The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1856-02-09

m ents, every impartial man will ask himsel
the question. why gentlemen should ever hay,
made up their minds to take seats conferred b,
such means, and still more, why they Womb
dare, in face of testimony of the most positive
character attempt to vindicate just right tt
them after they had been solemnly decided
against by the senate Of Louisiana Courier
THE ISSUE BETWEEN THE DEMO
Gratis AND SOUTHERN KNOWING
THINGS
There is one fact which has been prominent
ly developed during the struggle for speaker
which is so unnatural that its future explana.
ton will engage no little OF the attention Of
southern members. The fact to which we re-
fer is, that whilst in view Of the great para
mount issue before the country, the northern
know nothings have submerged all subordinate
questions and with close approximation to
unanimity supported Mr.. Banks, the candidate
Of the republicans, the southern know-nothngs
have not only refused to waive minor questions
and to support Mr.. Richardson, the candidate
of the democrats, but have shown Gsrceness
Of opposition to him as persistent and as unre-
lentipg as they possibly could show towards
Mr.. Banks.
It will necessarily 60 before the country,
that on the national issue to which all men
are looking with fear and trembling" the
southern know nothngs concede the soundness
and reliability of Mr.. Richardson. whilst they
rcpudiate and reject the position of Mr. Banks
as peculiarly unsound. This being undenabc,
the question will be- why have the southern
know nothings SO pertnaciously and violently
opposed Mr.. Richardson The Only answer as
yet attempted to be given is, that the demo
Gratis at the beginning Of the session adopted
u resolution in connection with the nomination
OF Mr.. Richardson, which repudiatcs and con-
demns know nothingism. This answer impli-
edly comedies that but for the adoption of this
resolution, the southern know nothings would
have been prepared to submerge the subordi-
nate questions as to their peculiar doctrines,
"ht W 'b-oItldlt Will lllt UtIlOpT1IS on the
great paramount issue Upon every principle
Of common sense and common right. the south
ern know nothings being the minority of the
national portion Of the House were bound to
defer to the majority in the choice of candi-
date for speaker. This principle of action is
so obviously just and so universally acknow-
lodged that it has not been seriously oontro-
verified.
Indeed, the very position on which the SOU
them know nothings justify their refusal TO
vote for Mr. Richardson virtually admits that
as they are the minority they ought and would
cooperate in his support, but for the rcsolu-
ton of the caucus which condemned their-doc-
trincs as to civil and religious prescription and
federation. The future inquiry then, will be-
whether the fact that the democrats who nomi-
mated Mr. Richardson and at the same time
denounced know nothingism, will be salts
factory explanation of the other fact that the
southern know nothings not only declined to
support him on the great sectional issue, but
80" ~ "hS' 81 hNitC NNlIuIc llOb Only OH
him, but on The democratic party on his para-
moum issue? So unnatural and uninstiliabc
warfare has seldom ever been waged 1t would
have been inexcusablc, under all the urgent
circumstances, if the southern know nothines
had simply refused to support Mr.. Richardson,
but the offence against the true interests off
Lhc constitution and the Union was greatly
aggravated when the antagonism assumed the
of bitter assault 1t was bad en-.
ough for the south that whilst the northern
know nothings had reconcilod their differences
md presented nearly united front, the south.
'rn know nothings stood divided and unable
% unite. Bat it was infinitely worse when
,he division was made wider and the antago-
llsm still more irrecouclablc by a controversy
between southern men as to that great issue
IN which the south must be unit in feeling
md in action, if sh can expect successfully
% meet the coming storm
However offensive the resolution of the de-
nocratic caucus might be to the southern
know nothings on the subject of their organi.
,atiOn il WoulI have bppn mountainous ond