Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-05-05


OF the present evils Of this country upor
the mistaken views of the Wing party
We do not think the Union at all success
inl In It's effort. 1t says that Abolitionism
Anii-Rentism and Free Soilsm have all
proceeded from the same source. An as
sertion which contains as great nnmbe,
oferrors as there are word in the SENTENCED
Abolitionism proper had its origin and ex-
lstence independent of all party associa.
tons, and 1t was not until both parties court.
ed ITS influence that it acquired any power
Anti-Rentism first showed its head in the
river counties of New York in riotous de.
monstrations Of the tenants against tie
landlords, as long ago as when Martin Van
buren, was young man; and, If the In
Ion viii examine the musty records Of the
past, it will find that the young lawyer OF
undertook was its chief patron. And as
for Free Soilism-why, frAo was Dard
Wilmot As every body knows. the
rankest Democrat in PENNSYLVANIA a
Hebrew of the Hebrews. The only dis.
pute about the real paternity of the Viii
mot Proviso lies between Wilnot and
Van Buren,. Yet the Union, with extra
ordinary gravity and GOODNESS, declars that
Free Soiisn is the offspring Of the Wing
party.
Moreover, we should never have heard
of the Wilmot Proviso and Free Soil in
their recent menacing altitude; we should
have known absolutely nothing of the evils
winch have just cast such black shadow
over our political horizon and threatened
US with total shipwrecl, but for the ..mis-
taken views" of the Democratic party. A,
the door oftlat party lies the whole policy
of territorial aggrandizement, but for
which we should now be contcnted and
united people. They viii not deny that
this was their favorite policy. Nay, they
still glory in the fact that they urged il
onward and made it successful agains,
Wing opposition, careless ofthe consequent
ces which they knew would follow in its
train. Of these consequences, involving
foreign war, civil strife, and periling the
union ofthe States, they were warned in
advice by Henry Clay, and by all the
Wing Statesmen of the Union They
laughed and hooted at the idea. They
derded these prophecies as theidle dreams
of a dotage. They gloried in the boast
that the Democracy was party of pro-
gress," and that its manifest destiny" was
to absorb into the United States all North
America. And now, when their progress
has brought us to the edge of bouomless
gulf Of ruin, and their manifest destiny
has tended rather to the division of our
own empire than the absorption of others,
they charge the Wings, who have been
dragging at their chariot wheels to keep
them back, as the men who have pushed
them onward to the brink of destruction
The Union says, There never was a
time when the democracy in the South
gave aid and comfort to the dangerous
principle contained in the Wilmot Provi-
So" Has the Union forgotten that Mr..
Polk signed the Wilmot Proviso in two
territorial bills, and will it inform US when,
in what manner, and through what agen-
cies the Southern Democracy withdrew
"aid and comfort from Southern Demo
cratic President on that account?
Now, in our humble opinion, the course
and attitude of the Wings of the Union has
been one which reflects upon them as a
whole the most excellent credit. No par
ty, at any previous period of our history
no party in any country has ever occupied
nobler or more sublime position. II has
shown from first to last of this territorial
excitement stem integrity, lofty patriot
ism and sublime selfdevotion unsurpassed
l,a Il, ,f,l,.D L.
stubborn virtue was proof against the gilt
tering bait of annexation, and its self-rcs-
pect was unmovcd by the sncers Of those
who, ever ready to surrender principle for
expcdiency, counted that party or that
man an idiot who would not sacrifice con-
science at the shrine ofinterest. The Wing
party warned the Democracy that war
would follow in the train of annexation A;
yet, when its predictions We're fulfilled, it
forgot party in its loyalty to country, and
gave its soldiers TO fight the battles and its
generals to lead the armies and gain the
victories which have made American valor
immortal. 1t foretold the result of terrific
raj aggfandizement; it pointed out with
an accuracy like that of history, rather than
prophecy, the struggle of sections over the
spoils of victory; yet when that struggle
came, shaking the fabric of the Union to
its base, and causing It's flagstaff to totter,
they were Wings who rushed to the rescue,
and it was a Wing administration under
which civil strife was allayed, and peace
restored to a contending household. 1t
was then that Clay and Webster threw
Il. l. Il. Al. l.
had done on the battle grounds of Mexico.
Nor should it ever be forgotten that the
Wilmot Proviso, which had grown into
strength under Democratic councils, which
had not only swept both Houses of Con-
gress, but received the signature of a
Southern Democratic President, was first
struck down under Wing administration,
and has now become such an object discern
and hatred that there's no respectabl states
man of either party even in the North $50
poor as to do 1t reverence"
So far then from losing Faith in the Wing
cause and Wing men from recent events,
there is every reason why the country
should continue to ropose confidence in a
party which has thus nobly performed its
| duty without regard to the temporary ecldt
of an aggressive foreign policy, and with
out reference to sectional Influences in It's
domestic administration. We believe that
if this nation desires to be saved from that
course ofterritorial aggrandizemcnt which
can only result in raising up new sectional
disputes, and if it would have govern
mcnt which can meet existing disputes
in the most calm, firm and national spirit,
avoiding the extremes of Northern fanati-
cism and Southern notification, it may in.
jure, but it cannot improve its prospects,
by Withdrawing its support from true and
tried hands, and embarking its fortunes I'M
der the guidance ofmariners who have no,
| al,xars nrovcd safe and skiltnl hclnsrocr,