Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-05-09
THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
OLp.LINE WINGS IN ALLIANCE WITH
TIE DEMOCRACY.

Equally alarmed aud Disguised by the ihuea"'"
Of disposition on the part of "Old-Llne wing,
cooperate with the Democracy i'll the approao""s
.pys.s our neiphbor has set itself to work WIN
wonderful zeal to prevent the contemplated aa"'e'
We admit the sincerity Of the "h's a"'p"'"' "
the probable coalition. but we eaun0' e'n'>1' ''e
suaicisncy Of its arguments.
It's in virtue of law Of our nature that resent
mens last even after the original Pro7oca'ion cease'
I, operate, Men who have been long opposed III AL
8rv controversy, are apt to regard one another with
a;s,rr,t vbep in fact all Of antasonism is re-
,n,yed and their interests have become IDENTICAL
The twenty years struggle between the Wing and
Democratic parties, naamed anmosities aud pro-
voked preudices, which survive now with scarcely
diminished intensity Of operation. The Ipatg, IN It's
effort to drive Old.Line Wings from the support of
the DsmocIstic candidates avais itself OF this Turk
lug hostility and strives to inHame afresh the burn
ing embers Of extinct quarrel. The success of its
appeal depends on the condition, that the Od-Line
WbiSs will obey the blind impulses of passion, rather
than be governed by the obvious dictates of reason;
and that in crisis Of extreme peril to the county,
they will prefer the defeat of the Democracy to the
triumph of patriotism. The Wh;e may calculate on
the prevalence Of so unworthy prejudice among
Old Line Wings but for ourselves We expect better
things of them than such insane and reprehensible
resistance to the imperative obligations of patriotic
duty.
Every body must admi, that no issue of principle
separates the Wing and Democratic parties. We
have not abandoned single plank of our platform,
nor abated one ot title of devotion TO the che
rshed principles Of our party. Neither perhaps do
Wings surrender their convictions; but they certain
ly do not propose to develop them in system OF
public policy. No Wing now thinks of re.estabishns
National Bank of restoring Restrictive Tariff, OF
reviving stupendous scheme of Internal Improve.
ment or Of breaking down the barriers Of State
Rights. The principles of Democracy have triumph
ed before the people, and incorporated in the per.
msnent policy o. the government. No person is so
foolish as TO attempt TO restore condemned and OBJ
.ols,e system. Old issues, therefore, being extinct,
there 10 nothing separate patriots Of the Wbg and
Democratic parties in this emergency, except few
triang differences and the memory Of ancient anita.
sonisms Shall such ridiculous causes OF hostility
keep honest Wing. from the discharge Of their duty
to tho country' Will they not surrender idle Pr,Ju-
dios at the bidding of patrio;isa' Can any mere
punotilio of pride keep them aloof from association
with men, who are intent only on the public goodl-
Viii they stand in selfish isolation, and thus be ac
eessory the triumph Of the common enemy, rather
.han cooperate with the only party that has the will
and the power to save the South and the Unioni-
These inquiries address themselves to the judgment
and heart Of every Wing who is sincerely attached
70 the Institutions of the South, and is really con.
eerned for the stability of the Union.
The Old.Line Wings of the South profess to be
conservative in matters Of foreign policy: is not the
Democratic party now conservative enough to salts
fy the most scrupulous sticker for the faith of rea
ties and the obligations of public law Old .Line
Whigs oppose sec,ionalism: are not the Democracy
the bulwark Of the Cnionl Old-Line Wings pre-.
tend to peculiar regard for the Institutions Of tue
South: is not the Democratic party the only POWER
in antasouism to abolitionsm! Separated then only
by hereditary auimosi,ies or by issues OF an insig
ufcant character, aud concurring on cardinal prn.
ciples of present policy, why should honest WhS-
aud the honest Democracy defeat common object,
which they may so easily achieve by combination
of forcesI
The Wa,s holds it's nose at the thought of asso.
citation with the Democracy. Indeed! Why, you
welcomed the mere refuse of the Democratic party,
TO au eager and delrious embrace. There was no
affectation Of decent dsSust and supercllious con-
tempt, when such men as Nat. Claiborne sought
your alliance. Even as the bridegroom rejoices to
meet hi, bride. with such impatient desire did you
oon,ummate your nuptias with the faded outcasts OF
the Democracy. By your own act Fillmore, Wing
i. welded to Doneson, Democrat; and there is moi
Democrat of any pretension ready to consort with
you, whom you have not oourted and complimented
with al empty nomination to an uuattainabe office.
You took Beale, you took Patton, you took Morris
you took Rens and other names not worth the men
ton; and whatever might have been your secret
tempt, nobody any exhibition Of disgust with
the association. The argument will not serve your
purpose. It cuts both ways. II Old-Line Wings
are TO be repealed from utilization with Democrats,
then they cannot cooperate with kuow-Nothings,
for their motley ranks are recruited from among the
rabble of the Democracy. II Oid-Lin Wings
shrink from the support OF Democrat, they must
repudiate the Know Nothing ticket, which parades
Andrew jackson Done!son candidate for the
Vice Presidency Of the United States.
Our neighbor need not be nauseated BY the thought
of contact with the Democracy. Very many Wings
Of the highest responsibility have enlisted in our
ranks, aud they none the worse for the assoca-
ton. Indeed change from Whiggery 10 Democra-
cy, is very like birth; putting of corruption
and taking on incorrup:ibity; an escape from the
bonds Of nquity to marvellous light and liberty
The conversion helps nightly. Lot the Wig follow
Madison Stuart in his enumeration of Democratic
recruits, and observe how much more they are now
admired and honored by the people. AZ Wings they
got Office not at ALL or by the skin Of their teeh
Democrats they are gratfed in every aspiration
Look at our friend Meade. With q character above
rsproach, aud talents of very high order, while q
Whg he could get no farther than the Legislature
He became Democrat, and Immediately the people
Of the South-Side sent him to Congress, kept him
there until be declined another term, and are
now ready to bc.tow upon him any other mark Of
their confidence and admiration. II is aways.~-
While Wing, the Of genius is in chrysslis state;
when bis energies fully developed aud he expands
into the respectable dimensions Of Democrat, he
bursts from his prison, into higher and purer
regions gaily hurers in the sun, aud sucks uectar
from every blushing flower
We entrea. the Wig NOT to mistake our MOTIVE
We solicit the cooperation of Old-Lne Wings from
no selfish consideration. We are certain Of a tri.
unph. We knor Virgnis will vote the Democratic
ticket, in any contingency. Whether Old Line Whige
aid or oppose US, the result will be- the sans. In
truth it is rather interest not to invite too many
TO the feast Fresh recruits have On ugly way OF
mouopolisipg the honors, to the exclusion Of Old.
Liuers. Even now We are puzzled to find subsst-
euce for our mutitudnous army. Nevertheless, we
ore anxious that Old-Lue Wings should stand shout
der to shoulder with in the coming struggle. And
this is our reason ve rant The South to manifest The
utmost harmony of sentiment and unity Of effort, IN
Gtsncs Of rs r,ghts and institutions. We want the
Nora: 70 500 that there is 60 division here aud tina
we are resolved Que man to defend our honor and
to protect our interests.