Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-08-12
DECLINE OF THE WHIG PARTY.

/ his seems 10 De u iaVOTlic tiitiic AZ pitS'''i
as well among the Wing as Democratic jour
mails, and there appears, likewise, to be quite a
unison of sentiment upon that subject. The
Bee says the party is entirely disbanded-a'-
ludes to or intimates the impossibility Of a ma.
tional organization for the next Presidency
but trusts the day will come when the party
will again reach that pinnacle of greatness
which it attained in former days. All Wings,
certainly, have a wish of this kind in their
breasts, if they still emain true to the princi-
plies of their party but for one, we must say,
we have no such hope. The cause which in-
duced US to assert ONE time since, as our be-
lief, that there would never again be a Wing
National Convention to nominate 4 candidate
for the Presidency, strengthens now the opin-
ion that the Influences and the acts which eff
fected the present decline of the WING party,
instead Of diminishing have increased; and
this truth, taken in connection with the fact
that a third, and from every indication, the
most powerful political organization of a years
growth that ever originated in the country, is
now spreading like wild-ire over The land, and
b%lot,ing out and extinguishing with a rapidity
unparalleled, the giant strength of Locofoco-
ism, and all that remained of Wing nationality,
ton of the Wing party. 1t was first wrecked
by a species of political chicanery and ctarla-
tanism which should cast UPON the high mind
ed Of the victors more Of that feeling of de-
preston and disgrace than should attach to
the yanquished. Knowing, or judging from
subsequent events Of the schemes which pro-
duced SO large a majority for the Democrats at
the last Presidential election, many a true
hearted American prides himself upon the no.
nor which belonged to the defeated party, and
we doubt not there are thousands of noble
Democrats, disguised at one Of the plans which
produced the victory alluded to, have since left
the ranks, thrown off the harness, and raised
a banner whose purity and whose triumphs
have never been sullied nor checked. If, then,
there are evidences too plain to be misunder-
stood, which tell of the dissolution of the Wing
party, there are also evidences, equally as plain,
which proclaim the rapid desertion from the
Democratic party, of all who constitute with.
in themselves its purity, its patriotism, its gran.
deur and its glory-l~eaving behind that REM
nant Of a party, aptly termed red ho, locgocos,
to struggle for an existence held together by
selfshness without a particle of patriotism,
and whose ambition is office and plumber, with
out a thought given to the means or the priu-
ciple by which either is obtained.
"Democracy" has been m ill-used word for
many years in the country where it is justly
entitled to prevail. Those emigrating to our
shores readily adopt it as their watch.word in
consequence Of its patriotic Specification, ac-
to Webster and other photographers;
but its meaning has most astonishingly chang
ed since the days of Jefferson; a compiler of
a lexicon at the present day, would insert it
"Democracy-power and pIunder!!"
There is this consolation, however. about
the decline of a party which brings deep re-
grets to our breast, but no sinking or anguish
ing Of spirit it has opened the eyes of the peo-
pie to great truths as well as to great wrongs;
md what is not a little remarkable, the princi-
pal means which the Democratic party used to
Effect the overthrow Of the Wings, has been
direct cause of building up a third party,
which, in turn, is d~ismembering the Democracy
IS surely and as speedily as they effected,
such means, the dowfall of the Wings.
Our advice to Wings in the present situa-
ion of tLings-were we in a position to give
ny advice--would be, to maintain a proud and
Independent stand, and to be guided by the
course of events, in our action for the welfare
# the people and for the glory and stability of
he Union. With a strict and unfincbing ad-
ference to our Country, our Conscience and
'ur God, we cannot err!