Washington sentinel., 1854-03-09
THE WASHINGTON UNION-THE AD-
MINISTRATION.

M1N1SInAI1ONs
We have hitherto had occasion to differ
from our neighbor of the Washington Union.
But we did hope that we would be spared all
further occasion for such differences of opinion.
We are engaged in common cause. We are
both democratic journals. We are both here
at the seat Of government. Sympathy, CO.
operation, unity between us is highly important
to the success of democratic principles. Dis
agreement and dissension cannot fail to injure
and impair the success Of those principles. In
addition to these considerations, another Of a
different nature exerts strong influence over
US. The circumstances attending the recent
election of the Editor of the Union to the Office
of public printer, have made us extremely
reluctant to engage in any controversy with
that highly favored journal. But there are
differences between us and il, between it and
itself, which it would be alike weak and blame
worthy in us to pass over in silence. We have
been SO reluctant to express these differences;
we have been so solictous to allow to the
Union ample opportunity to rectify its errors,
reconcile its inconsistencies, and repair the
damage it has done to the great measure which
has Just passed the Senate, and is now engag-
ing the attention Of the House of Representa-
tives, that we have deferred until this, the last
moment of grace, the unpleasant duty of call
ing the attention Of the country to these errors,
these inconsistencies, and these injuries. Other
papers have not been so punctilious, consid-
crate, and patient. They have assailed the
Washington Union with severity that we shall
not employ, and applied to it epithets that we
shall not adopt. We speak more in sorrow
than in anger.
We are aware that any conflict between our
selves and the Washington Union upon any
subject, after what has recently occurred, will
subject us to much misconstruction and un-
friendly animadversion. 1t would however be
inconsistent with the high mission in which we
are embarked, at variance with the earnest ex-
postulations of our friends-regardless Of the
opinions of the truest and most prominent sup
porters of the administration itself, and above
all unjust to the great republican party Of the
country, any longer to hold our peace.
In spite then of the danger of incurring the
dispeasure and distrust of any one who may
be disposed to attribute to US wrong motives,
we proceed to take fair, calm and honest
review Of the course of the Washington onion
on the Nebraska bill.
But few abort weeks ago the Washington
Union announced that the President was in favor
of the Nebraska BILL It also declared its own
advocacy of it and pronounced it with much en-
phasis to be the "test Of Democratic orthodoxy"
Wecould not then, nor can we now, acknowledge
the right of the Washington Union or any
other one journal to lay down absolute tests
to govern with unlimited sway the people of
thirty.one States No journal and no man has
yet been anointed, consecrated anda appointed alb
solute dictator in this free country. Butw liked
the tone and the spirit Of the Unions article and
then expressed the hope that it would adhere to
it. But 10 it has changed-it has taken back
its words--it has gone so far as to contradict
itself In confirmation Of this assertion, we
take leave to quote the following article from
the Union of Saturday last. We italicise few
sentences:
THE ABoLITIoNIsTs AND THE NEBRASKA
BrLL-Wehavelong cherished the hope thatthe
passage of the compromise measures of 1850
would result in 80 entire withdrawal of the
slavery question from the two great political
organizations of the country as to confine its
agitation to the ranks ofthe abolitionists. Thus
confined, the peace and harmony Of the con-
federacy could never be disturbed or endan.
gered by sectional agitation. That the aboli-
tionists themselves looked to such a result as
fatal to their occupation" was fully mani
tested upon the introduction Of the Nebraska
bill into the Senate by Judge Douglas. The
eager vehemence with which they assailed that
bill when it rested upon the exact language Of
the compromise of 1850, and before the clause
was inserted declaring the Missouri compro-
mise imperative and void, showed conclusively
their determination to resist any measure
which promised to place the slavery question
beyond the reach Of future disturbance. 1t
Il II -. c. a,r