com
binatiOn of men should conduct our government in
harmony together and according to the constitution
it is requisite that they should agree in the principles
of ats interpretation Strict and loose construction
r is what characterizes the parties All political as
sociations bound together by common principles
are mere factions, and commanded neither re-
spect political success.
0 Now in this nti-savery excitement got up by the
northern wings to keep out Texas to fan the flame
of opposition to the Mexican war, and to prevent the
continuation in power of the democrats favoring
o slavery-an excitement which emphatically nor
thern wing thunder and of so loud character as tc
the whole north into voting in favor of Tay
lor, whose friends shufled, and against Cass who
r took open manly constitutional ground, the princ
pies which must divide parties have been lost sight
of by thousands who have heretofore acted with the
democratic party. Many of these speak and act in
: direct opposition to the publicly avowed principles
and resolutions of the party from time lmmemorial
: What is the plain meaning of this Simply thai
t these men becoming nationalist instead OF de-
Tending, heretofore the state powers reserved by
}, the constitution--whig in principles instead O
e strict constructionsts- seeking to overthrow by
Legislation congress part of the system of person
al relations which the constitution properaly wisely
t, and justly leaves to the state governments-the on
ly safe repository of personal rights Do these mer
mean to deny that each state has the constitutional poc
er to decide ardo and rO not competent to hOt
property IN their orn labor? Do they mean to alb
ure this right the part of our own state and re
zeal all the pauper la1s, the qchoe systems of guar
dianshp and hardship the relations betaceen HUSBAND
d and child and masters and apprentices Let them
if they would be consistent first mind their own bus
IF mess, and begin at home and not resort to thl
is convenient philanthropy, which throws torcl
thousands ofmiles beyond borders, and sets who'll
1T states on fire. Let them begin at home with the
4, " charity" Let them establish the peace principle
is of Charles Sumner in this commonwealth, and bio
d out from its coat of the old motto, Ense pet1
d p1acida sub bertae unetem" and see the practlca
r effect of such law and such liberty.
10 But what is the ethical principle at the bottom
n the politics of these men 1t is that of persona
e sovereignty. Each individual, according to thei
creed, is perfect and supreme judge of the system
n of laws consttutonally passed in states uerty for
eicr to them, land to all persons out of the state