Washington sentinel., 1855-03-20
WHERE THE CARCASS is, THERE
WILL THE EAGLES BE GATHERED
TOGETHER-THE SPOILS.

TOG SfOIASs
Human nature is frail, and political human
nature is the frailest of all things. In the good
old "colony times" as well as at the period imme
diately subsequent to the revolution, the Amer
ican people were distinguished by stern Ro-
man virtue, q primeval simplicity, and an in.
difference to office. As the time approached
for the election of our early Presidents, there
was no spoils movement among the people.
There was no battle between the ins and the
outs. Traffic was not the meaning of politics,
and ..office was not the synonyme ofpatriotism.
But in these times no sooner is President in
stalled in Office than all the disappointed office
seekers, all the unworthy demagogues, and all
the plunderers ofthe treasury, set to work under
the name of patriotism to arrange for the sue
cession.
At this time, their movement is on greater
scale it is signalized by more corruption, it
has united more antagonisms, and has set in
operation more cunning and disreputable ma.
chinery, than at any former period Of our his
tory.
From the bleak hills of the distant North to
the broad savannahs of the sunny South, the
spoils men have extended their organization.
They have sought to adorn the granite of New
Hampshire, with the sweet scented magnolias
of the fruitful South. They have ambitiously
sought to unite oil and vinegar, ice and fire,
abolitionism and slavery, John P. Hale, Sena-
tor Wilson, and the Knownothing candidates
for the highest Offices in the gift of the people
of Virginia This is a league, q coalition, a
fusion, the like of which has never been ex-
hibited in our history.
We had supposed that no men in the South,
of any politics, would unite with men of the
North of avowed abolition principles, even in
an organization sublimated with mystery and
boasting the very captivating name of Know
nothings. We had supposed that the sun
would fall down from the heavens, or the
waters cease to ebb and flow, before men born
and raised in Virginia, one protesting to be
whig and the other two protesting to be Demo-
Gratis, would suffer themselves to be run as can
didates by party that sprung from the cutters
OF New York, party that claims las we are
told) Ned Buntline for its author, and John p.
Hale and Senator Wilson, and Mr.. Burlingame,
and all the abolitionists Of Massachusetts and
New Hampshire as its members. "Shame,
where is thy blush"
Such is the Spoils party formed to carry the
next Presidential election. 1t aspires to the
proud privilege of swaying Old Virginia. The
same party has swept Massachusetts, and New
Hampshire 1t has elected Senator in the
first State-the Know-nothing State Rights"
ABOLITION Senator, General Wilson; its
chosen Legislature in New Hampshire will
elect two Abolition State Rights, Knoro-
nothing-see the Organ Senators in the latter
State; and now the proud, slaveholding State
of Virginia is called on to elect Governor,
Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General,
of the Know-nothing persuasion, a Legislature
Of the same persuasion, and Senators to affli-
ate with such men as the rank Abolitionsts Of
Massachusetts, and New Hampshire shall send
here to blast and to crush the South and South.
ern institutions.
If oldfashioned Virginia whiggery can ally
itself with such party, and rejoice over the
victories of the abolitionists in Massachusetts,
then old-fashioned Virginia whiggery is worse
than its bitterest enemies have ever ventured
TO describe it.
This is the spoils party. 1t will do anything,
it will commit any enormity, it will swallow
political crocodile, in order to get command
r. IL znr a.
All the factions have banded together, all
the mercenary wings, all the disappointed De.
mocrats, all the freesoilers, all the spoismen,
all the demagogues, all the three thousand
the plunderers, have united. They have carried
villages and towns. They have carried (by
surprise) the true old State Of Pennsylvania.
They have swept the abolition States in which
elections have been held. Now they aspire to
carry the State of Virginia-the key that un.
locks the South.
Their credentials are not such as zoe, or as
right thinking Wings or honest Democrats
would respect. Those credentials tell of vic
tories achieved in the North by means Of Abo.
huon votes. They point to those that have
been raised to power. They are such men as
Senator Wilson, Of Massachusetts,. They point
to those who have been sacrificed. They are
such men as those noble constitutional Demo
crats-Senator Shields, of Illinois, and Senator
Wells, Of New Hampshire.
That day will be marked with black, when
such credentials shall be accepted in Virginia
saveholding Virginia Yet large party,
called by the same name that has triumphed
in Abolition States, has sprung up in Virginia,
and it halls with exultation the triumphs that
have occurred in those States, over the Consti-
tuition and State Rights 1t initiates, in name,
in machinery, and in principles, the great ANAL
gamation, fusion, unsound order Of the North.
If this is not spoils party, an Office seeking
party, there never was such thing on earth as