Washington sentinel., 1853-10-23

see the seeds of discord that had been sown
there, scattered broadcast over the country
From our hearts we wished the elements of
contention confined to the State in which they
| first appeared. But it was ordered otherwise.
Press after press embarked in the contest.
Efforts, and very illadvised efforts, were made
to drag the high and honored functionaries of
this great government into these unfortunate
brawls 1t was at this juncture that we found
ourselves forced into the difficulty. We delib-
Grated calmly we canvassed the merits of the
two factions with caution, and the result was
that we declared in favor Of the national demo
Gratis. 1t was not our purpose to array our
selves against the administration. Nor did we
do so. We thought that the administration had
no business to meddle with the matter 1t was
beneath its notice. This was so clear to our
mind that we could not, for moment, doubt
that the administration would take the same
view.
But had the administration entered the field,
and headed that party which we term freeesoil-
ers, but which one of the cabinet has told us
he does not so regard, we would have felt it
Journal (not an organ,) to pursue the plain
path which we had marked out, without fear or
favor. If at this last stage of the contest,
when the crisis is at hand, the administration
shall see fit to quit its high position Of serene
dignity and groyel in the dust pell nell with
the New York combatants, we will still raise
our voice in behalf of the national democrats.
We would not recognise the administration as
an administration in so unworthy brawl We
would shut our eyes against so unseemly an act.
But whilst, in this matter, we would disap-
prove any such action on the part of the GO
vernment, in other respects we would still be
its fast friend and its warm supporter. We
would adhere to it as the exponent Of the prin-
ciples and faith of the democratic party. There
are specks on the sun, but we would not reject
its light and its heat for that cause. No more
would we array ourselves in antagonism to the
President and his cabinet because we disap-
prove one single act of theirs. No man can say
with truth that he approves of every act of any
public man. He is false friend who sees ano-
ther act indiscreetly without having the manli-
ness and independence to advise him against it.
We wish to be understood and will therefore
repeat that even if the administration should
connect itself with these squabbles, whilst we
will not hesitate to condemn such interference,
We will still uphold its principles and policy.
We are sorry, very sorry, to find that a few
of the presses Of the country, particularly some
in the south, which sided with us when the
New York feud became nationalized, have
hearkened to bad counsels or suffered them
selves to be misled by their fears. They wrote
strongly on the subject. They solemnly com
mtted themselves before the world to the for
tunes of the national democrats Not content
with writing themselves, they copied from our
own paper the strongest articles that we wrote.
They endorsed those articles and commended
them to their readers But suddenly, in the
twinkling Of an eye they have faced about.
They have changed their uniform and their
enemies to the national democrats. What is
the meaning of these magical and mysterious
tergiversations? The whole country feels the
same surprise, and gives utterance to excama-
| tions of wonder. Nor is it alone feeling of
surprise that we have, it is also one of mortif
cation and of shame.
| However, let others do as they WILL for our
part, we stand now where we stood at first.
Neither the smiles of friends shall entice, nor
the frowns of enemies frighten us from pursu
ing the path that our Judgment and conscience
approve. Come veal, come wo-desert who
may, we will stick by our flag to the last. Let
unmanly fears, or sordid hopes, or ambitious
aspirations tempt other presses from the paths
have made our choice, and we will abide it to
| the last. .
But the country asks and asks with empha-
sis, where be the guns that so lately poured
their volleys into the ranks of the mercenary
treesoilers? Where be the stalwart soldiers
that manned those guns? One after another
has abandoned his post and appeared in the
ranks of the enemy Were they hireling sol
diers, or did they desert from fear? Can they
hold up their heads and face honest men after
| this their more than Arnold treason? That
the masses of the people, north and south--par-
| ticularly of the southland the majority of the
press are with us we believe, as firmly as we
do that the freesoilers are against, and the ma
tiona democrats in favor of upholding the Con
stitution Of the country We would not speak
harshly-but we feel most keenly the shame of
these sudden and unexampled apostacies, few
and inconsiderable though they be.
From Edinburgh Paper. ..
BAPTISM ExTRAoRDINARY.-An interesting
novel, and romantic christening took place q
few days ago on the 340th anniversary of the
Battle of Flodden on the battle-ground where
King James ~. fell, September 10, 1873 sur
rounded by his mobiles and the chivalry of Scot