Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-09-25
EASTERN TIMES.
Bath, Thursday, Sept. 25, 1851.
Position of Parties,


own State we are enjoying this year quiet
and freedom from political excitement that is
attributable to causes that do not operate In
other States; but it is also true that the poliil-
cal feeling of each of the other States is
very apparently settling down into more tran
quill and safe condition. Let US see what has
produced this change, and how the position Of
parties is affected by it.
A review of the history of the last two years
demonstrates one fact very forcibly, which is
this, that the American people are adequate to
any emergency that may arise, in which they
may be called upon to act, and the result shows
that there is sober second thought upon which
they can safely rely. There was an emergen-
cy created when the Compromise measures
were before the country. The wing party,
with their allies, the aboli,ionists, had begun to
fatter themselves that the democratic party had
become a6oHtionised, and that the rock was
now formed upon which they must inevitably
split. The course of the recreant Van Buren,
and his followers, to be sure, had threatened
ths-for, independent of its effect at the North,
it had tendency to produce degree of dis
trust ON the part of the democracy of the South
with their brethren of the North, which could
only be removed by time. The democracy of
the North only required time, in which for the
sober thought of the people to do its work, in
order 10 set itself right and recover its old po-
-, IL -. hal. eb,l-a huf
not overthrown.
The'democratic party has recovered its old
platform, and the abolition party, seeing this,
and despairing of all idea of receiving aid from
them in keeping alive their old issues, are now
falling back upon themselves and talking about
preserving their separate organization, and
holding National Convention for the choice
of candidates to be supported by the party in
the presidential contest. This movement APP
pears in late number of the Washington Ma
tionai Era.
The Era acknowledges the fact that there is
great unanimity visible among the democracy
of the whole country in rallying for the main
tenance and observance of the Compromise as
covenant of peace between the two sections of
the country, while the wing party has only
made movement in its favor--a mere show of
acquiescence-a fint of undninuty which exists
only in appearance.
In Pennsylvania, the Era sums up the atti
de of the two parties as follows
1.-THE democracy of Pennsylvania, as repre-
scented by its late State convention, stands
pledged to sustain the Compromise and the fu-
gtive slave law, and 10 resist all attempts in
any way to agtate the question of slavery
The position of the wings of that State is that
of acquiescence, not appreciation and their
gubernatorial candidate, Gov. Johnston, is I'M
derstood TO maintain, without compromise, his
anti-slavery position"
In Massachusetts,, the Era acknowledges that
the late State convention has "placed the de-
mocracy of the State on the platform of the
Compromise and Fugitive Law"
In New York, it admits that the democrats
have checked the discussion of the slavery
question, and silenced the barnburners in their
State conventions. Emboldened by their sue
cess, they now propose that the next conven-
ton shall endorse the Compromise and the Flu
gitive Law, well as the Baltimore platform.
The radical democrats, once so bold and deter
mined, are now driven to defensive position,
and ask-not that the convention reaffirm their
once cherished doctrines concerning slavery
but that it simply say nothing at all in regard
to national affairs
Referring to the resolution in which the dem
ocratlc State convention Of Ohio has attempted
to discriminate between the non-interference
policy of the demo cratic party and the preva-
lent anti-slavery sentiment of the people, the
Ira admits that the terms of the resolution
allow representatives of the party to oppose
any specific measure against slavery, without
thereby violating any of the principles here set
FORTH
Besides these States that the Era has emu
merated, in which the democracy have manifes-
ted their loyalty to the Union and its Compro-
misses, it might have mentioned some ten or
dozen more, embracing, indeed, the entire tier
of non-slaveholding States, from Maine to
Iowa, the democracy of whom are planting
themselves, Enthusiastically and with unanimiiy,
upon common basis, the maintenance of the
Compromise.
Such Is the voice of the democracy of Maine,
New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, R.
Island, Connecticut, New York, New JERSEY.
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Iowa-as thew
have nearly all of them signifed through their
State conventions this fall. 1t is the voice of
Wisconsin, also, as the vote of her legislature
resembling the instructions first imposed upon
her senators, Enthusiastically indicated.
And how is it with the democracy of the
slave-holding States! The Union candidates
are everywhere prevailing, and no surer indi-
cation of the healthy condition of the democra-
cy of the South can be formed than Thu, fact
The cry of disuniOn at the South has become
as obsolete as it has unpopular at the North.
Under these circumstances, we look to the
future with confidence, that as the democratic
party has been found to be the only safeguard
OF the Union, it will be speedily called upon to
demonstrate more particularly its judicous pol
10y and counsels.
The Right and the WRONG
In reference to the passage in the late can.
Gus address of the New York u,h;