The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-13

notice of the Unions acknow ledgment of right
of secession. for all these things belong, we
think, together, and mark peculiar unity Of de-
sign.
Presidential Controversy In the House.
We intend TO insert rs soon rs we can find
Kentucky, and MARSHALL, of California, on the
position of the Presidential candidates. The
controversy arose from articles in the Democrat
ic Reriew of caustc, sashing and vigorous
character on the principles of the approaching
canvass The Repiew demands the adoption Of
the progressive principle in the selection of men
and platforms, and valves the Presidential pro-
motion of the time.honored class of aspirants.
This has been resented by the friends Of those
gentlemen as unbecoming the position ofa lead
ing periodical and organ of the party, and the
rights privileges, powers, liabilities, responsible
tiles and ethics of organship have been brought
under discussion. We are under the impress
sion that the denunciation of the Reuieio has
been overdone. At all events, we are quite
confident that if it had taken an opposite course,
and had insisted on the necessity ofage and ex.
perence, the complaints would not have pro-
ceeded from the same quarter. We admit to
the fullest extent, however, the right of mem
bers of Congress to review the ReuieW, and to
applaud or reproach at pleasure We think,
however, that the editor of the Reuie,o has an
equal right to his opinions and the expression
of them Prior to its recent change of propr:e-
tors it was praise-all Reuiew. Every month
it contained portrait and auto biography Of
some obscure member of the party, who was
described as one of the most extraordinary and
promising statesmen of the age. The conse.
quence was, the Reuie,U became one of the most
insipid publications of the day. Now it attacks
great men, and forthwith the whole hive of par
ty politicians is in an uproar. Now all this dis
closes the folly TO which party org,nship has
gone. A party organ editor is regarded very
much hireling, or an attorney, whose bust
ness and duty it is to praise every thing and ev.
cry body in his own party, and denounce every
a1egiaRce party IS co n Paramount to
what is due to his State, to his country and to
truth. Now, there are good many men in the
Democratic party who believe sincerely what
has been said in the Reuiew about progress,
aud the old fogies Why should it not be said /?
We are told the Democratic Repiew is more
dignified and doctrinal organ than an ordinary
newspaper. Yes, but it is not more so than the
Edinburg or London or Westminster Quarter
ly's. And they deal with men and things quite
as plainly as the Democratic does. The Rerie,o,
we suppose, is the organ of its contributors and
subscribers. We suppose that none CT the can
didates for the Presidency are its supporters be-
yond more subscription. But if it be an or.
gan of such dignity and responsibility, how has
it been supposed by any body that it could be
directed or controlled by Senator, or cand
date for the Presidency The Repie,o is friendly
to Judge DOUGLAS very probably, but it is as
suming good deal too much that it therefore
is under his direction.
We DO not ourselves concur in what the Re-
pieU says of General BUTLER. We consider
him man of candor and honor, of answering
fidelity to Democratic principles as they are un
dersiood in his State and we believe that he
possesses quite as much ability as Mr.. Polk
did, who is frequently extolled by the Democ
racy, and is, we believe in this very Rsuie,o.
The House has been entertained within the
last few days on this subject by the speeches of
two new members, who are also young men,
And we have seldom seen that body listen with
greater attention or pleasure Mr.. BREcKrN
RIDGE Is an elegant, courteous, fluent and lopi-
cal man. General BUTLER, and all the Others,
who felt sggrieved, were exceedingly happy in
having such an advocate. And such is the pow
er ofeloquence that if the controversy had ended
with the speech of Mr.. BREcKENRIpGE. the SEN
t'ment of the House and the party would have
settled heavily against the Rspiev and against
that sort of progress of which Judge DOUGLAS
Is claimed as representative. But the thing
cid not stop there. On Thursday last Mr.. MAR.
SHALL, of California, made speech 1t was no,
30 elegant in style, nor so consecutive in arpu.
ment, nor 40 well regulated in temper as Mr.
BReCKErRIDGE's, but it was nevertheless one Of
the most powerful, skful, witty, ntrepid and
captivating discourses we have had the good
fortune to hear. 1t took possession of the
House. Its illustrations of the doctrines of
progress were 80 happily made that the most
inveterate conservatism began to feel uneasy,
and the progress'ves actually began to suspect
themselves Of too much moderation, and to
doubt whether Judge DOUGLAS was n man