The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-04-26

Democrats, demonstrated to Southern Wings
the impossibility of re-organizing National I"
Wing party and awakened apprehensions
among Southern Democrats, that there would
not be left in the free States enough adherents
of the Administration to constitute Ma
tional" Democratic party.
Had the majority of Northern men, at that
iuncture, been thoroughly indoctrinated as to
the necessities and fixed policy of the Slave
Power-had there been among them clearness
of vision and unity of purpose, they would not
have stopped with their State action, but have
brought out at once, as their Presidential can
didate for 1856, the man thought of by many,
but named by none, and the forces Of Freedom
would have been easily consolidated in power
full organization. But, the critical hour passed,
without demonstration; and soon, an Ele-
ment, disengaged in the Chaos of Parties, an
Element of Proscriptive Nationalism and
Sectarian Bigotry, rapidly developed itself, as
suming at first the form of Secret Party,
Anti-Slavery Sentiment, and selecting nomina-
tons made outside of its pale; until, embolden-
ed by victory, it now rigidly confines its sup
port to its own nominations, and wherever it
can do so with IMMUNITY, determines them
without reference to the Question of Slavery
Aspiring to the control of the Federal Govern
ment, its policy for the last six months has
been steadily directed towards divesting itself
of all responsibility for opinions or movements,
on other questions than those concerning the
Acknowledgement of Catholic and Foreign I'm
migrants. Senator Wilson, who is good au-
thority, announces that in Massachusetts, the
Party does not embrace the Question of Sla-
very among those it was formed to settle. If
this be true of Massachusetts, it is true Of all
the States.e
The first step, then, towards Nationality"
old-fasioned, ProSlavery Nationality, has been
taken, unanimously. Like the members of the
old Democratic Party, who, in Ohio, voted to
repeal the Black Laws, and the members of the
old Wing Party in Massachusetts, who swept
from the Statute Book of that State the last
vestige of its black code, and from time to time
passed strong Anti-Slavery resolutions, the
members of this new Party, in Anti-Slavery
States, may pursue n similar poicy-but, like
their predecessors, they admit that their Party
is not responsible for such demonstrations, and
proclaim that, as Party, it does not embrace
the Question of Slavery. 1t follows, that in
adhering to this organization, which excludes
the Question which shareholders insist must
be excluded from any Party protesting to be
National, they have taken the first degree in
Nationality. The second is, not only to ex-
clude the Question of Slavery, but to ignore ii,
that is, to assume that no cause exists for its
presentment before the country, and that there
fore its agitation must be suppressed. This
policy, as is now notorious, has been agreed
upon by the National Council, which met at
Cincinnati, and systematic effort is on foot
to carry it out in all the States. The Order in
New York, as we all know, has, at the cost of a
partial schism, put it in force. Why not? The
Slave Power plainly tells the new Party, and
the Wings and Democrats within it's pale un-
derstand what is told them Nationalist your
Order-snk the Slavery Question-suppress
its agitation-select National and Conserva-
tive man. Houston or Fillmore, Bell or Stock
ton, Clayton or George Law, and we shall be
satisfied" The efforts to do this are succeeding.
The Louisville (Ky.) Journal announces that
the new Party is really more National than
either of the old ones ever was. Leading
Democrats in Virginia hail it as the star of
hope to the South, so lately in danger Of COM
bined crusade against its institutions. The
Wing Party of the South, almost en- n,asse,
has rushed into the Order and with it have
gone large numbers of Southern Democrats
some, disguised with the Administration, some,
discontinued with the rule of recognised respect
abilities, some, hopeless of the reconstruction
of an efficient National Democratic Party, some,
glad of chance to ally themselves with North.
ern men in a movement calculated to check
the growth of Northern political power and
the multiplication of free States.
Reader-did we not tell you the truth last
autumn, when we began to discuss this ques-
ton? "You have lost your temper y" You
are crazy" Your opposition is ll-advised
and untimely"- You are alarmed at an i'm
aginary danger y" on are fighting man of
traw"-"W We can take care of ourselves -
Better lie STILL and let the thing run out -
such were the greetings of Anti-Slavery editors
and Anti-Slavery statesmen, that reached our
ears from all quarters. Is it not strange that
wise men should have forgotten that as the
tree is, so shall the fruit be?
Last week we pointed out the danger that
threatened the Anti-Slavcry cause in Maine,
and some of the New England States, from an
alliance with the new Order-that, where the
Hunker Democrats and Wings failed in obtain
ing the control of the organization, they might
unite for its overthrow, and then, identifying
the Anti-Slavery movement with Nativism,
Sectarian Bigotry, Secresy, and the enslave-
ment of the individual by extrajudicial oaths,
overwhelm it and its supporters with popular
odium. Further observation has confirmed
this apprehension. In Massachusetts,, we learn
that there is more Indifference than ever mani.
tested by former members of the old parties to
a union with the Free-Soilers against the New
Order-that movement will be probably
made, without concert with the latter, to put it
down, which, if successful, must necessarily
leave the Anti-Slavery Party shorn of its moral
power, and impotent for any good.
And yet the leading Wings who are contem.
plating such course, are not unwilling that
Know Nothingism should triumph in other
States, looking forward to the time when they
might have an opportunity of voting for a
National" candidate for the Presidency
Nor is this policy confined to them. There are
| Democrats whose speculations run in tho eams