Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-01

other he is.worthless, vicious, and depraved.
--sssS-
SECTIONAL PARTIEs.-THE MA
TIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
We are always sorry to find fault with the
National Intelligeacer, but respect forts patri-
archal years and great experience, is no excuse
for failing in the duty we owe, as journalists,
to the Democratic party and to the country !;
nor shall we, by neglect of our duty, impose
upon ourselves the necessity of rendering such
a plea.
The batelligencer, of yesterday, contains an
editorial article from which we extract the fol-
lowing paragraphs: (The italics our own.)
ave have some rare instances of the non
conformity of practice with precept. Many of
the newspapers are quoting with great appro-
baton the warnings of President WASHINGTON
to his countrymen, against sectional parties,
and yet many of them are intoxicating BY
their own writings exactly the reverse. For
instance, several prominent Democratic papers
are earnestly appealing to Southern Wigs to
abandon their old party associations and join
the Democrats, and thereby make the phole
South 8 a compact sectional organization" to
oppose inc TTctSOttTS OF me MOTH.
" What IS this but notice to all the anti
sldrery elements Of the North to combine in the
same ,cay, but with the advantage of outnum.
bering the Southern organization What
would be the inevitable consequence of this
advice if followed? If all spirit of compro.
mise be destroyed-and we fear it is already
greatly weakened-what possible result is to
follow this antagonistical banding together of
sections but disunion and all its dire concomi-
tants? There are, doubles, extremists
tional men-both North and South, who seem
rather to desire than to dread such result;
but they have scarcely fathomed their own
hearts and their own understandings"
Away, then, with all attempts to rally sec
tional parties; with all vain efforts to persuade
rational men, North or South, that slavery or
anti-savery are the only elements of cohesion
for political organization The Wing party
has broader and more national basis. 1t
is true that, feeling outraged by breach of
faith, in the late needless agitation, after con.
sidering both sections of the country pledged
to strict observance of the adjustments of 1920
and 1850, many of the party, like the Demo
Gratis Of Massachusetts in l849, may seem to
be at present Of but one idea, and that an i'm
practicable one, yet we feel sure they will even.
tually be found on the side of peace and har.
mony, and will, like good citizens. acuuiesce in
all the laws of the land and in all the measures
which are calculated to maintain the different
sections in one indissoluble brotherhood to the
end of time"
The leanings Of the Latelligencer towards the
Northern Wings and against the Southern
People are distinctly manifested in the above
paragraph. Every body knows that strong
tendency TO the formation Of sectional parties
exists at the present time. We have all along
denounced such parties as wrong, illjudged,
and unpatriotic. On whom should the blame
fall?
The htelligencer answers tie question. 1t
exempts from its censure the Wings and agi-
tators OF the North, and lays the blame on the
Southern Democrats. It says: "Several pro-
minent Democratic papers are earnestly APP
pealing to Southern Wings to abandon their
old party associations and join the Democrats,
and thereby make the whole South "a com.
pact sectional organization, to oppose the
FreeSoilers o the NORTH"
Now, admitting, for the sake of argument,
this declaration Of the LuteLigencer, we would
respectfully ask, ought not all Southern men
to unite in opposition to "the Freesoilers of
the North 2" Would the Latelligencer have
them 10 join the "Freesoilers Of the North"
and thus become Freesoilers themselves. Is
that what the hteligencer wishes the Southern
Wings 10 do?
But the history Of the present agitation does
not sustain the statement of the Lnte1lgencer.
The question it asks--"what is this but no
tice to all the Anti-slavery elements Of the
North to combine in the same WAYS an arpu-
mentative affirmation that the whole blame and
responsibility Of this sectional movement rest
on the Southern men. Itexculpates the North
and inculpates the South. 1t laments the sec.
tional action Of the South, because it will pro-
duce the same sectional agitation at the North.
The Ltelligcncer is surely so blinded by its
love for the Northern Wings, that it cannot see
their faults or il is most inattentive observer Of
the most important occurrences Of the day. We
assert, and defy contradiction, that these sec
tional movements we're originated at the North.
No sooner was the Nebraska bill passed, and
all the Northern Wings, bolitionists, and
Freesoilers voted against it. than these same
northern Wings, Aboltionists, and Freesoers
started a strictly sectional crusade against the
South. They themselves designated it as a
union of the North against the slave power.
The Northern Wings, over whom the Intelli-
gencer affectionately throws its war.worn shield,
are confessedly hostile TO the South. Many Of
them have joined the Abolition Fusion, while
those who eschew it declare themselves against
slavery and in favor Of repeating the fugitive
slave law and the Nebraska bill.
Those Democratic papers in the South that