The American patriot., 1855-06-23
The Southern Question.

the question of slavery is of character to fur
nish the most satisfactory assurances to the
South, that there is at last one party in this
| Republic with enohgh of honesty and nation
ality controlling its councils, to declare openly
for the maintenance of all the constitutional
guarantees thrown around that institution. 1t
is manly effort to curb the pernicious career
Of sectional bigotry and fanaticsm, and as
such appeals to the patriotism of all classes of
our countrymen of every political prediction.
Speaking of it, the Mobile Tribune, not an Or
gan of the American party, says:
Zone thing, however, is certain. If this COM
promise between the north and the south can be
carried out honestly and frankly-and we arc san
guine enough to believe that it will-this new par
ty will have accomplished what other national Or
CARNATIONS have failed to effect"
We are advised by the Telegraph that the
negrophilists have abandoned the organization,
and returned home te rear the "Black Flag, F."
and rally the cohorts of Abolitionism in hos
tile crusade against the Platform. The news
is almost too good to be true if true, and the
American party is permanently purged of all
the elements of sectional inccndiarism, a de-
sideratum is reached, and with its national pro-
gramme emblazoned on its banners, it may
flout in scornfnl derision the malevolent at
tempts Of those who have striven to arraign
its nationality under the charge of ant-Slaye-
ry proclivities.
No Southern man-no lover Of the Union
anywhere, can demand a cleaner record in re-
lation to the vexed question, than is here ex-
hibited. Commenting it to the calm Judgment
of an intelligent people, let US look for mo-
ment into the condition of the old parties in
the same connection.
The Whg party can scarce be said to exist
The process outstanding and absorption has
been active in the disposal of its fragments, and
we think facts will sustain US in the following
classification. At the North the national men of
the party have sought an affiliation with the A.
merican movement, and may yet in alliance
with the "Old Hunker" Democracy, accomplish
something for the Union. Sectional Wings have
no doubt surrendered themselves to Seward and
Greely, and their kindred spirits. In the South
generally, the Wings have united with the
American party. National action by the old
Wing party is clearly out of the question.
Is the Democratic party in position to assert
its nationality' Has it no warning elements
no intestine feuds no sectional issues-no in
surrectionary factions in its bosom, gnawing
upon its vitals, and menacing it with dissolu-
ton? Have you read an article recently pub
lished in the Washington Union, entitled
1.-THE Democratic position on the subject of
savery?" In that article the absolute failure
of all past attempts to reconcile the North and
South upon that question is admitted, and the
following startling proposition is laid down by
the great organ of the Pierce administration.
There can be no such thing as national par
ties except upon the basis of an entire exclu-
sion of the subject from their political crecds.
No party embracing members at the North and
the South, can be national or harmonious in
its organization, waich does not exclude the
question Of s1aeery from ats creea." The
Charleston Mercury, a Democratic journal of
great ability, thus denounces the dishonorablc
proposition:
"Has party no higher purpose, or is the country
so sunk into contempt, that henccforward parties
are to be rallied with no other view than to seize
upon the public plunder? The Union leaves us no
room to doubt as to what is its object! 1t makes
no longer an appeal to the Democratic party, to
rally upon clear and fixed principles principles
of right and equality to all sections of the country
But, holding up success the one grand object it
counses it to throw aside all tests which NAV en-
Iop adj liz, ii
erous sience-upon the great question of American
politics, because without it the party will fail. 1t
despars of party of principles; it looks only to a
party for spoils
The Washington Sentinel, a Democratic pa
per, published under the shadows of the Presi-
dental mansion, thus discourses upon the exc
cradle sentiments enunciated by the organ
"Remove the barriers that have SO long pre-
vented the contamination of the Democratic party
with aboltionism and letin horde of devils whose
life and talents all exerted for the pur-
pose of overthrowing our institutions. Then, in
decd, will we march to the CULTIVATE DISSOLUTION
OF THE UNION, AND THE FINAL TRIUMPH OF ABoLI-
TONIsM. And yet it any strained construction of
the article of the Washington Union, Or undue es-
innate of the consequence of such scheme, to
contemplate such result? Why, what are we
coming to? Is the administration mad? Arc
our Southern representatives in the cabnet-Dob-
bins, Davis, and Guthrie-aslcep at their posts
In the record of this administration shall it be
written that the two most famous acts that marked
it were 'the exclusion Of slaeery from the Demo-
cratic creed" and the consequent abolitionizng of
the great Democratic party, and 'the erclusio, of
slavery from a territory to which God, nature, and
honest people pointed it ?"
We suhjoin one more extract 1t is from
the Richmond Examiner, bold and spirited
Democratic sheet, and this "damnable heresy"
of the Union is thus alluded to:
Though taught by better experience the mad.