The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-02
PARTIES IN THE FUTURE.

|
that the triumph Of the Democratic Party was
popular verdict against the agitation. Hunker
| Wings spoke complacently of the result, as the
death-blow to "Sewardism" OF Aboltionism;
some of them openly, some, covertly, contrIbu-
| ted TO this result: Hunker Democrats acknowL
edged their cooperation, and were prepared to
sympathize with them, rather than with the
Anti Slavery Democrats of their own Party
The question wss, not between Democracy and
Whigism, between one set Of politico-economl-
cal doctrines aud another set, but between
Democracy and Abolitionism The Democratic
/ Party was arrayed IN favor Of the Compromise,
Of the gitive Law, of the claims of Sls-
very. against Ant'-SIavery agitation, tanatl-
csm. hishcr-lawism, Free-Soilsm in a word,
against the Sentiment aud Manifestation Of
Hostility to Slavery and tic Slave Power This
was its National ground and, because it
took this ground, it found men in the Wing
ranks to support it in the hour of trial and to
exult with il in its hour of triumph.
This was the theory of the Election, promul-
gated by the Union-this is the theory on
which the Hunker Democrats and Hunker
Wings are now prepared to act.
At this point we touch the practical bearings
Of the subject. The Hunker Democrats are the
dominant faction in the Democratic Party.
This fact has stood out conspicuously, ever since
the reunion of the Party in New York. In
that act, the Radical Democrats abandoned the
vital principle of their organization, Invested
themselves of their moral power, and coded pO-
litcal supremacy to the Hunker Democrats
In all the free States, the same revolution took
place. The ground Of active resistance to the
usurpations of Slavery was virtually abandon
ed, and Radicalsm ceased to have q name in
the Party. The letter of Mr.. Pierce before
the nomination at Baltimore, insisting that, in
justice to that portion of the Democracy which
had stood by the Fugitive Slave Law and kin
dred measures, the Convention should give
them its special endorsement, would define his
position, were it not clearly revealed by the
record of his political life. The Convention
took the same view that he did-emphatoally
adopted the policy of No-Agitation, and chose
him As its faithful exponent. The adoption of
the platform, the nomination, the election, were
the work mainly of Hunker Democracy. We
have, then the data for inferring the policy
of the incoming Administration. IL will be
thoroughly Hunker I'VE use this word for
want of better to characterize tho alliance Of
Conservatism and Slavery. Franklin Pierce is
not doughace The is not the man to pro-
fess one thing and do another What he has
been, he will be. If antagonism to every form
of Anti-Slayery agitation was regarded by him
as vital to the Democratic Party before the
election it cannot be expected that he will
change his ground now. 1t is true that he was
supported by Dix, Van Buren,, and other Radi-
cal Democrats, but he knows that they have
been disarmed, and now stand upon the Hunker |
platform. As consistent man, pledged to the
maintenance of the platform which he insisted
should be adopted, and on which he was elect
ed he will recognise no Democracy antagonistic
to that platform. Hunkerisin will be inaugu-
rated in the person of Franklin Pierce on the
4th Of March next.
Washington Union. In an article, predicting
that the Seward Wings will become allied with
the Free Democracy, and declaiming about the
designs against the peace of the South and the
interests Of the Union, (meaning the aims of
Free Democracy to resist the extension of Sla-
very, and relieve the Federal Government from
all responsibility for it, it says
1t is most fortunate and auspiclous that
against this desperate and perilous movement,
now dlm!y looming mp in the distance, the most |
powerful! party organization which this country |
has perhaps eyer seen. stands fast arrayed' |
The preservation of the domestic peace of the |
Union il a part of the manifest mission of the |
Democratic party, not secondary even to the |
work of restoring good government at home, |
and national respect and honor abroad So |
much as this may confidently be stated of the |
purposes and policy Of the n"St Administration,
for his IS implied IN 'ts nomination and election
Anything more than this, no one can now I'M
dertake to state. To accomplish this great |
work in the present state of the country. the |
whoIe porcr Of the united Democracy must co.
operate tcith The Steadfdst courage, The cool cir
eumSpection and the patriotic Statesmanhip. |
which IL has notc by universal dccidmat,0n |
placed IN Chief Ereeutiue pouer Such union |
Of the Democratic power cannot co-exist with |
An angry strife of personalities OF fierce war |
of cliques And by the whole force of his par |
tisan allegiance-by the whole power Of his
devotion to the time-honored Democratic |
cause-is every Democrat summoned 10 trampIs |
under has feet such fruitful causes of discard |
evaporation, disturbance, and final disaster |
The same spirit of union and Cancellation which |
has brought the Administration into power |
can alone make it's power fully eticacious to
the due protection Of every great public inter
est
The Interpretation of this vague language is
to he found in the demand now made by this
paper and by the Hunker papers of New York,
for repeal of the law of New York, prohibit
ing Slavery in all cases within its borders The
Democratic Party is boldly invoked to this
work having majority in the Legislature of
New York, it is expected that the same spirit
which induced it to vote for Franklin Pierce,
will lead it to makesiny concession TO the South
that may be asked. The New York Tribune
hopes the Party may attempt 1.-THE Union
calls upon the Democrats of New York to take
up the challenge, and do justice to the South
do justice to the South, p by laying the Empire
State, bound hand and foot, on the altar of
Slavery This is what it means
The language Of the Union finds additional
explanation in the advice quoted by us from
the Boston Post last week. against any ooah-
ton with the Free Democrats At all hazards,
though at the cost Of the control of the State,
the true Democrat, the real Franklin Pierce
Democrat as he respected the views of the
President elect was adjured to keep himself