Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-12-30
O. 0 N m unitateD.
For the Washington Sentinel.

ton before the democracy of the Union, they
must take care to plant themselves upon de-
! fensible ground. The journals in the interest
of the present cabinet sedulously inculcate the
| idea that the recent separation at Syracuse had
no other cause than the appointment of few
lreesolers to office. An article in a late num-
Der of the Richmond Enquirer, contains the
following paragraph:
/ : In specializing ON the causes of the present
discomfort, we utterly at loss for any adequate
| explanation of the conduct of such democrats as
manifest an unfriendly disposition towards the adj
4 ministration. Ii the democratic organization
were but combination for the conquest of place
and power, il would be legitimate 10 rebel because
/ oil an unequal division of the spoils. But being
/ an association of men bound together by com
| munion of principle and purpose, and contempla-
ting only certain great objects of government
Germ, II Is equally illogical and contemplate 10
| quarrel and dispense in consequence of dissatis-
/ faction with the distribution of the patronage. If
i the democratic party had elevated Mr. Pierce to
| the presidency with no other object than to win
the honors and emoluments of Office, the dsap-
| pointed might justly avenge their wrongs by en-
barrassing his administration. Bnt how low and
/ base and sordid sound the complaints of the I'M
| successful applicant for place, when we consider
the great principles for which the democratic
! party commended in the canvass of So and the
4 great end which they contemplated in intrusting
II u
Thisis cogent reasoning, and can only be
met by showing the premises to be false. In
1 justice TO the nationals in the distribution of
in the attitude they have assumed.
But who believes that this was the sole rea-
son for their course? Is the cause adequate :?
Is it sufficient to account for this political
emeute? Lookfor one moment at the position
4 OF the 100000 men who cast their votes for the
adamantinen ticket at the late election. What
had they to gain? A new national admins
tration was just installed for four years. They
were thwarting its wishes, and surrendering its
patronage. A democratic administration was
in power in the State. They we're defeating its
plans and opposing its will.
/ Without alliances at home or sympathy from
abroad, they stepped boldly into the arena, and
defed the frowns of both administrations.
What could nerve men up to such an act? 1t
/ is without precedent in our political annals
Such moral and political spectacle has never
before been presented. 1t has COMPOUNDED the
cabinet and astonished the country?
Must there not lie underneath all this, some
deeper cause than the loss of few paltry
offices? Noone worthy of the name Of phi.
losopher or statesman can doubt it.
There is but one cause which could, at this
time, have produced such an effect and tina,
is, love OF the national Union, and determ
nation, at all hazards, to maintain and preserve
it. 1t is the far-off scent of danger to the Con
stitution and to the harmony and union of the
States, that has led the national democrats o.
New York to the bold and selfsacrifcing stand
they have taken. They saw the administra
ton, which they had relied upon as tower Of
strength to defend and preserve the Constitu
H., AL IL.
mics, and it was to plant prop against the
inclining edifce that they renounced their as
sociatons. aa
But those who ought to understand this, do
not seem to see it. 1t is humiliating and dis
heartening to see men of sagacity and of patri-
otic impulses, like Mr.. Clemens, of Alabama,
uttering the sentiments contained in his recent
letter to the national democrats of Philadel-
! phia. The tone of superior profundity and
wisdom assumed in that letter, Is not justified
1 by ite argument. This betrays the weakness
of surprising that the late explosion in New
/ York occurred for no other reason than be-
cause the President chad made mistakes in
some of his appointments, and had been i'm.
posed upon in Others"
1t is discreditable to any man to believe this
1t shows want of just appreciation of the re.
laton between cause and its effect Why has
the result of the late New York election sur
prised the whole country? Because it canno,
be accounted for in the way Mr.. Clemens sup.
poses. 1t is seen that there must be some other
cause. This cause I have already given, and
i given it truly
But it may be asked, where is the proof that
the administration has inclined against the ma
tional democracy And the language of the
President, in his inaugural, and in the message,
may be referred to to show the contrary.
In this lies the real difficulty. This is the
issue the national democrats Of New York
have got to meet but they will not shrink
from the contest They wish what they main.
tain to be distinctly understood. They do not
charge the President personally with design
to foster, as such, freesoilism at the north, OF
secessionism at the south. But they do charge,
and charge boldly, that some members of his
cabinet have Systematically and designedly, and
for selfish and sinister purposes, given such a
direction to the patronage Of the government in
the State Of New York, and in some Of the
southern States MS to strengthen those sec.
tons of the democratic party that have been,
and still are opposed to the late compromise
between the north and the south.
1t will be seen at once that there is an in
trnsic difficulty in establishing this to the sat
isfaction of the democracy of those sections OF
the Union where the influence is not felt. The
proofs are of an intangible nature, and perhaps
to some extent inappreciable, by any except
politicians Of the respective localities wherethe
game is played. But to the national democrats
Of New York they are open, plain and palpable.
| Some credit is due TO their testimony on this
subject, as we receive the opinions of witnesses,
when the facts upon which those opinions are
founded cannot be properly appreciated by those
who are to pass upon the question.
But there are some things which all can see.
Why was it, that in SO many instances in the
State of New York, instead Disappointing the
men selected by the national democrats to fill
the various offices, the appointments were con-
ferred upon others who neither asked or de-
sired the favor? Was it because the men re-
commended we're not worthy? The democracy
of New York know better.
Take the case Of the relationship of the
port of New York. Was it for the reason that
there was no suitable candidate, that an emf
nent professional man like Judge Bronson was
sought out and urged to accept q post SO I'M
congenial to his tastes and habits
/ A,,o;,, 49, a. - az af the atfornavob;r of