Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-05-27
THE OLD LINE WHIGS.

THE OLD LINE WHIGS
| No comments are necessary to commend to the at
tention Of Old Line Whigs, and patriots everywhere
in the South, the following patriotic and powerful
appeal of the Wheeling Intclgencer, one of the
ablest and most influential Wing journals in Virginia
Its reasoning is conc usve, and its invocation to the
Old Line Wings of the South to take their stand by
the side OF the country and the national Democracy
in the present critical aspect of affairs must have
powerful influence upon the public mind in the South:
DUTY OF WHIGS.-It is a fruitful source of
speculation at present with the politicians of the
country, determine what will be the course of .he
| Old Line Wings Of the South in the coming Prcsi
Dental canvass, and many the billings and COO
ngs extended to them by the organs of the other par
ties. For our own part, we have long since conclu
| ded there is but little cause for speculation on this
subject. There is no party in the country, here has
been party in the country there can be no par.
| ty in the country more deeply, more sincerely,
more ardontly and disnterestcdy devoted to the
| true interests welfare and perpetuity of our cnu,-
try and its institutions, than the Wing party of the
South. They have fought, and fought n0bly for the
great principles of conservative progress and devel
opment, advocated end illustrated by the genius OF
| Clay, and the profound argument of Webster, but
never fer an instant have they lost sight Of the Con.
stitution and the Union, AMI never have they been
found wanting, when called upon 10 maintain. under
the Constitution, the inaensble compact rights OF
| the South.
Now. that this party is disorganizcd in part when
| the trumpet tones OF Clay more are heard leading
his coun.rymen to union and harmony, and are
hushed forever to mortal ear, even the most bitter
and partisan opposers OF our party and its principles,
concede all that we have claimed for the patriotism
aud true dsinteresedness of the Wing party aud its
great leaders, Posterity does that Justice to its pu.
riy and integrity which cotemporaucous parsanshp
was found to deny. We allude to these things in no
spirit Of unkindness crimiuaton, but for better
purpose.
Clay and Webster moro. Their eloquen,
tones OF patriotism are heard longer in their
example and in that bright balo of pre- eminent states.
manship which clusters around their principles and
names, and survives as warning and beacon 10
the Wing party ard 20 posterity. The leaders are
gone the army is much of it. scattered and disor-
| ganized, and have returned to others organic ed,
torgetful of the principles Of their first love, but
not q few even yet remain and that few thu very
"Old Guard" of Whig principles and patriotism in
times past. What is to be the course of this portion
of the Whig party in the coming canrass is the qurs.
| ton anXousiy involving the attention OF the
| three other parties Of the country. Occupying rs
does the present Wing party the high position which
uow that it lie so hopeessly in the r;ao,;y, has been
conceded TO 1t, 1t may vel. ,.cs out the principles
which have ever characterized it, A party tha, has
meyer los: sight OF the Union and the Constitution in
the "nnontide' Of its prosperity, when power and
place may well tempt il into error, may well net How
removed as il is from all chance even Of selfish mo.
tive, for the country the Union, aud the Constitution
alone. No hope of reward is held ort before it al.
lure, no fear ot cerSiir" c -erve To intindai", and
that portion os the M!ig party whu have chung sr!li
to the faith of their fathers and turned not IL idols
has now in its hand perhaps the fate of the Uuon,
| the integrity of institutions. Three pro:nncn,
parties now stand upon the arena os P"it"- rcon.
and three candidates will be offered m ,' American
people for the oce Of chief magistrate of the Union.
One oniy has been nominated, another vii! bc nornl
mated early in June, and the third will he presented
! to our view before the end Of JGy.
There is 10 probability that Wing candidate will
| be presented fur this oiice. We have advocated
convention Of tine Wing party not with view Of
making nomination, but for the purpose of re-af-
hrmng our princi pies and OF deciding .Op amt ruth
rhOm the Wing party OF the South should act in the
coming canvass. Our party must choose between
the three others, hold 1t o be the duty Of every
good citizen vote, and in voting to east his ballot
for his country What claims have the three parties
upon the Whigs7 The Black Republican faSCn il
tie party Of fanaticsm party "iad9 ~! OF Abolition
lists, Atheists Socialists Gud re OF every stripe and
hue that wGS iCunu III Joseph's coat OF many @n'f5
DisunioIsts, negro worshippers in theory, negro ia
in practice, men who aro "ppaed t" wh"tever IL,
and advocate every change from the esiabi she'd or
der of things. no matter how run"us To society, al
| cours and isms. Beechers and Stoves. band thu;
would have made even Caasine blush, here found
mingled together fraernalIy acting Tor - IAN oi
the South, the dissolution of ...c Eu.., @ud the G
mate extinction o. ;i!e efn race ITSELF The nominal
ob;ec. "A lnslr assumed philanthropy. il will hardly
, bee.pected that the Wig party to which we refer
can fraterni2e with this pirate crew. Then comes the
American party rs they style themselves, and we will
speak only of the party South, as we regard the
Northern Know Nnthngs IA nothing E".!s, IL .he
mass than the Black ReDuhlioaa pa.iy ,!scif Tor at
Philadelphia they pc :ea themselves the enemies oi
the Souih py TIE abolition OF the ih section and the
establishment 10 its stead Of a mongre platform
! broad enough in It's base and general enough in its
terms to hold cheek by jowl the Giddings' of the
North, with the craziest disunionsts of the Smith
the inhabitants Of Patagonia and cregajar, a China
and California.
Eu; Ii OF ih5 Southern party that speak, that
L g Il
| by the nomination of Millard Fillmore. Concede
this party to be zealousy devoted TO the rights oF
the South sany other party can be- conceSso tGG. up
this question it is sonnd S as .'nooratic party,
fer it What single Wing principle does it profess,
or Ia contained in its platform We have been able
to find no one of old text books in their OF
study; we have searched in vain for the Tr~SI I'D
dag with its emblazonry, which tl"J nas 50 often
and goriously :nfrried 10 the breeze, but we have
Iouud it not nor sall We have refused to assent
to their peculiar principles and forms, because we
could not approve OF them, and they themselves,
even have learned to cast aside the muEE.e.y oi
their earlier organization while :ho late platform
notifies their prinap,es Goth cs 20 religion and place
CT nativity. What claim has this party upon the
Wing party If to disorgnn11s H. If to draw OF its
turn their powers against the foregnhor ct:1en, be
cause of gratitude on the part 0: the WhiGs, then
perhaps they have g Claim 1t utter prescription OF
Wings by this party Swaeneyer strong & em"EM Wn /"
should act with them. then we should be grateful i'll
deed, for from the very organization OF iEe p"rty,
whenever ttsy were in majority the wing who
acted with them, and aided by thein had first 10
adapt himself to the PrOcrustean bed of intolerance,
upon which they laid him. Does this constitute
claim upon the Wing party It vii. Lardy be con-
tended that this rartY iss Gny claims on the Whig
LgrtS If il has, we are ct loss to know III what il
consists Then comes the Democratic party. 1t is
all old political organization, and ore essentially va
rian. from The principles of Federal policy, which
have been advocated by the Whigs, in days gone by
They have been opponents, and nobly has the
Wing party conended against their measures and as
party, party grounds, they have &c csSIl OIL tho
the Wings
But upon tha great question of attachment to the
Jrnicu If its preservation aud perpetuity, the Demo-
| cratic party of the South stands unquesoned. 1t
has defended, and It will defend, the rights Of the
South and its most partisan opponents are willing to
concede this. Then, whan we look to the North, we
6nd that with but few exceptions tins party alone
dares maintain the constitutional rights of the South.
| While the Wing party of the North has been torn
in,o fragments by incongruous elements; while abo-
touisls in every shape and every hue haze Gnder-
mined it and worked Its iEin. whie the hnow-No'
thing marty Of the Eor,h, toterng, As did for sea-
sop anon t,e 18th seeon, has falens also prey to
| Che same wild spir of tana;icsm and can nn longer
claim existence there separate from ao"itinhls:n
and free soiIism, the National Democracy OF the
North, though at war with DINERS upon quesnons Vi
State policy have alone stood forward Is t:a acvo
Gates Of the constitutional rights p the South and OF
equality to all ssc,ioas horne down, as they have
been during the last three years, overwhel'ned as
they have been by the wave of fanatiosm which was
rolled up by the passage of the Nebraska bill, they
nave yet stood firm in these their principles, ana ye
dare, IN the face of numbers and fresh from detent
to rally upon the principles, acknowledging
Southern equality. aud are ready to engage the
crowded masses OF fauaticism. They have suffered
for these principles, yet they maintain them; they
h2ve been defeated BY these principles and y0t do
they rs.affirm and declare them, This is the party
at the North, and oil Scuherners not blinded by par
zanshp or Aeal must concede that in thus maintain
ing the constitutional rights OF the South this party
| stands alone at the North.
| What then il the great issue in the coni,n ran.