Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-08-25
THERE Is BUT ONE NATIONAL PAR
TY-THE DEMOCRACY.


| In the last few months we have published
letters from two prominent Southern Wing states
men in reference to the Know-nothing party.
| Both of these statesmen declared against that
party. They appealed to the Southern Wings
| of which they honored leaders, to refuse all
co-operation, afiliation, and sympathy with them.
These two distinguished gentlemen are Senator
Benjamin, of Louisiana, and Hon. A. II. Stephens,
of Georgia.
But whileboth of them condemn the principles
and objects of that Order, there points of diff
ference disclosed by their several letters, TO which
we purpose inviting the attention of our readers.
Before, however, we unfold and comment on
their differences, we will, for the benefit of South
ern Wings and Know nothngs, pretty much
the same thngs,) republish that portion of Sena-
nator Benjamins letter referring to the Wing
party. 1t is as follows:
" In the debate ,chich occurred in The Senaie of
the United STATES, the Nebraska bill, the morlity
ing conviction forced my mind that the Whig
National party pas no more. The great party to
chch IL had arays been my pride 10 belong, chieh,
under the lead Of Clay and Webster, had long
| struggled tcith varying fortunes for the potcer Of
conducting public affairs on principles iohieh 4
the reare Of the people, had persisted Nth its chief
tains. found NOT one Northern Wing uniainted
bu the contaninating influence of FreesOilism. Not
one Northern Wing raised his roice or care his
pofe in either House in defence Of those institutions
of the South rhieh expressly recognized by The
Constitution, and the protection Of rhich cas for
merIy and solemnly guaranteed to our torefdthe,s
,chen they consented 10 merge, for all national pur
poses, the Independent sovereignty Of the Southern
States into one confederated Union. Again and
again did Northern Wings, on the floor Of The
Senate, declare that they atjursd all further union
,rith Southern Wigs on National principles; and
repeatedly heard the declaration made that the de-
feat Of the Wing party TO be attributed 10 the
dead sceight iohieh IL carried at The North, by the
recognition in the national platform Of the constu
| tionaI rights Of the South.
1t is fit that the Wings of the South should
know what a prominent leader of that party
thinks Of them.
| Now we shall present TO our readers the points
of difference between Senator Benjamin and Mr..
Stephens.
| Mr.. Benjamin says:
Although the Democratic party is not yet so
thoroughly disorganized as the Wing party, it
requires political sagacity to perceive that it
| cannot maintain itself as National party. The
| few truly National Democrats who remain at the
| North have been reduced to minority so nsig-
ni6cant that their struggles become more and
more faint, and their voice is now scarcely heard
in the roar of the popular clamor for what is
called Freesoil. >"
| Mr. Stephens, ina letter, dated Washington,
Georgia, July 9Th, 1855, published in the Clron-
iele aud Sentinel says: eve invite particular at
tention TO it:)
1 "T this great Southern question, (the Nebraska
/ bill, then, had been submitted to the Northern
Democrats present in the House when the vote
was taken, and TO them only, without another
vote for or against II, either from the North or
| South, the bill would have passed.
| will take this occasion, also, to correct some
erroneous and conflicting statements which have
/ seen in the newspapers, upon the subject of the
exact vote on the Nebraska bill. The following
/ analysis Of the vote, carefully prepared, may be
/ useful for future reference, and / insert it:
analysis Of the rOie on The passage Of the bill III r.
| No. $780, "To Organize the Territories Of Ne
/ braska and Kansas"