The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-06
.. The Democratic Party and the Southern
Press.0

~ The DcDOCTAuC MY auV INC oVus"VA"
Press"
The Washington Union Of yesterday, con-
taips another article still more offensive, in lis
terms and sentiments than the one OF the day
before. The Union charges us with Islander
ously" charging it with an approval OF the Com
promise--and with putting forth policy and pre-
tensions frauduently." These are terms which
we can tolerate only in pair of diplomats
whose manners have been vulgarized in the
courts of the King of Prussia, and the Queen
of the Sandwich Islands. Such is the democrat
izing effect of missions among semi barbarous
people, that we think those who return from
them ought to be placed in a probationary
coventry before their restoration to American
society-particularly that of the elegant ana
courteous South.
The Union charges us with desire to incor-
porate the doctrine of the Nashville Convention,
or the right of secession, in the creed OF the
Democratic party. That is precisely what We
do not ask, and do not propose.
We do not propose, and will not consent to
submit the rights of the South or the rights OF
the States to either Of the party conventions,
Wing or Democratic. We will not ask or ac-
cept definition of Southern Rights or State
Rights, from federal convention at Baltimore
or Philadelphia. At both of these conventions
the North will have majority VOTE We are
not quite SO silly or stupid, or debased, as to ask
from Northern majority an authoritative expo
sition of Southern Rights And we have no
such confidence in either the Democratic or
Wing parties in federal convention assembled
as to expect, much less to be bound by, their de-
inition of State Rights. No, we think one OF
the great blunders Of the South and the States
heretofore, has been the habit of permitting con-
ventions, assembled to decide questions of fed
eral policy, to assume also to define the rights
of States and of sections. Hence has arisen
that pusillanimous equivocation and evasion,
which has lately been resorted to by federal
party conventions. And hence the Delphic let
tiers of candidates, susceptible of diverse con-
in different S ates and sections of the
Union. And hence the pitiable spectacle we
have beheld of party politicians, shutting be-
tween the assertion of the rights of their own
States, as proclaimed by their own States, and the
ambiguous platforms of federal parties. A con-
vention calling itself national, to assume
the jurisdiction of defining the rights of the
States Why, the very announcement is sole
cism. Let each State decide for herself-and
in ease of aggression, decide according to the
resolutions of '98, OH the mode and measure of
redress. And if the States have not the saga
city and spirit to assert and maintain their rights,
let them fall unpitied to the servitude which s
prescribed by the great moral laws Of the world
Tor the timid and the mean.
The true function of convention of the
two parties is to decide on questions OF
federal policy-and to nominate candidates
with reference to them. And we intend to sup
port the candidate best qualified and trust worthy
for federal policy, for such policy as we think
most comfortable to the Constitution, and The
welfare of the whole Union.
As for the notion of the Union that the Con-,
promise, or the fnality of the Compromise, is
to be an article of the creed of either of the two
parties, it is utterly inadmissible and impracti-
Cable No man can be elected on any such a
basis-not even by a coalition of the CON-
promisers of both parties--a grand nation
Union party And if the Union is the organ OF
any such party as the Compromise party, it is
not the organ of the Democratic party even if the
editor toere invited to his post by majority of
the Presidential candidates Of that party. Those
candidates are not the platform makers. The
platform will be made by the delegates to the
convention, and will be made to suit the party,
and will not be made by the candidates, to suit
themselves.
The Union invokes the attention of the
Democratic party and leaders to our course, ard
modestly proposes our reputation. How can
the Union be so cruel and impoltic? For our
part, we are anxious TO secure the services of
the Union for the approaching campaign. There
is in every national party, large number of
men, whose ideas are muddy, whose manners
are rude, and whose principles are loose, but yet
whose votes are important. We want to keep
the Union as an organ for them. But ours must
be the court journal, and must be sent to the
foreign embassies, to give them an adequate idea
of the refinement Of this country, and the sound
philosophy of free conservative principles
W- The Louisville Daily Times is the title
of new Dem ocratlc print commenced in Lou
isville, Kentucky, by Messrs. Howard, OHARA
and STAPp. Mr.. OHARA is an elegant and
vigorous writer, and will, with his coadju
tore, make valuable and and attractive jour
nal. We wish them success.
W"The Montgomery Advertiser thus refer
to the last coalition in Mississippi
UNITED STATES WING SENATOR IN Mrss1s
sIPH.-The Washington Republic thus reioc
ingly announces the election of a Wing to tn
United States Senate:
"By despatch which appears under our tele