The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-11-01
sEcTIoNALIsM AND REPUBLIcANIsM


tors, II Wing Conventions, that the Democratic
P.rty was the natural ally of Slavery. They
claimed for their Party true Anti-Slavery po-
siiion, and sought votes at the North on the
strength Of its Anti-Slavery merits Nobody
viii dispute this. Even those Jealous " Ma
tionai Patriots" Messrs. Hunt, Winthrop, and
Barnard, in their recent letters against sec
iionalisn, confirm this statement of the posi-
ton Of the Wing party.
Northern Wings" says the Hon d. d.
BARNARD, in the course of his INSCRIPTIONS in
vective against the Republicans, 1" have never
been found willing TO see Slavery carried to
territories already Free or to see territories con-
quered or annexed 10 the United States, for
the purpose of widening the area of Slavery
and increasing the number Of slave States and
they never Will be found willing to aid or coun-
tenance any such measures. 1t not the
Wings Of the North who brought Texas into
the Union, with its Slavery, and with four or
five more Slave States in embryo. 1t was not
the Wing Party that made war upon Mexico,
i'm the hope OF benefits to accrue to the slave
interest Not Northern Wing in Congress
voted to obliterate the Missouri Compromise
line !: and if the North had been n little more
strongly represented in Congress by Wings,
that line would never have been obteraied.
Does II mot look TOO Ruch like mere pretcnce,
when men abandon the Wing party of the
North, the strongest political association ex-
ising, which has ever existed, against every
real AGGRESSION of Slavery, and 20 into other
combinations, on the ALLEGED ground of the
wrnne done in the matter Of the Kansas and
Nebraska bl?"
These several acts, done in behalf Of the
Slave Inieraet. are charged upon the so-called
Democratic Party, and it is claimed signal
merit of the Wings, that they resisted them
an fact, that they constituted "the strongest
political association existing, which has
ever existed against every real aggression of
Slavery.
Now the Slave Interest is purely sectional"
The arts specified by Mr.. Barnard, were 'pure
Is secfionai," their aim in every instance being
TO augment its sectiondi power. AS matter
Of fact, the whole political weight of the South
was thrown a unit in support Of the sectional
aggressions of this sectional Interest. The
so-caled Democratic Party, in lending itself
10 the furherance of this policy, became I'M
ni.iakably sectional. On the other hand, if it
be true, as claimed by Mr.. Barnard, that the
Wing Party of the North resisted this policy,
At was :rr:lyed against the South, and, repre-
seniing the peculiar views and interests of one
hs,f of the Republic against interests which
the other halt chose To regard rs specially
Southern, i. occupied a sectional position, was,
in fact, soctioHat party.
This sectional organization Mr.. Barnard
would resusciia,e, for the purpose Of putting
down the Republicans. the first party, he says,
/" of n purely sectional character, nj an formi-
dabie ia its proportions" that "has arisen in
this country"
See with what horror he now regards policy
which, in the paragraph above quoted, he as
sunes la have been the special characteristic
of the late iYhig party;
can sec nothing national in most of the
political combinations of the day. Certainly,
that most recent of the wretched formations
that which calls itself Republican, for no
reason that | can discover but because it pro-
the Republic Only OH a principle of hostility to
the other half-cannot pretend 10 have the first
element of nationality about it. If that party
Is national, Judged by its own platform and the
recorded sentiments of its leading organs and
-iayoca.es, then it is because the Union can be
perfected by setting onc-half of the States al
deadly fend wild. the other half justice estab
lished 10y lbelng ;lre Judiciary and trampling
on constitutional laws, domestic tranquility in
sured by serYle insurreciions, lie common de-
sene., ps,.vided for by civil war, the general wei
fare promoted by intestine connections, and tx
blessing OF hbe.ty secured to us-the white rae@
of the eouatry-aA,l our posterity by the over
throw an for hove of tile black race, of the hes;
;enaranties OF popular liberty ever devised in
.,ny system OF Gosernment SAGE the world
began.
for The first time, party Of purely sectional
charsicder Ut all formidable in its proportions
has arisen in Llis country. We have had aboi
lion parties, but hsne considerable enough tC
create mach alarm. &ow for the first time
we have party organization, certainly of nC
Enean pretensioBs. already embracing several
States, and seeking and claiming to be sble Il
rouse the whole North 10 united action on th,
single sentiment OF hostility To tvs other half
the Union on account OF Slavery. IL expect,
1o n. sorb the main strength OF che two areaJ
ID.
claims Co ha, e had already the formal surrende,
or the Wing pan,' in this State; and those VIII,
happened 10 have the lame and official agencie,
al that party in keeping have been hold enough
10 pretend 10 make such surrender. Ii number
among IFS candidates for the fall election in Thu
State several Democrats of considerable marx
IL looks, besides, no doubt, for support from tn,
various stripes of Aboitionists, and it ma,
draw largely upon foreign population. j
appeals to fanatcism, and it will attract TO IL
self all who are weak enough to sympathz,
with ii ia 1;at sort ol fierce hostility to SLAYER,
which eau be satisfied with nothing short o
sacrificing to th.. one feeling and consideration
all other political issues, duties and obligation.
whatsoever. Ii is not 10 be denied or doubted
that this party is having some success
enough at least To demand the serious olserya
tIon and attention OF the country; and. so ia,
;,s 1t has have vitality and success.
am bound To say that think it deserves moth
sag but execraiion, i bold menace to the in
tegrity of the mon. such as cannot he justified
ar excused, unless treason can be justified OF
excused"
Ii is impossible 10 excuse this atrocious mis-
representation Of the creed and policy of the
Republicans, on the superstition that Mr.. Bar
nard has not made himself acquainted with
their views. lie knows that in no authenti,
exposition OF their purposes can he find war
rant for such tissue of libels. He knows tina
in former times, just such base accusation
were brought against the Wing Party by North
ern allies aud Southern advocates OF Slavery
1t pandered 10 the worst sectional feelings
they said; it was an enemy to the Union, reck
less of constitutional obligation it appeale,
10 hboIificnism. fanaticism. the odds and end