The daily union., 1852-05-08


the minority report in the same After which. the
House adjourned. ~ A.oi-1 ala
The Petersburg Intelligencer.
The above journal, in and temper which are en-
titled to our respect finds fault with because we insist
that in the present organization Of the two national par
ties Of the Unon it is to the democracy alone that the
country look for the policy which is 10 prevent the
reopenng Of the slavery question. and the confirmation
Of the sentiment which acquiesces in the compromise
measures adopted by the preceding Congress Abiding
to the fact that there ultra men in the ranks OF both
parties it remarks that nothing can be more dangerous
to the Union than reliance for its preservation on the
ascendency Of either OF the great political parties OF the
country Our safety depends upon the action OF the good
and patriotic of both parties and he is no true friend OF
the Union who rests Its existence on any other basis
than religious regard for the provisions OF the conshu
ton which founded it."
We reply that speaking of the action OF parties, our
view is never limited to individuals except as they are
made the exponens OF principles, and possess prominence
su fcien,ly marked TO become OF the general
wish and policy of the party which recognises then
We concur in the sentiment that must always look TO
the action OF the good and patriotic which is nothing
more than 10 say that the safety of institutions de-
pends upon the preservation OF virtue and intelligence
among the people But it is not the less true that on
great political question the popular test Of parties may
make one party far superior to another in its capacity 10
strengthen the safeguards Of institutions and promote
the general good OF the whole country. in this sense
that we have referred to the agency OF parties in eradca
ting the evils which have crept system in conse
quence OF the slavery question; and we think we are
fully justified in the opinion that this agency, at this
4 ~ sn tha tYnN MI
the democratic party, which the whg party cannot and
will not give. The reasons for this opinion are as well
known 10 the Petersburg lntegencer as they are to
ourselves They are found in the action OF the people in
every quarter Of our Union in the movements Of State
legislatures in the conventions which have been held
with view TO the presidency, and in the votes which
have heen given in the present Congress- From Maine
10 California democratic ascendency has been sgnazed
almost universally by the expression OF the sentiment
which repuda,es the idea of reopenng the slavery test
whilst in but very few has the sentiment been
manifested by the whig party But independently Of
these special proofs of the existing character Of the two
parties one equally conclusive is afforded by the very ma
ure Of the question which is to test the soundness of
parties in reference 10 it, The Petersburg lntegencer
must be sensible that the feature OF the Compromise
which is the source Of apprehension for the future tran
quly of the country that which provides for The recla
nation OF fugitive slaves.
The doubt about the willingness OF our northern
brethren to maintain and enforce that provision is all that
now keeps up discomfort in the South. But for this
doubt the South would stand unit in the declaration
that the Compromise must not be disturbed and II IS
on this account that il has become matter Of vital i'm
portance TO the public tranquility that the two parties IN
the North should speak out their sentiments fully and
unequivocally They have spoken, and with voices
which cannot now be misunderstood. The democracy
of the North with scarcely exception. have met the
lust hopes Of the South but the wings of the North act
ing as party have done the very opposite. The wings
have said in Ohio that they repudlae the fugyeslave
law They have done worse in Pennsylvania, and pu,
forward men for their highest Office expressly TO defeat
the execution OF the laws and this The general current
Of whig power in all the other northern States.
II is for such reasons ha, we allege as shall
tnue TO do, that the whig party now organized can.
not take the ground OF maintaining and executing the
measures Of compromise and we think that candid
mind can complain Of US for doing General Scott may
write compromise letters often and as fully as he
peases but as long he stands identified he with
a party organization which has labored to defeat
these measures, and which is prescribing all the poll
icians who took prominent part in passing them, he
will never be able 10 satisfy the country tha, he ought
to be trusted with the chief executive power The
people choose President to carry ou, their public
policy and they know full well that the President
no, act efficiently il those who bring him into power are
not 10 be his counsellors Nicholas Bdde never thought
Of making General Jackson his candidate for the pres-
deney and the politicians Of the North who repudiale
the fugitive law will be TO reject the who
will not minister their political opinions The party
which makes the President must shape his policy.
/ Connecticut.