Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-02-13
Democratic Principles

wednesday Msrnisg. 1871 esresfy sSs 800.
Democratic Principles
The Republican censures the course OF the
National Americans in Congress, because "they
held no caucu.-passed No resolutons-dd not
display their principles"-and contrasts il with
that of the Democrats, whose resolutions were
clear declarations Of known democratic princi.
PIES" and announced the ''party's position on
tho most prominent questions before the coun-
try" The resolutions to which the Republican
refers asserted two propositioas-the enc that
the Democratic party would maintain aud carry
out the principles If the Kansas iaw-the other
that the party known Know Nothings had vio-
iestly asssiled civil and religious liberty. The
latter can hardly be called principle; it is
" an xnprincipied assertion, groandless and
calumnious. The fermer might be regarded
principle. IL there were any unity Of opinion in
the democratic party as to the true interprcta-
ton and import ef<he Kansas law. but when
the party in the North give that law ccnstruc-
,ion as antagcnistic To that Of the party in the
South as faisehood Is to truth.how can the Re
publican pronounce geaersi resolution appro-
wing it to be the declaration of u known demo-
cratic principle! Which, We pray the Re
publican to tell US, ia the Democratic prin-
ciple--that which afRrms that the Legisla
ture Of Kansas has power 10 abolish and
prohibit slavery. or that which denies it.
that which recognizes the right of the first
abolition and foreign sqaatters who rush in
TO the Territory TO forbid the slave holder
to come there, or that which maintains thai
the people of all the States have equal
right to go there wita their property, until n
lawfully and regularly made State cons,itu
ton forbids tina which hslds that slavery is
the creature Of local law AID cannot 81 into
Territory until statutes permitting and protect
ing IL have been passed, or thst which asserts
that the constitution, as The paramount law Of
the land, protects slavery wherever there is no
local law prohibising it, These, we respectfully
submit to the Republican, are aneng the most
prominent questions before the cnnntry." What
is the true Democratic position" respecting
them DO the res"utims referred no by tho
Repubcan defRe it ! ysesc resolutions we be.
iieve there but one, were voted for by mem
bers from the North aud the South known by
their own confessions to entertain ocntrarent
and irreconcilabe opinions on fhe matter en-
braced inthcm--by Richardson, who advocates
squatter sovereignty, aud Bocook, who holds
chat sqaatter sovereigntyis as 'iadcaensbe in
pripciple aud as dangerous in practice as the
Wilmot Proviso." We beg the Republican to
tell us what is the Democratic principle" set
tied by the Kansas law And we challenge its
editors to 60, with their interpretotoa of that
laS, ilno the State, convention shortly to assem-
BILE, and instruct the Virginia delegation to go
into the National Convention with the same in
terpretaton, aud require its ACKNOWLEDGMENT aud
affirmation there as preliminary coalition to
their cooperation in the Presidential election
viii the Republican do il Will any Virginia
Democrat do II Vital, present and mcenentous
as the question is, have they the nerve to bring
the party North and South TO a square up decla
ration Of opinion regard 10 it! At present
the Northea Interpretation prevails. The Pres
ident, elected by Democratic vetes, supports il /:
Gen. Cass, the democratic leader in the Senate,
holds it: Cot. Richardson the Democratic leader
in the House, holds 1T Nor,hera Democrats
every where maintain il. VIII the South, ia such
a crisis, be dumb win the proud cid Virginia
Democracy, accustomed 10 lead and scernng to
skulk, dodge this issue! VIII our frank and
fearless friends who conduct the Republican per-
init them to do so We shall soon have all UNI
certainty removed, by the proceedings of the
convention of the 2sth Wo shah then learn
whether party or principle-sacccss or the
South be dearer to the Democracy Of Virginia.
A report Of changes and notifications in the
commercial systems of other nations, during the
year ending September 80, 1855, was sent to the
House Of Representatives. by the Hon. w. l..
Marcy, Secretary Of State, on the 5th inst The
report bears date December 10, 1855, and is
very veluminous. Comprising some SIX hundred
manuscript, pages. In it are presented returns
I rom about seventy Of the most important con.
sulates. The report is made in compliance with
the act Of August, l8t2. requiring Of the Secre-
tary OF State to make communication of this
character .'at the ommencement Of each session
of Congress-" Notwithstanding it's Importance
this act has laid imperative foF than eleven
years. and seems, indeed, never to have been re-
garded but on two occasions. The Secretary of
) tate has now revived it, and in letter to the
House states that he has taken every measure.
within the province Of his Department, to Sc
cure faithful compliance with the law of 1912,
in the future.
FOREIGN lMMIoRArIoN.-1he annual report of
fine New York Commissioners of Immigration for
the FEARLESS contains some statements of gene
raj interest From it We learn that during that
period no less than l72.336 destitute and diseas-
ed alien immigrants were relieved, forwarded
and provided with employment by the Commits.
sioners." This Is more than the whole numher