The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-01-12


about Hards" and Softs :" let us have NO
more fiummery about Baltimore platforms, and
the wonderful virtues of the Compromise of
1850 in allaying sectional stIife let us cease
to wrangle about the claims of demagogues to
the Presidential succession. Give us simple
Bill for the organization of a Territorial Gov
eminent over Nebraska, emitting any imper-
tinent reference to the issues of 1850, or any
premature declarations respecting States to be
organized out of it; but, if there must be a
reference to Slavery, let it be made in the Ian
guage of the Proviso of the Missouri Act of
1920, which has always shielded it against
Slavery, and the efficacy of which has never
before been drawn in question.
THE WASHINGTON UNION ON COALITIONS.
The Washington Union of the 3Oth ult. has
long editorial, in reply to an article in the
National Mtehigeneer, on "Poltical Fusion in
Massachusetts" The last-named journal had
remarked that the recent victory Of the Con-
servatives in that State was the more crafty
ing because it had been achieved over the
combined forces of the Democracy and Free Soil
ers "-a combination which has maintained the
control of the State Government for the last
three years, and Of which it adds" We doubt
whether there eUer existed, for political purposes
more exceptional lie union of parties"
The Union asserts that every man who pre-
tends "to accurate political information will
see that" the first statement in italics is
falsehood." Every man of accurate political
information" knows it to be true. Charles
Sumner holds his seat in the Senate Of the
United States in virtue of that Coalition, which
also placed Caleb Cushing-now the Attorney
General Of President Pierce--on the Bench in
Massachusetts,, and, for the three years prece
ding the late defeat, divided the State Offices
between the Democracy and the Frce-Soilers,
or Independent Democracy. 1t was that Goa
lition which carried the bill for the Constitu-
tional Convention, which agreed upon the
amendments to the Constitution, and which
was ovcrthrOwn in the late contest, by another
Combnation--the combination of Conserva-
tism, Rum-ism, Catholicism, and Cushing-ism
Any one Of these elements, alone, would have
been powerless combined, they were prevail
ing. The impairment edict of Caleb Cushing,
sanctioned by. the Administration, without
breaking up the Coalition, drove off enough of
the Hunker Democrats to give the victory to
the enemies of a reformed, popularized Constitu-
ton, already jeoparded.
The second statement in italics the Union
characterizes as IAN involuntary error of opin-
ionn 1t holds that the recent Coalition in the
Senate, between Mr.. Sumner and Mr. Everett,
to prevent the election of the proprietor of the
Union as Public Printer to that body, was q
still more exceptionable combination than tn at
in Massachusetts,. And it then proceeds to
make large quotations from Mr.. Summers
speeches, in relation to the Compromise and
Fugitive Law, to show what wicked man he
is, and how corrupt Mr.. Everett must be to
coalesce with him. This part Of the Union's
article is, in fact, the main part and the mani
fest purpose Of it is, not so much to meet any
statement of the Intelligence, as to damage
Mr.. Sumner.
Private interest is wonderful stimu]ant to
patriotism. This is now the third winter of
Mr.. Sumner in the Senate, and his voice has
often been heard in emphatic condemnation of
the Fugitive Law, and OF Slavery The vol
umes containing his speeches, from which the
Union quotes, have long been before the
public, and received high praise for their lite
rary merits But the Union until the late
election for Public Printer, in which Mr. Sum
ner of Massachusetts, and Mr.. Mason of Vir-
ginia united in voting for Beverly Tucker never
arraigned him for his sins. Nothing in the
columns Of that paper could have led the Pub
lie to believe that the Massachusetts Senator
had ever given utterance to any damnable
heresies Mr.. Sumner, however, having oxer-
cised his right as an independent Senator, in
voting against the proprietor of the Union, all
at once the Union discovers that he holds very
atrocious and Infamous sentiments
But to the Coalition, SO much more excep-
tionable than that in Massachusetts-a coai-
ton between the ultra Free-SoiIer, Charles
Sumner, and the Conservative Wing, Edward
Everett! Why coalition? Because the two
Senators, without comforting with each other,
or proposing any common advantages, happened
to prefer Mr. Tucker to Mr.. Armstrong for
Public Printer! la the Union stone blind
Mr. BRIGHT, leading member of the Demo
cratic Party, was the leader, if we understand
it, in urging the claims of Mr.. Tucker. If Mr.
Summer voted for that gentleman, in company
with MIR. EVERETT, he found himself also in
company with Messrs Mason and HUNTER of
Virginia, and with seven other stanch Demo
cratic Senator'S. What an awful coalition
Mr.. Mason, the author of the Fugitive Slave
Act Mr.. Sumner, its unsparing denunciator,
voting together!
The denunciation, by the Union, of Mr.. Ev-
erett, for a corrupt coalition with Mr.. Sumner,
for reason which, if admitted to be valid
would sustain the charge of foul coalition be-
tween Mr.. Mason and Mr.. Sumner, is simply
ridiculous faur pas. Not so, however, its
treatment Of the speeches of the Massachusetts
Senator Here, there is no laundering, but
gross and apparently deliberate injustice.
After having made a large quotation in which
Mr.. Sumner execrates the Fugitive Slave Act
about as vehemently as some Of the coadjutors
of the editor of the Union, in Nashville Conyen-
ton times, execrated the Union of these States
that paper proceeds:
again, in the same speech, speaking of the
man who is called upon to execute the Fugi
tive Slave Law-and it makes no difference
whether he be judge or magistrate--Mr. Sum
ner says:
"'The contempt, the indignation, the abhor
renee of the community shall be our weapons
OF offence against him J wherever he moves