Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-11-24


Rights in New York, there was sacrificed prin.
ciPle, which is lasting, to expedieucy, which is
feeting. IA
To sacrifice principle to expediency is OPP
posed as well to sound policy as to public vir-
tue. Public virtue is polite as well as honora-
BILE, safe, conservative and respectable. There
can be no public virtue in the sacrifice of prin-
ciple to expediency.
Let the policy of the Union's tactics in New
York be judged by the result.
In 1852, with 263,O83 friends in New York,
in 1855 with none!
The GoLDEN MEAN, or juSte melieu tactics,
was pursued in Kansas, and with like success.
Governor Reeder was adhered 10, despite the
representations of the people of Kansas, whose
affairs he attempted to control by the most
arbitrary usurpation, until the pro-slavery party,
the controlling majority, were made thoroughly
hostile; and subsequently Governor Reeder
having been accommodated, the anti-slavery
party (being the rest Of Kansas) became like
John Van Buren,, &c, in New York; also hos
tile; thus leaving not only the Onion, but the
Administration, also, without a friend in Kan
sas.
All will, we think, admit that the juste m ellen
has had q fair trial in both New York and
Kansas, and has resulted as that policy gene
rally will. and as, in our opinion, it ought al
ways to result everywhere.
1t is evident to US that the policy pursued in
New York and Kansas was carefully pondered.
The ludicrous result of that policy, though
no laughing matter, would spread a smile over
the face of the most morose and melancholy
misanthrope.
The Union has, from time to time, startled
us, so much so, indeed, as to make us imagine
that we were to part company forever.
We would refer particularly to the Union's
article, of the Sd day Of June last, entitled
"THE DEMOCRATIC PosrTIoN ON THE SLAVERY
QUESTION In that article the Union, after
speaking Of the dangers growing out of the
slavery question, expresses itself as follows:
mo mathematical proposition is more true
than that the only basis of party organization
is an agreement amongst those who enter into
it upon the subjects which they recognize as
belonging to its creed. They may differ as
widely as is possible as to all subjects not EN-
braced by their party creed, but to be harmo-
NOUS inside their organization they must have
common sentiments, and stand together on a
common platform. These truths will COM
mand ready assent, and they demonstrate the
proposition that no party embracing members
at The North and the South can be national or
J :. >. -, ILL IL. 800
exclude The question Of SLAVERY from its creed"
No wonder we were startled. This was no
thing else thai the doctrine Of Senator Wilson,
of ignoring slacery. Ia our mind's-eye we
saw the editor of the onion in bold relief
against the Northern sky, standing on the
Buffalo platform in the close embrace of the
Senator.
We promptly condemned the Union's article,
and declared its position the rererse of the
Democratic position, and an abandonment of
the Democratic helm. We republished the
article of the Union entire, and called to it
the attention of our Southern contemporaries;
commended it, while several in Virginia and
South Carolina, with us, condemned it. None
mentioned but to condemn it. In Tennessee,
the extract we have quoted was hawked about
by the Know.nothing prints as the evidence Of
Democratic unsoundness on the slavery ques.
ton.
After considerable delay, the Union ex.
planned that its article had reference to the
:. I..-.a.i .ro.Y.0r ~ cloro~v o.1- a-J 4Ia
Sentinel experienced such a sense of relief as
our readers may imagine, but hardly realize.
The abstract question Of whether slavery is
a political good or evil should not and nerer
has entered into the Democratic creed. The
Democratic creed has to do with practical
questions and not with sentiments or opinions
on abstract questions. The Sentinel, of~course,
republished the explanatory article of the
Union, and gave It the benefit Of its own con.
struction.
Had we not extended our article to an unu.
sual length, we might comment in illustration
Of the .juste melieu, on the changefnl and &C.
centric course Of the Union during the PEN
dence of the Nebraska-K Kansas bill how il
one day declared advocacy Of the bill to be the
" test Of Democratic orthodoxy" and then
again took the position which the Albany alias
says it agreed to take.
The present length Of our article warns US
to close. We do so with the expression Of our
opinion that it behooves all good Democrats TO
stand by their principles at all hazards, and to
| the last extremity-to be extremists in main
tanning the constitutional and truly conservative
doctrine OF State rights. Destroy or invade
the rights Of the States, and the equilibrium be-
tween the centrifugal and centripetal forces in
our government is gone and consolidation with
al its direful consequences inevitably follows.
When we reflect how adherence to principle
has established the Democratic party in the
confidence OF a %virtuous and intelligent people,
we should feel assured that the path Of rect.
tude il the path. Of policy.