The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-05-26
THE WING PARTY-Is IT DEAD

AhS INV
The Metz York Tribune answers in tho al
frmative and the NerJuryport Herald take
the same ground. But this is not the position
of the Wing press generally. The Portian'
MEL Advertiser, a liberal Wing paper, scout
the notion that the Wing party is extinct ant
tells the Tribnne that it has "much mor'
faith in the efficiency of playing 'possum" thar
il the Advertiser has Ii then proceeds t.
give the following table
In 1914, the Wing vote for Clay was I2SI,siS
IS4S Taylor, 1882, 2IS
1852, Scott, l,Ss3,''S
From which it infers that the Wing party
has more vitality than ever. "The fact is" i
continues, "the party was defeated by the di
visions in It's own ranks - but it has learned
a lesson, and even the New York Express, il
says, "spcaks of Seward as Prcsidentia
candidate with degree of complaoency which
has actually surprised u.s." 1t adds naively
enough, that out of power, the Wings are
always happy and united" What pity that
they do not know when they are well off
that they cannot be satisfied with their happi
ness and harmony, but will forever be rushing
upon discord and misery
We do not suppose the Tribune is "play-
ing possum," as it's cOtemporary says; but we
do not believe it is very profoundly impressed
with the theory of the extinction Of the party
for, we observe it takes pains to record every
triumph of Wing candidate, and maniiests
about az much complacency over such tri-
umphs as it ever did. By the time another
Presidential canvass shall have rolled round,
the Tribune will probably lay its theory upon
the table, and work as we'll ~ ever in tho har-
ness
The truth is, the Wing leaders generally
seem resolved not to give up. They certainly
have made quite a respectable fight lately in
some of the Eastern States in the West they
are trying again to array their forces, and in
the South they are rs ardent as n Southern
North Carolina Wings and Virginia Wings,
are scandalixed at the amalgamaton in the
Democratic body between Secessionists and
Free Sellers, and are profoundly impressed
with the necessity Of bringing good old-fash-
Toned conservative Whigsm to confront and
conlound such vile combination and the
Wing press of the South sends forth from day
to day words of hope and encouragement.
The National InteHIgeneer traces precisely the
etymology of tho term Wing, from which it
educcs the lesson, that while time shall last,
tho Wing party will be perpetual necessity
The Baltimore Patriot exclaims--" the Wing
party cannot die whilst constitutional liberty
and the freedom of legislation lasts" We are
not responsible for the grammar of the SEN
tencc) The Frederieksburgh (ya) Recorder
congratuatcs its readers that the Wing party
"came out of tho last Presidential struggle with
fewer drawbacks to it's ultimate success than
has ever before been its fortune" The Aler-
andria Wig bravcly remarks that the fire of
persecution never yet rcpressed tho zeal of
men convinced that they were right, nor can
the disaster Of Presidential campaign destroy
the order and consistency Of the Wing party"
And thus they act and talk, while the Tn
bune insists that the Wing party is "not only
defeated, but undone."
Endcavors will be made TO keep up Whp
organization in some Of tho States it ma,
achieve local victories; and that it will at
tempt to marshal its adherents for another
Presidential canvass, we have just as LITTLE
doubt ~ We have that it will again be pros
trated Tho samo elements Of division thai
overthrow it last fall, will work against any
future attempt to organize National Wing
party II is impossible that the Portland Ad
uert,wr, tho New York Tribune the Newbtuy
port Herald, and tho Wings they represent
can ever unite heartily on the same platform
and candidate with the Washington Republic
Nashville Wig, and Frederieksburgh Recorder
and the Wings they represent. What is TIT
use of mixing oil and water, of attempting Il
reconcile eternal contradictions And We
the attempt will be made. Pride, prejudice
mere devotion to namc, traditional notions
will tempt to the belief hat some political alche
my may be discovered, that shall fuse them al
into one harmonious compound. The Tribun
sees now that this cannot be; but, refusing h
unite either with the old or new Democracy
it will find itself, in 1856, utterly isolated, o
again at tho hopeless task of harmOniang ab
soute discords.