The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-13
For the Southern Press.
Relies Of Scraps and Musings.
No. IS.


STATES.
70 cal parties in free government, when
based on certain great principles of policy sin
cerely adopted and openly avowed, are, if not
indispensable, at least highly salutary in check
ing the excuses of each other by incessant
watchfulness and steady opposition. The peo-
pie thus see and hear both sides of the question,
and can exercise their best judgment in deciding
between them. But it is very different when,
with view to conciliate the popular feeling,
and thus attain the ascendency both parties,
though still continuing in opposition to each
other, adopt that same course of policy and
enter into contest which shall carry it to the
greatest extremes. II then becomes a mere
struggle for the loaves and fishes, and not for
principles, and selfshness takes the place of
patriotism. The policy thus adopted by both
parties will be carried to extremes because there
is none to oppose it; and most especially, be-
cause there will be u contest which shall go
beyond the other in appealing to the popular
feeling. This seems to be the present state of
parties in the United States. Heretofore the
Democrats constituted the great bulwark to the
stood forward on their open and avowed politi-
cal principles, and on that ground alone appealed
to the people for support. They scorned to
avail themselves of any of those fanatical excite
ments, which the Wings in the consciousness
of their weakness, sought to turn to their pur-
poses, and neither courted Anti Masonry, Anti
Rentism, nor Abolition. Oflate, however, they
have entered the lists with the Wings, at least
in the N orth, and the contest Is now: which
shall carry off the largest portion of the disciples
of the higher law and universal philanthropy.
! In mere politics there is, it appears, so little
diversity of opinion, that Mr.. Cobb can pass for
Hall, little Of both in Georgia, and anything
elsewhere. There is, then, no longer any dis
tinctive political principle to designate the two
parties; and for aught see, Mr.. Webster is as
good Democrat rs the best of them-at least
when he gets South of Mason and Dixon's line
The only issue now before the people is, it
seems, the "fnality Il the Compromise
question that has not the slightest connection
with the old established doctrines of either party
In this state of things, the question naturally
arises: "What are the two parties quarrelling
about" If they have become so identified in
principles and policy, that they can make no
other issue than the "finality," what is the use
of all this hubbub about Presidential candidates.
and why is the country to be kept in state of
agitation about nothing! If the two parties
cannot agree to disagree on something more
tangible than the ghost of an abstraction, why
don't they tremendously meet in convention
and draw straws for candidate?
But the fact is this pretended approach to the
Wings to the Democratic standard, this fusion
of the old parties is sheer hypocricy The
Wings of to day are as much Federalists as they
ever were, and are only withheld from an
avowa Of their old principles, by recollection
of the lessons of the past. Not single one of
them has changed his opinion of the constitu-
tiOnaty Of bank of the United States, pro.
tective tariff, internal improvements by the gen.
eral government, or any other great point on
which the parties formerly differed and if to-
morrow they could do it with safety, they would
consummate all these measures. Knowing,
however, the serious consequences of making
an issue on these, they have carried their policy
and principles in other directions. But they
are still substantially the same. 1t is the hair
of the same old dog, coored to prevent detec
ton. The course pursued by the present Wing
administration is as much Federal as that of
the elder Adams, though it manifests itself in a
different form and in another direction. Neither
the elder or younger Adams would have ven-
tured such procamations as that against Texas,
or that issued under the combined influence of the
English and Spanish ministers by Mr.. Fillmore
against his own countrymen. Nor, l will ven-
ture to say, would either of these gentlemen
have thought it expedient to carry the doctrine
of passive obedience and non-resistance to the
extent to which it has been pushed by the latter
day Wings.
1t is not the Federalists, but the Democrats
| fear, that have changed. They have lost sigh
of their principles in the fog of fanaticsm, ant
became the disciples of William Lloyd CARR
son, Gerrit Smith, and Abby Folsom, instead O
, Jefferson, Madison, and John Taylor. They stant
ready to sell State rights for United States lands
4 and exchange Democratic doctrines for Abo
. ition dogmas. They are no longer disciples O
the Constitution, but the "higher law" and ar,
so befuddled with excitements of one kind OF
! other that n considerable norton of Thorn mr..
ready to vote for man, not because he is honest
patriotic and capable, but because is intemper
! ate in his temperance, or is a warmer friend to
all the rest of mankind than to his countrymen
: In this state of things parties are worse than
useless and every man who has no pretensions
to the loaves and fishes, may well toss up a
copper for candidate, or light segar with his
ballot