Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-06-21
JUNE 81, 1855.
MYSTERY ExPLAINED-THE
WASHINGTON UNIONS" TENDER
CONSIDERATION FOR THE DEMO
CRATIC PARTY.


Washington Sentinel" It's equally well known
that the Sentinel has never omitted to notice the
Washington Union. We have too high
spect for that orthodox journal-too kindly a
consideration for the grand position it occupies to
the present Administration-and too great an in
terest in the welfare and integrity Of the Demo
cratic party, to think of Withholding from our
readers the rules by which the Union is governed,
and its anomalous construction Of the principles
of the Democratic party. In this respect, we
have at least returned good for evil, and may
take comfort in our humiliation, that we have
done much good in drawing il back more than
once from the error of its ways. We were dis
posed to quarrel at first with our neghbor for its
utter neglect of us, which we could not, in the
absence of better motives, ascribe to anything
but spite and jealousy. We often thought too,
that sense of gratitude rare human virtue,
we admit-to us, for our timely intcrpostion
in saving it from the shoals and quicksands to-
wards which it was madly drifting, would have
commanded its Acknowledgements. Hence we
did feel unamiable, if not angry, at the Union 5
sullen course towards us, its truest friends; and
kind. We are, however, spared the necessity of
this ll-natured resort, by an article which APP
peared in the Washington Union on Friday last,
heading communication from friend in Nir-
ginia, who, kindly to it, and courteousy to US,
seeks to protect it against our exposure of pre-
vious article in the Union. That communica-
ton we think we have fully enough answered
and shall not refer again to tat least, for the
present.
We here give the Unions article concerning
ourselves, and we wish we could envy either the
amiability or sincerity which prompted it:
.'OUR PosITIoS ON THE SLAvEYY QuEsTIoN.-
To avoid the possibility of disturbing in any re-
spect the harmony of the Democratic party, we
have adhered constantly to the resolution to en-
gage in no political discussions with our neigh
bors of the Sentinel We intend to carry out this
resolution, for the same reason that it origi-
nally adopted. In yielding to the request of a
friend to insert the article below, which appeared
in the Richmond Enquirer of the 18th instant as
communication, we do so because desire to
acknowledge our obligations to the writer, who
has so clearly and accurately construed our posi-
ton, but with no view of departing from the rule
which we have heretofore followed"
As for its sincerity, we refer our readers to the
Unions article upon the Charleston Mercury,
upon the same subject paper admitted by the
Union to be good Democratic paper. And if
the reason be good for not noticing the Sentinel
for fear of disturbing the harmony of the Demo-
cratic party" why should it not be equally good
for ignoring the Charleston Mercury, leading
Democratic southern journal; So much, then,
for the sincerity of its avowed motive.
Bat here we have the explanation of the course
of the Washington Union towards the Sentinel;
and we feel half inclined to pardon it in the pa
riotic motive which seems to have induced il ''to
aroid the possibility Of disturbing the harmony Of
the Democratic party; we have adhered constantly
TO the resolution TO engage in political dis
tussions with our neighbors Of the Sentinel :"
Well, this is really fine sentiment, and far
more grateful to us than the idea that we
have been ignored beca use we were not worthy
Of notice. To proud men, nothing could he
Notifying this, for although we feel
that it is something to occupy the relation
we do to the United States Senate, and not a
little thing TO have had our course approved and
endorsed by most of the leading men of our party,
yet, TO have been deemed too insignificant for the
condescenson of the organ of the Administration,
a blow of no little severity. But our sage and
experienced neighbor should remember that We
are youthful" yet, in vocation and that VIC
cannot hope at one bound TO leap into the full
stature Of political manhood. We are vet in the
rudiments Of our political faith, and have not
learned to enlarge upon it our neighbor seems
10 have done.
We have, for example, been brought up under
the strictest tutelege Of the Democratic State.
rights Republican School, and We cannot in a
day forget its teachings. The Washington Union
must have patience with US, for il may be We
shall, under the influence Of It's example, ere
long doff the scanty mantle Of State-rights, for
the broader folds Of Federalism and Centralisn,
which il so gracefully wears about il. The
Washington Union refuses TO "distu,b the har-
mony Of the Democratic party by engaging in
political discussions" with us We, on the other
hand, choose to render our humble aid in presrp-
ing "the harmony Of the Democratic party, /" BY
Csnce we are denied the honor Of ''poitical dis.
cussion" with the Union) exposing its dangerous
iaiaci--. We viii not "disturb the harmony Of
the Democratic party" by Advocating mammoth
schemes Of Internal Improvement, in contraven-
ton Of It's long established principles. We will not
do this, for the need Of praise 80 generously
awarded to the Washington Union by our ven
Grated contemporary Of the National InielIgeneer.
Much as we honor the memory Of Henry Clay
and freely as we give our humble tribute to his
greatness and patriotism, we have no ambition TO
have articles mistaken for piagairisms from
his most Federal lucubrations upon this subject
We will not "didurb the harmony Of the De-
mocratc party" by aiding or abettng any scheme
schemes for the absorption Of the rights of the
States, by the interference Of the Federal Govern
ment in their domestic concerns
We will not "disfurb the harmony Of the Demo
cratic party" by tampering with Freesoilers and
sbsolving them from censure for not supporting
a measure-the Nebraska bill-in which was in
yolved the most vital principle not only Of the
Democratic party, but Of the Constitution Of the
United States
We will not "didurb the harmony Of the Demo
cratic party" by endorsing the dangerous principle