The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-01-06

PItoScu- NOt FOLK, OeueTdl A4Loh, anu VT
FILLMORE, are by certain sort Of old Hunkers
regarded as usurpers, breaking The regular
thread of legitimacy Like the French Bour
bons,o our Democratic eghimiss seem to forget
nothing, and learn nothing. Their one idea is
ihe restoration-all other expedients are but tenn
porary, and all acts of submission to irregular
tiles in their historic programme, only, are for
the time, like the submission of the royasts of
England to the protectorate of CROMWELL, or
of the legitimists Of France to the usurpation OF
LoUIs NAPOLEON. Patience and vigilance may
still effect the work of redemption.
Heretofore the States have been very irrcgu.
larly represented in the Democratic National
Convention. Those most convenient have had
generally large excess over the Electoral Col
lege representation, while those States AZ an in
convenient distance, have not unfrequently de
pended upon the precarious chances of luck for
even one delegate, to take upon himself the
burden Of representing the vote of an entire
State. The new plan may tend to abolish these
inequalities, and may effect regular represen.
tation from every State in the Union. But to
the legitmsts of the party, to the advocates OF
restoration, the reduction of the delegates to
the representation in Congress from each State,
is of the last importance. Where the vote is
given by large delegation, the young democra
cy seldom fail Of majority; but where the del
egation is limited to the electoral vote, the ex
traneons influences of popular proclivites are
substantially excluded. Thus we see, that by
the new plan of organization, the legitimists of
the party are given an advantage in the Conven-
ton, of which they have been dispossessed since
the nomination of Col. Polk in 1874, including
the Convention which made that nomination in
the face of the regular order of succession.
The late Democratic caucus at the capitol il will
be recollected, tactly turned over the great sec
tional issue between the Democrats the North
and the South to the Baltimore Convention. At
that caucus, it will also be remembered few
Southern States Rights men were present. The
National Executive Committee have acted with
similar reserve. So that this bone of contention
will be thrown into the Convention upon its
meeting, and may still destroy all the antcipa-
lions of harmony resulting from the pending ar,
mistice. This element in the canvass gives to
the whole matter an aspect of doubt, uncertain
ty, and unusual gravity.
We have thrown out these suggestions as if
concedng that this committee had the power
to act authoritativey and decisively on the sub
jects which they have considered. But the Dis
organization of the party since ls4s, would seem
20 vitiate the authority of this committee, or
reduce it at least in its action to the suggestions
of merely advisory body, taking the initiative
steps, without binding force upon the party at
large. As no man, no body of men, and no
organ is authorized at this juncture to speak
" By Authority" for the National Democratic
party, as yet in state of disorganization, we
have expressed these views to enlighten our
readers as far as possible, as to the weight and
bearing of this movement towards the reorgani. |
zation of the National Democracy 1t lis at least
a beginning. The end is not yet When the
Wings make similar movement, we shall give
it the consideration to which it may be fairly
antitled