Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-05-13
"IF THEY BELIEVE NOT MOSES AND
THE PROPHETS, THEY WILL NOT
BELIEVE THOUGH ONE ROSE FROM
THE DEAn.y

For some time past we have had occasion To
combat two views that have been taken gener-
ally by the partizan presses Of General Pierce
and his coherents. First, the absurd idea that
the opinions of statesman whose record for
the last thirty years is without spot or blemish
upon every constitutional principle involved in
the rights and equality of the States, should
noU be called into question. Second, that to
establish clear title to soundness he must ne
cessarily have been a direct party to the accom-.
plishment of the Nebraska Kansas bill. AS to
the first of these propositions, we feel at liberty
to dismiss it, with the simple statement, that
the Premier Of Mr.. Folks Administration and
the accredited Minister Plenipotentiary to the
first court in the world under Mr.. Pierces Ad-
ministration, is either clear acquittal of any
such charge or most fragrant qualification of
these Administrations themselves.
The second proposition, however, is the one
to which we propose to direct the attention Of
our readers more particularly.
To establish clear title to soundness. he
must necessarily have been a direct party to
the accomplishment Of the Nebraska Kansas
bill. This IS the charge Of disqualification Of
Mr.. BUCHANAN for the nomination for the Presi.
dency Of the great Democratic party at Gin
cinnati.
To make good the gross injustice Of so un,
reasonable proposition, we must first look
into the motive that prompted the introduction
Of this bill, and the indispensableness, under
the circumstances, of its triumphant passage
IL there was a necessity land we claim that
there was) for such bill at all, it was consti
tuttondl necessity necessity that was found
ed in the patriotic and laudable desire-na-
tional desire-to see the purposes Of the com
mon compact so carried out that the two sec
tons of our country, unhappily, and with much
acrimony, arrayed against each other, united
once and forever, upon basis, by which, in all
time, the principle being settled, there should
be no more elimination and recrimination, but
fraternal brotherhood established, whose
bonds would not be weakened by an unwhole-
some agitation upon the subject Of domestic
slavery. This we conceive to have been the
motire Of the authors and advocates Of the Ne.
braska-Kansas bill. We 90 further, and assert,
that we believe it was the genuine purpose Of
the movers and supporters of this bill, uninAu-
enced or demoralized by the hope of political
preferment. We should despise the man or
men who would so prostitute their talents and
energies to so base purpose. If we are right,
then, in according to those who inaugurated
and placed upon our national statute book this
valuable principle of the equal rights Of all
the States in the territories and the enjoyment
Of the property Of each and all Of the States
within them-that guarantees the rights Of
property, every species Of property recognized
by the Constitution, and that was intended TO
be recognized by the trainers Of that instru-
ment-if, we say, we are right in giving this
credit to them, with what sort Of justice, reason,
or fairness, are those whose fortunes threw
them in another channel Of the public service.
to be excluded from political honor and pre-.
ferment even though the whole people should
rise en- mdsse to confer them?
We admit that it is eminently proper 10
ignore the claims Of those who have not en-.
dorsed and who refuse still to endorse the prin.
ciples contained in that bill, and the bill itself
in all its parts and entirely. This is as it
should be. More than this; they should be
denounced and placed under the ban of public
reprobation and distrust
Having said thus much, which we think IL
Just and fair to say, we come TO consider the
anomalous, and, to our mind, unreasonable as.
serhon OF certain partizan presses in the coun-
try friendly to the Administration, and az hos.