The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-08-19

! rMr. c. said he would briefly assign
some of the reasons which had brought him
TO the determination to support Buchanan
and Breckinridge.
He could not support Mr.. Fillmore. He
was a supporter OF his administration he
thought it one of the purest and best which
tranSpired in his time; and if it could be
restored, as he thought it was, he would
prefer it over all others. He had, too. been
an ardent admirer of Mr.. Fillmore person
ally. and if he could regard him now as he
formerly had, he would perhaps prefer him
for the high Office which he once filled, over
all others. But he had changed The
painful conclusion had been forced upon
him that Mr. Fillmore was not now what he
had been. He had become a member of a
secret political organization, dangerous in
its tendency, destructive of the freedom of
political opinion. and at war with the theory
OF mans capacity for f-government-an
organization proscriptive in its character
and intoIerant in religious freedom. which
enforced its jesuitical policy by oaths not
authorized by the law and demoralizing in
their tendency. He is, as we are informed,
''a member in good standing of Council
177," in western New York If this be so,
few will doubt, it is a sad truth.-Its dis
covery crimson'd his check with shame
In allowing himself to be placed in this po-
sition, Mr.. Fillmore has been unjust to him
self, and reckless of his own fame. But
this is not all-he has unwhigged himself
he has become a member of an organiza-
ton which boasts of having risen on the
ruins, and in spite of the opposition, Of the
Whig party, and proclams in its well con-
sidered confession of faith that it is not re-
sponsible for the obnoxious errors and vo-
lated pledges of that party. He consorts
with Andrew jackson DonelsOn, the defa-
mer of his administration and the revier of
the Wing party "a Democrat of the stamp
most odious to Whigs-and he now demands
of US, as Wings, our support to this extra
ordinary and anomalous association. AT
this moment he is carrying the banner of
those who conspired for the destruction of
the Whig party. With these facts before
him, he could not recognize Mr.. Fillmore
as Whig-he had disrobed himself of that
title-he is an alien from the fold, and had
not shadow of a claim, based on old par
ty associations, to the support of the few
who still remain constant to the ancient
faith
But if we were willing, in consideration
of his services. to overlook these serious
objections to Mr.. Fillmore, he could not
support him without also supporting Mr..
Donelson. The two are indissolubly blend
ed; and he would not vote for Mr.. Donel-
son. He had not a single qualification to
recommend him for the high place for which
he is nominated and to old Wings, he is,
perhaps, the most Objectionable man who
could be named. For his own part, he was
not willing to vote for any man for Vice
President whom he would be unwilling to
trust President. He had not forgotten
the blasted fruits of the Whig triumph of
1910. Who would be willing to see Mr..
DonelSon President? No one, he would
say; and yet, if the Fillmore ticket pre-
walls, he may, and probably will be. Twice
have the Wings carried the Presidential
election, and on both occasions hardly had
the shout of triumph ceased to re-echo be-
fore they were called upon to mourn the
death of their President. What right have
we to calculate upon exemption from like
calamity in the next Presidential term =
What guarantee have we that MIR. Fillmore
will not also be taken? and if he should be,
who is not appalled, at the idea of the duties
of that high station devolving on Mr.. Dom
elson! Who does not tremble at the thought
of intrusting him with the whole power of
this Government; of placing in his hands
its army and its navy; of committing to
ing to his charge the settlement of the per-
ilous questions of domestic policy which at
this moment are rudely agitating the Union
of these States, and threatening dissolu-
ton He could not vote for Mr.. DonelsOn;
and if any one should twit him for support
ing Mr.. buchanan because he is Demo-
crat, Mr.. &. would just remind him that Mr..
DOnelsOn, also, is a Democrat, with the stain
of Known othingism and incapaclty super
added.
But if he waived these considerations,
there were other reasons, still more CON
elusive, which obliged him at this crisis to
give his support to Mr.. Buchanan. The !
contest in which we are engaged, unhappi- |
ly, is a contest between the North and the |
SOuth--between abOlitionism and freesoilsm
on the one side, and the preservation of |
southern rights and the Union on the other.
This was the real issue, and he might say !
the only issue now to be decided-and one !
of more overwhelming Importance was new
er presented to the American people. On /
the one side we find the republicans, led on |
by Mr.. Fremont. sustaining the ultra nor
thern view. The objects of this party are
they are humiliating to the /
South, and destructive of her constitutional !
rights and teriai interests. The repub- /
icans deny to her her just share of politi-
cal power; negative those constitutional !
guarantees which were intended for her !
protection, and without which she would !
never have entered the Union. And is there !
no danger that they may triumph! Alrea- |
dy have they obtained control OF nearly |
every State Legislature north of Mason and /
Dixon's line; they have majority in the /
House of Representatives, which elects the /
President in case of the failure of the peo-
pie TO elect; and to preside over the delib-
erations of that body, they have elected !
Mr.. Banks, who boldly avows, that sooner /
than abolition and freesoil measures should |
fail, he would '.let the Union slide" The !
people of the free States, burning with fan /
aticism, inflated by their successes, and |
needless of constitutional restraints and of .
are madly rushing into the |
republican ranks with a unanimity hitherto
without example,; and it may well be fear
ed that even the united energies of all south
ern men and the conservatives of every sec
ton may be too feeble to resist their over (
power. The Union trembles un-
der the blows of this sectional strife: God !