Washington sentinel., 1856-05-13
From The Pennsylvania.

There is great moral spectacle in the pop
ular movements ofa perfectly free people. Moth
ing is so difficult of solution to the despots Of
the earth as the relations of the people to the
government, except indeed the great demonstra-
tons of the people themselves. Statesmen who
are unable TO govern empires without occupying
the masses in war; or without loading them
down with debt, or hiding from them the dan
gerous halo of the press, cannot in their phi
losophy, divine how it is that people should
be happy and content, who have no debts, who
tolerate no masters, who rejoice in perfect indi-
vidual liberty, who are at peace with all men,
and to whom the public press is anecessity like
the light Of Heaven, or their daily bread. There
is, however, in our midst at all times, class of
men, who, knowing and understanding the Sc
cret OF popular movements throw themselves
in the van Of such movements as II to seek the
inevitable destruction which hefalls them.
Let us take the case Of the extraordinary and
widespread feeling in favor Of Mr. Buch anan.
1t cannot be ignored. II is not denied, even by
those who fear IL most, it is like the air, and
penetrates everywhere. 1t astounds the lead
ers, as well as those who are in il as those who
are out oft. We are not trying to point out
uhy this state Of feeling has arisen. We speak
of 1t as an abstraction--as a fact. But this
public sentiment so strong and so apparent,
looks for its embodiment to the Cincinnati Ma
tional Convention. Many of the delegates cho-
sen by the Democracy in the different States,
we're chosen before this state Of things became
notorious. The question is, will the Cincinnati
Convention be the organ by which this senti
ment shall be respected and responded TOT We
have abundant and abiding faith in the fidelity
OF the Democratic party, especially in its 6deli-
ty to the popular will. We are willing to trust
the delegates Of that party with the selection Of
the Presidential candidate. And when the wish
Of the people Of the United States is so signaly
manifested so Significantly embodied and pro-
claimed the representative body ofthe Democrat
ic party at Cincinnati, our political Congress to
which the work already done by the people is to
be submitted, will have no trouble in coming TO a
conscientious conclusion. A very few Of those
who are disposed TO deny that the will of the
American people has been well directed in re-
ference to Mr.. Buchanan, resort to arguments
which are substantially so many confessions Of
their insincerity, or else Of their infatuation.
We have been amazed at seeing how men, en-
inently sagacious have allowed themselves to
become the endorsers Of the logic put forth in
depreciation Of the choice Of the American peo-
pie. In after years when they come to exam
inc the ground upon which they now stand,
they will be heartily ashamed that they should
have so betrayed themselves.
One or two instances may be quoted with ef.
feet What man, North or South, who will sit
down calmly and revise the past, will say 10
himself that James Buchanan is not TO be trust
ed as an ardent defender Of the rights Of the
States, whether those rights relate to the insti.
tutions of the South, to the civil and political
franchises Of the adopted citizen,or to any other
grave and important INTEREST," There is moi
now living that man whose own heart would
not rebuke the expression Of such an opinion as
that Mr.. Buchanan would be unfaithful TO such
trust. Again, we have il limited in other quar-
ters, that because Mr.. Buchanan was not in the
Nebraska conflict, therefore he ought not to be