Washington sentinel., 1854-03-10
THE WINGS AND THE REPEAL OF
THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE.

All will bear US witness that we have dealt
tenderly with the whig party. We have "set
down naught in malice" against them. We
have not applied to them harsh names, nor
have we imputed to them bad motives. We do
not mean to do either Of those things now. But
as part of the history of the times, as ckroni-
clers of current events, it is our duty to note
and to record the acts and votes ofpublic men,
and the acts and votes of political parties.
The whig party of the thirty-one States of
this Union has been rent, divided torn asun-
der, by the Nebraska bill. That measure has
drawn between the northern and southern
wings a well-defned line, wall Of complete
separation. Theycould not act together. Their
instincts, their sympathies, their principles,
were diverse and antagonistic. They could not
agree in a common Interpretation of the Con-
stitution. There was no congenial bond of
union between them.
With total disregard of mere party con-
siderations, with an earnest love of country,
the whig senators of the south came up nobly
to the support of the Nebraska bill. This
course involved separation from their long
cherished confederates Of the north--a sacrifice
of much feeling, and severance of long ex-
listing party ties. But they valued the obliga-
tions of the Constitution and of patriotism
above mere considerations Of party. They did
not hesitate, they did not shuttle, but manfully
and from the first, indicated the course they
intended to pursue .
The vote on the measure to which we refer,
discloses with distinctness that leaves no room
for doubt that there is no sympathy, no affinity,
no congeniality between the northern and the
southern wings. There is no constitutional,
no national cement between them. This fact,
we take, in common with several prominent
whig papers Of the south, to be the first APP
proach towards the dissolution of that party.
1t would be superhuous to construct an elabo-
rate argument in order to prove that great
national party cannot maintain its integrity
indeed cannot long exist when it quits broad
national constitutional basis, and substitutes, in
place of it, narrow and sectional foundation.
When northern wings interpret the Constitution
in one way, and southern wings in another
way /; when northern wings choose sectional,
because an entirely northern platform, and
southern wings take the broad platform of the
Constitution, which looks both to the north and
the south, it does not take prophet, or the son
of q prophet to foretell that the days of their
union are numbered.
The great defect in the whig party for some
years has been, thatthe northern wings have been
too exacting of their southern brethren, and the
latter in their soictude to keep up the national
organization, have yielded too much to the de-
mands of the former. The consequence has
been that freesoism has made steady en-
croachments. The northern element and inhu-
ence,r being unchecked, and unresisted went on
from bad to worse, until there was darger that
the whole party would become abotionized
But the northern leaders and managers, in
their thirst for power, and in their insane fanat
icism, calculated too much on the subserviency
and submission Of their brethren of the south
ihnated with success, they at length rose toe
mgn IN their demands-they overshot the mark
ana their southern brethren have openly, in the
face OF the world, and on the most momentou.
question OF the day, separated from them.
1t is pleasant to us to turn from these di
visions in the whig party to contemplate tn,
union and harmony prevailing in the demo
cratic ranks on this question. We do not NEAR
to say, however, that there is no exception
We do not mean to say that all who hav,
hitherto acted with the democratic party have
given their support to the Nebraska bill. There
are some exceptions-some melancholy excep
tions. But we do mean to say, and the votes
in the Senate will prove it, that the democrats
of the north and of the south are as well ce