Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-11-01
THE TRUE QUESTION.

The expert politician shows his art in putting
aquestion, and the expert politician-the smart,
brisk politicians generally proportionately I'M
scrupulous. Success is his object. He does
as DIR. johnson used to do. He talks for victory.
Honest men, thoughtful men, despise these arts
They put questions as they ought to be put.
These smart politicians have shown their
usual adroitness in their manner of putting the
question that now engages the almost undivided
attention of the country. We mean the New
York controversy. The true issue now before
those who belong to the national democracy,
is: to which party in New York will they
give their sympathy, the national democrats
or the freesoilers? That is the true question,
when put and as put by honest men. But
the expert politicians to whom we have al
luded, put it thus: VIII you abandon the adj
niinistration, espouse the side Of the "hards,
as they are called?
Many ingenious but simple people have
been entrapped, misled and imposed on, by
this trick of these men. But if plain English
and sound logic can undeceive them, they shall
be undeceived. Why does man quit the nd
ministration because he sympathizes with the
+" hards." We do not understand it.. II, in adj
vance of any connexion Of the administration
with q local State feud, a free citizen Of this
country, whose sympathies are with the national
democrats ofNew York, should say, disap-
prove of any interference by the government in
the feud,'' shall he be forced when the admin
istration, or one member Of it does interfere, TO
say, II take back my words,"-or, be driven
forciby from the support of that administra-
tration in all matters involving its general
principles and policy? The object Of such ar
guments and such efforts, is to force the people
ofthe country into what we are told the cabinet
is--a unit! Sensible people, yirtuous people,
and independent people, viii not permit such
course to command their appreciation.
To the south this whole question has been
one of much interest and Importance. No
man, in his senses, will deny that the truest
friends ofthe south in New York hare ARRAYS
been the national democrats They may never
have said that they love slavery but they have
always stood by the south in every crisis.
Their adversaries have always said that they
hate slavery, and have acted against the south
whenever an opportunity of doing so has pre-
sented itself Which will the south give her
sympathy to now that they are divided? That
is the question. Are we to be told that, be-
cause one member of the administration, or to
make it stronger, the whole administration has
taken part in the feud and decided in favor OF
the ancient and consistent enemies of constitu.
'ionai guarantees to the south, whether so re-
garded by the administration or not that the
southern democracy must do the same thing ?
That they must repudiate their old and tried
friends and CONDUCTORS and hurra for the band
that would not hesitate to break in and steal
their property, or to breal; in and violate the
Constitution. This Is asking rather too much
of the south.
IL General Washington were to rise from the
dead and give countenance to faction hostile
TO the Constitution and the protection II affords
to southern men, whether he so regarded il or
not, the south would simply be fool to approve
it. She might approve Of all else that he
should do, but not Of that. The first question
for the south is her own protection and the pro-
lection of her constitutional rights. No con-
stitution---no administration--that disregarded
these, could or ought to command her entire
appreciation.
We are no alarmsts--no panic makers. We
do not believe that there is any actual pinch NJ
present We do not believe that there is at