Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-11-01
qpsskIy gtate Sentinel.
Fusion Policy for Fifty-six.

WEDNESDAY MORNING, OCI. o. A0'''
Fusion Policy for Fifty-six-
r. x,v;e,viny the history of the parties
which have controlled the politics OF our
Country and the policy of our Government,
sincs It's ipception, the student is forcibly inn
,,~ssss5 with the remarkable fact that those
factions which, combined or isolated, have
opposed the Democracy, have been prostra-
ted BY defeat, whereas 4 triumph over the
Democratic party has only strengthened the
bonds that hold its devotees together and in
fused through the public mind a greater in
terest in the principles Of the people. The
Old Federal Party came into power under the
lead Of the elder ADAMS upon principles sub.
ve-sive of the Constitution and the exercise
OF those personal rights which true Amer
lean sentiment vindicates as inherent in all
who rightfully claim the protection of our
flag and cooperation in our public affairs.
The Alien and Sedition Laws, which re-
quired residence of fourteen years in our
country to entitle a man born on foreign soil
to citizenship and which clothed the Chief
Magistrate of our Nation with discretionary
authority over individuals which scarcely
belongs to a despot in Europe, were swept
from our Statute Books by THOMAS JET
PERSON and his colleagues who made, at
about the beginning of the present century,
the first organization of the Democratic Party.
With the defeat of its principles came the
utter overthrow Of Federalism. Out of its
ashes sprung up the Wing party-of course
upon issues before unknown, which lead off
with an immensely of intellect and money
power, and for many years stood the represen-
tative Of National principles and OF men in
every section of cur Union 1t was indeed
great party,-great in numbers, great in the
talent it commanded, and great in the
measures, fallacious as they were, of which
it was the embodiment
This Wing party, however, as long as it
lived, was unable to lay to the hearts of its
devotees the unctious reflection of having
originated and established single great pin
ciple. The Constitution had placed a limit
on the powers of the General Government,
but had given the broadcast latitude to the
States, taking from them and the people
specific rights alone, and delegating them to
Congress. The men who constituted the
Wing Party, were the legitimate successors of
the Federalists, who, at the foundation Of our
Government advocated the limitation of the
power of the States and the People, and the
strengthening of the General Government by
the concentration in Congress of every power
that could under any pretext be placed in
that body.
The sympathies Of the men of the Wing
party were with the principles of Federalism
which had already met population. 1t was
but natural that they should attempt by indi-
rection what their predecessors boldly
avowed; and, in accordance with nature, we
find the Wing party making its great issues
upon National Bank and High Protective
Tariff, the tendency of both of which was the
great and overwhelming Capitalization of
power in the General Government. These
principles, together with all the others that
have from time, either by the accession Of
factions temporarily to its ranks, or from other
causes, been made an issue of the Wing
party, have been successfully repudiated; and
after every Reputation by the people OF
IL al. ~ uhoro IN
arose, did so upon aneuO platform. Thus the
Wing party was driven from one thing to
another, until, in 1852, it was utterly demol-
ished, since which period a combination of
dislocated and discordant fragments of parties,
in some of the States, has met with tempo
rary triumphs without any principles what
ever.
The Democratic party presents different
history. Upon every great issue, from the
time of the repeal of the Alien and Seditiou
Laws, the destruction Of United States
Bank, or the reduction of theTariff, to the
present moment it has triumphed on its
principles, and vindicated, by actual expert
ways based If an ephemeral excitement
bears us under in the whirlwind of the day,
we sink upon our principles-upon principles
which cannot perish, but which only rest TO
gather strength, to rise again with the ever
lasting power of right, and triumph over fic-
ton and delusion. No storm has been great
enough to destroy a single principle on which
we have ever stood-no combination suffi-
GENTLY powerful to keep us long in sub
lection, or to place letters upon that progress
i've spirit which carries us forward with the
times, and enables us to meet the exigencies
Of every occasion.
In Indiana the Democracy were defeated
last year, not by political association sus-
tanned by definite principles, but by mere
combination of factions, leagued for the time
for no particular object, each preserving its
own crude idea of right, and all submitting
to the cooperation Of each, with the hope
that something might grOw up upon which
all could cling, and around which each could
rally and form permanent party.
This triumph, however, worse to them
than defeat, gave them nothing to clins
to, produced for them no great result fo
which they could receive the respect of the
people; and, as consequence, in one shor
year they have fallen to pieces. What cal
they now rally upon-on ,0hat issue will
they make the fight in the contest of ffty-sir
These are questions which it will be difficult
for any one to answer, for some time yet
come. Without pretending to say wha
issues will be presented by the opposition, W,
will venture the prophesy, that in this State
they will not in ftty-sir, stand on a solitar
principle they advocated in the campaign G