Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-11-10
NUMBER 3l6.


Der, 1860, before the American party of Idtta-
dega county, BY Hon, Jos. A. woodward, cf
South Carolina, sa
[coNcLuDED.1
In my opinion, what the country needs above
all things Is an American party. Itmust and viii
have an American party, and the sooner the bet.
ter, My fears are not that the move has been
made too soon, but that it may be too late.
Did We live under a monarchy, our antagonistic
classes might possibly be forced to keep the peace
for we should all have the same master TO keep us
in order But it evinces the depth Of folly to SUP
pose harmony possible under government Of ba.-
lot-boxee, situated as we are And this | say upon
the admission that Popery Is the true religion,
Sag -Nichsm the true political fraternity and that
the whole fault lies with the prejudices Of Native
Americans and Protestants.
But maintain that political Romanism and po.
tical Alienism justly to be held responsible for
all that has happened or may come hereafter. The
two have erected themselves into distinct political
elements in tlis Union. Romanism has for years
agitated and boldly and insnltingly enforced tho
doctrines of religious intolerance In the very teeth
Of your constitution. Alienism has presented IL
self aS political reformer, and demands the re-
construction Of your frame Of government But
it is said that they not sufficiently numerous to
be dreaded. This is treacherous prctence to
hide the delinquency Of those whocourt their ALI
ance aud use their strength. We used to be told
the same thing of the Abolition party. But now
it is standing metaphor that this party, at first
larger than a mans hand, is now a lowering meteor
stretching along the whole length of our Northern
horizon. Let us consider this patty moment:
When 1t was yet too small to command tho
meanest county Office, it was strong enough to
force itself to be considered by both your great
national parties Before 1t was numerous enough
to elect single member to State Legislature, it
able to extort from Congress the repeal of tho
celebrated 2lst rule, and that too, under South
ern administration IL may be replied that the
anti-savery party was and is the product and crea
ture Of the old abolition party, and its instrument
One might well be astonished at the contempla-
ton Of these things. But the explanation is an
easy one. The secret lies in the balance of forces
in elective governments. What is meant by a-bal-
ance force, is a secondary party, organized upon
an idea peculiar to ITSELF fixed and enduring, and
which has no relation to the issues thai engage and
divide primary parties The conditions under
which the balance force takes effect are these: The
division Of the country into two primary parties---
the relation Of proximate numerical equality be-
tween them, and that the Offices be conceded to
the primary parties. Now, every man will see, in
a moment, that Il WAS under these precise condi-
tions that the old Abolition party was able TO turn
the scales between the two national parties, and
thus rule both But tho supposition may be that
these conditions accidental and not likely to re.
cur but maintain that they are systematic and
expose the country 70 the control OF balance forces
should like to enter fully into the exposition of
this point II time permitted. tsh
Upon this principle, unnaturalized foreigners
have secured the right Of suffrsge upon the ex-
pectaton that they would vote with the party that
had made the move. Upon the same principle
clump Of free negroes have, In several States, se
cured the same right and who can donbt that one
hundred and forty thousand free mulattoes IN
Cuba would rule the island in ten years from the
date OF the ballot-box? Y ,5s,t t-g,5a ~
The application Of what has just been said 10
the question Of the day, every sensible man viii
be able to make for himself shall therefore only
add In conclusion few observations. .ih
VIII the American movement be perseycred inS
refer to its scheme of policy, and not its organic
law, its forms and devices. These win, OF course,
come to naught, II they have not already. The
causes which have brought about the movement
are daily increasing. In the North, whore the
grievance and humiliation are most kecnly felt,
there cannot he eventual endurance. Parties at
the North are In the course Of dissolution. They
are held together by constraint and prejudces
against old names But there is an opinion rapid
ly gaining ground with the most intelligent and
vrtuous portion Of the community, that any party
which survives the issues that brought Il into ex-
istence, Is public calamity. There Is a growing
sentiment founded In selErespect as wen as res-
son, that We degrade Ourselves by inheriting the
anirnosites Of those who have preceded us, unless
we could also inherit the occasions Of their manly
conflicts and patriotic deeds. But parties are IN.
ayoidsDle, ana as old ones pass Off new ones win
rise up. New ones win Of course be founded In
ideas which deeply Affect the public mind. for the
time. But the American Is the new one and, In
ITSELF affords proof Of what now deeply affects the
national mind. In It's very infancy and under sin
gular disadvantages, it has sustained conflict with
the ancient dynasties, and encountered the infu-
and
order Of things, 10 protect vested rights and au-
thofties, and TO repress aud punish rebellion The
effort has been wholly 10 exterminate the party and
suppress the Issues Il would or might make. But
suppose the party survive and become permanent
and the strength Of the ideas upon which ID is
founded be fully developed, what side will the
South take2 In strictness, the South has not vet
taken Sides for the aim has been TO stave off Let
gentlemen be considerate and not deceive them
selves. Slavery Is heavy burden to carry. The
world outside and half The world inside the Union
are against us on this question. VIII you put upon
the back Of slavery the burden Of Ronanisrn. and
upon the back Of that, political aliensm VIII
you drive nativism and Professionalism into combi-
nation with Abolition2 Suppose you seek nm ALI.
ance with the other side, could you rely upon the
good faith Of such alliesf> They are known TO be
at heart against you, and r. on some occasions.
you have had the benefit Of their vstcs IN conse-
quence Of the constraint imposed raon them BY
their party connexions At the North this very fact
has excited a deep disgust against you, and has
aided, materially, to build up the great sntislave
power party do not refer to the abolition party.
Slavery and the sidos pooer are quite different
things. i 1a3
The opponents Of the American party have fallen
into gross misconcepton as 70 what are to be the
issues Of the party. There win be no attempt 10
take the elective franchise official eligbity from
any man or class Of men. 1890
Their aim VIII be, by fair party means, to correct
great social evil and political wrong and il they
cannot do that, 10 mitigate the evil and the wrong
ifthey cannot do that to prevent its further in
crease and ifthis cannot be done, then the party