Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-17

for collecting accounts due this once, ana lot or
tanning new subscribers In Virginia.
THE vrcToRHEs OF THE ADvER-
sAHH' Dffoasef aas
The present distempered condition of the
public mind is enough to awaken the painful
solicitude Of every patriot Old systems and
old parties that have commanded the respect
and appreciation Of large masses of people can
not be peacefully and quietly dissolved. Nor,
when dissolved, can satisfactory and fitting
substitutes be inaugurated in their places with
out . struggle. There viii be anarchy, convul
sion and agitation. These are the necessary
and melancholy accompaniment Of all such
changes ssels
All the muItifarous isms Of the day, after
combating, single anded, against thetruth with
out success, have, at length, formed an unholy
league, and united their heterogeneous forces
Thus concentrated, they are assailing the in
tegrity Of the old party organizations Of the
country. One wing Of the Wing party, the
northern wing, owing to its inherent corruption
has fallen an easy prey to the enemy. Whole
battalions headed BY their officers have yielded
themselves up as willing tools to the Fusionists,
to the Freesoilers, to the Know-nothings-
Others have remained in the Wing organiza-
ton, but only to become more demoralized
than the seducer, who now woos with soft
blandishments, and now frightens with dread.
full menaces These Wings thus refusing to be
won by willy arts or cruel threats, have com
menced taunting their rivals with the declare
ton that they are their superiors in all the
pernicious heresies that they both profess.
This extraordinary rivalry in degradation ],
growing warmer and warmer and for the frs
time in American politics it is contended tina
there is more merit in baseness than in.virtue.
We leave these INSCRIPTIONS combatants tc
fight out their unnatural quarrel--unnatural.
becauseit is like quarrel between thieyes-and
come to the consideration Of the condition and
prospects Of the Democracy Of the country.
The Democratic party has no sympathy with
such bands of reckless men as those Of which
we have spoken. They are all alike its natnra
and implacable enemies. The hatred they bear
to one another, is as nothing compared witt
that they both feel for our party. They hay,
won from our ranks, 1t is true, some recruits
the timid, the mercenary, the corrppt-but a,
an organization, the Democratic party remains
firm and well cemented. It has despised bribes
and deHed threats. 1t adheres to its timehon
ored principles, and stands now, where it stood
at FIRST, upon the Constitution.
There is period Of trial for every party as
there is for every individual and by that trial II
its character for good or evil, virtue or vice
honesty or dishonesty, tested and made known.
Were we certain this moment that the Dem
ocratic party would lose all Of the State cleo
tons. aud that the next Congress and all ths
State legislatures would fall into the hands o.
the Fusionists, the Freesoilers, the Know-noth
ings, or the Wings, we would still say 10 them
make no concessions, give up no principle
relax no test, form no combinations. Our ad-
mention would still be, adhere to your old
fashioned principles. Keep yourselves pure
and undefled. Let no reverses drive, and no
Establishments seduce you, from the path o.
principle.
Ifby one Of those strange chances, or rather
mischances, that sometimes occur, the enemies
Of the Constitution and the Democracy, should
triumph at the approaching elections, all that
they could gain by possibility, would be q ma
iority in the House Of Representatives. The
Senate and the administration would still be
against them. Their victories would be barren
and unproductive. But SO loose is their organi
ration. so variant the materials Of which they
are composed, that victory would be as fata
70 them as defeat. They cannot consistently
hold together, no matter what their triumph'
now, long enough to make decent show II
the next Presidential contest. The excuses
into which victory would plunge them, would
disgust the whole nation, and all eyes would
be turned from them 70 the firm, honest unse
duced Democracy. Then would that faithful
party reap the fruits Of a virtuous adherence
to principle.
While we would, ofcourse, greatly prefer tn
present success Of the Democratic party ant
would spare no effort to bring about that re
suit yet we do not attach TO it SO much i'm
portance A. some are disposed to do. Presen
success is not indispensable 10 future success
Indeed, we cannot imagine any surer guarantee
oiSihe triumph Of Democracy at the next Pre-
Sdeatial election, than would accrue from tn
succese Of its enemies at this time, on the issue
they make and with the disgusting excesse
into which they would be betrayed. All Ties
things would, in our opinion, but pave the wa
for Democratic triumph at the next Presider
tisl election.
ANNEXATION.