The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-02-25

"The Union newspaper this city puts down the most
the South and the most rabid freesoers
equally entitled membership and fellowship in the great
party OF which il processes TO be the sole organ"
The above extract is from letter of the Hon. Mr..
Stephens OF Georgia. which find in the Republic Of
yesterday AS is the text for much OF the abuse which
is evelled at by portion OF the press claiming to
speak for the constitutional Union party Of the South
few comments upon it necessary enable the public
to say how far wrong in indicating our position
as national democrat
1t is alleged grave offence that, classifying the
members OF the present Congress- did undertake TO
expunge from the list OF democrats and wings those who
retained the names which they had acquired in the
local and sectional contests growing out of the slavery
agitation For example, designated Mr. Stephens as
wing, Notwithstanding the adjunct of constitutional
Union which he assumed and we designated Mr.. Will
COX, of Mississippi, democrat, although he be.
longed to the constitutional Union organization OF
his State. There two obvious reasons for
ths The first was, that the political identity OF
the gentlemen named would be better known by re-
ferng them TO national and not to local and tempo
ray standard the second was, that the idea OF perma
nen third party was preposerous, nasmuch pro.
posed omake small fraction OF party greater than the
there is another which are somewhat astonished did
not present itself TO the mind OF gentleman usually
consderas that Of the honorable member from Geor-
ga and that is, that the Washington Union, as party
organ, would have been out OF its sphere If il had
sumed the task of high priest in oburgatng and remit.
ting the sins OF all The politicians OF the land whether they
be wings or democrats II local excitements in Georgia
and other portions OF the South prevailed TO such an ex.
tent that men chose TO forget their old political
| issues, (Which have never denied) all that the
Washington Usion could rghtfully do was TO call
the attention of those involved in such issues to
the fact that they were local, and ought to termi-
nate with the exgency which produced them. To
suppose that these issues could be made supesede
those on, OF which had been formed the national par.
ties OF the Union, would have required that there should
have been in every State OF the Union such materials
those which produced the nominations Of Cobb and Foote
on the one hand, and OF Mcdonald and Quitman on the
other.
Let us however, analyze in another manner the pre-
else character of the fault charged to the Washington
Union for refusing to consider the constitutional Union
Marty as invested with the extraordinary function Of kill
ing of all the political bereses OF the day The honor
able member from Georgia will not say that he is less
whir now than he was before the passage OF the COM
promise measures The only point he makes is, that true
and genuine whggery requires its followers to do he
has done in acquiescng in those measures as final set
Element OF the slavery agitation. Now, we put il to
the honorable member, that in making this point he
eliminates chiefly his own party for il is undeniabe
that the wing party in nearly all its srongholds at the
North refuses TO accept the Compromise in any other
sense than does ordinary law which may be repealed
or modified. But granting that both the national par
ties are equal their disposition TO acquesce in the Com
promisegranting that they are alike willing to bury
the discussions which have been produced by Buffalo
platforms and Nashville convention hereses, and that
they are animated by the same patriotic wish to main
tain the constitution and preserve the Union-how
stands the account between wbiggery and democracy
Evidently these parties RENTED to their old issues, and
must fight their battles as days of old, upon the prac
teal questions which grow out OF the administration Of
and the principles and doctrines which guide
that administration This is the inevitable result unless
we are to suppose that the honorable member has found