Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-10-27
THE WASHINGTON UNION, ALBANY
ATLAS, AND JOHN VAN BUREN-AN
INTERESTING QUARREL

INTERESTING QUARREL.
Our neighbor, the Washington Union, in an
evil moment made an assault upon the Albany
Atlas, on account Of its unsound politics.
Verify, it has caught Tartar. The atlas, in
stead OF giving back, retorts upon the UI.ion
with exceeding ferocity, and revives old remin-
iscences that place our neighbor in very I'M
enviable attitude.
Now, in such contest, we Of course shall
espouse neither side. We feel in regard to it
pretty much like the unamiable woman felt
who saw her husband engaged in fierce en-.
counter with a bear. We feel altogether ndif.
ferent
In pursuance Of that high papal power
which the Union arrogates to itself, it lately
issued its bull Of accommodation against
the Atlas, its quondam friend and ally The
reason assigned for this was the unsoundness
of the atlas on the Nebraska question. Our
chief object in alluding to this falling out be.
tween these two journals is to show, as we
have had occasion to do in respect of other
points of difference between the Union and
ourselves, how completely time has INDICATED
our Judgment and our political course
At the very time that the Union was hug,
ging the atlas to its heart, as it did all the
Softs and Soft journals, we told the Union that
the atlas was altogether unsound, that the Softs
were unsound, and that they aoheld freesoil
doctrines Ii would not listen to US. Itsprang
upon the arena of strife where the Hards and
Softs we're contending, and, drawing its sword
and spreading its shield, it placed itself at the
head of the Softs and became their chief
leader.
The. Atlas was precisely then what it is now.
1t was Freesoil all over. But from blind
faulty, or from proyident regard to purposes
which IT wanted to accomplish, the Union shut
lis eyes to the faults Of its ally, and kept them
obstnately closed until those purposes we're
accomplished Then, and not till then, lit
was very recently the Union declared that
the atlas had been weighed in the balances and
found wanting.
The alias, instead Of humbing itself in sub
mission before the ambitious central organ Of
the Administration, takes up the cudgels in
good earnest and deals the Union some Of the
heaviest blows that it has ever received.
The Union makes the Nebraska Kansas bill
the test Of Democracy, and expels the atlas
from the party because it does not come up to
that test Now, this was the test that We
wanted to make, when that bill was before
Congress, and We appealed to our neighbor to
join US IN the effort, but appealed in vain.
Now that the bill is a law, the onion proclaims
il the test. Said the Union then, 1--WE quote
the extract from the Atlas:
We have never been so far mised. however.
as TO regard eueTy man as an Abolitionist rho
could not reconcile ii 10 the coarictions of d,fty
TO support The bW. We are aware that there
are Democrats Withholding their support, who
stood side by side with us in 1913 in advocat.
ing the principle Of non.intervention avowed
by our candidate for the Presidency, and who
have ever been the Jealous supporters of the
Compromise Of 1850, which recognized and
enacted that principle. We are aware that
there are other Democrats who objected to the
Compromise Of 1850 when it was passed. but
who have since faithfully acquiesced in it, who
are not prepared to sustain the Nebraska bill.
In our judgment II toOuld be as un,cise as II
icould be unjust TO regard and treat such oppo
nenss Of the measure as thereby obolitiontzing
themselves Such Democrats, as we under
stand them, recognize the principle as sound
but they not satisfied that it should be ap-
plied to the Nebraska territory. We cannot
agree with them in the views which control
their decision of the question bit because of
he'r difference Of opinion as 10 tie dpplication
o. a principle an phich zee a0ree ire cannot
bTing ourselves 10 denounce them 1s 4bolif;ou
lists. When, therefore, we speak OF Abolition.
lists IN connection with the opposition to the
Nebraska bill, we do lot wish to he uuder-
stood as designating all who oppose the bill a.
Abolitonistsr
In further illustration Of the Unions incon
sisteDcy the atlas states that, after the death
OF General Armstrong, it became doubtful
whether the Union could get the public print
ing Of the House Of Representatives. II was
deemed SO important 10 elect the proprietor Of
the Administration organ, that every effort was
made to secure it. Says TIE 1Has:
small number Of members met in can
Gus, and placed him in nomination. Others
OF the democratic members refused TO parti
cipste in the meeting, and without their con
currence, the election Of the Administration
candidate was deemed exceedingly uncertain.
What was done ? The refractory members were
conyoked, and distinguished gentleman Of
this State was authorized TO assure them in the