The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-12-07
PROGRESS OF THE UNION SENTI-
MENT WITH PARTIES.
from the n Y HeraId1
from the N. Y. Herald

| MEM With FAX lies.
From the N. Y. Herald
The Free Soil Know Nothing Convention
at Cincinnati, which adjourned sine die on
Thursday night, is an interesting episode in
our politics. 1t is far more remarkable as
n slide from the general embankmen. of anti.
slavery than for any intrinsic influence it is
likely to exert upon The popular mind of the
country.
Two years and = half ago, General Pierce
undertook the task of consolidating the
American people in n great union party-a
party that should be based upon the constitu.
tion. He issued an inaugural address in
which he avowed primary attachment to the
conditions of the federal Union, and an unal-
terable purpose to stand by its compromises.
He assumed executive duties applauded by
the democracy, praised by the wings, and
condemned only by the abOltionists. This
was all very well. 1t gave high promise of n
peaceful, national, conservative and successful
administration. The country had just issued
from an agitatirg contest. Ifthat contest had
served no other purpose, it advertised to
General Pierce who might be relied upon as
friends, and who should be dstrusted and
avoided as enemies. The President had his
own way of serving his purposes-he deter
mined to obliterate the landmark of party,
and to sweep the country into : kind of
Monroe millennium. In order to ,lfect this
end he adopted the singular course pf buying
up traitors. He relied upon the integrity of
those who had stood by the cause through
good report and through evil report he had
only to throw out the loaves and fishes to the
free soil abolitonists 10 draw them into his
| administration, surround them with its influ-
ences and its rewards, and he would, of
course, have everything his own way.
Without tracing out all the effects, it is
enough to say that the utter disintegration
and decentralization of the triumphant demo-
cracy was the result, and the inevitable result,
of his policy. We predicted it at the time
We undertook, as the prudent friends of his
administration and as the ardent well wishers
of its success, to point QUITO him that every
aid he gave to the enemies of the Union,
would ultimately be employed to effect its
overthrow. We warned him that the great
party which placed him N power would be
dissolved by the infuenceof his insane policy,
and that upon its ruins would be erected II
daring abolition organization, with the dis
tinct purpose of overthrOwing the constitu-
ton. In this light General Pierce, more, even,
than Mr. Seward, is responsible for the re-
publican abolition league. Without his aid
Chase would never have been Governor of
Oho-without his MD the democracy must
have triumphed in Wisconsin; Vermont, alone
(and perhaps Massachusetts, would have
been the sole representative ot disunon.
But it is not altogether clear, that the trea-
son of Pierce may not turn out n blessing 1t
has opened the eyes Of the democracy to the
necessity of trusting only honest and faithful
men. 1t has given impetus to dsunon, but
has nearly everywhere secured its defeat. 1t
has consolidated the public judgment of the
country upon the necessity Of preserving the
compact of Union as the first duty of voters.
1t has illustrated the folly of trusting men
whose past lives prov. their superior cealty to
self finterest-thei devotion to sectional theo-
ries over national obligations and faith. The
Americans themselves may well take counsel
of the folIies of Gen. Pierce. lis course has
illustrated how little short of madness it is to
seek the support of dishonest men-how
much stronger in the end is good cause in
the hands of II few true patriots than bad
one encompassed by traitors.