The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-15

Baltimore as a political power, and the wisest
of Democratic statesmen, a man who was i'm
bued with the true spirit of Democracy, and
would not surrender it at the bidding of the
one idea-I mean Martin Van Buren-was
beaten for the nomination of President. The
free North was for him, because it felt that he
had been struck down in 1910 uni Justly, and
because he was true and tried statesman.
The slave South was against him, because he
had opposed the acquisition of Texas, slave
State. The memorable twothirds rule was
passed, and the will of a majority defeated.
From that year we date doughfaceism; from
that year the decadence of the principles of
Democracy, which were replaced by the other
idea, which / have said constituted one of the
pair now named the Democratic party. From
the time of Jefferson, the Democratic party had
suffered but two reverses. 1t was the dominant
party of the Republic; its principles CON-
manded the support of the masses of the peo-
pie, because of their truth and justice; and the
one idea saw in that organization the means OF
permanent advantages and, like Delilah of
old, with its lures and wiles of Office, it has
shorn this modern Samson of his strength.
In l848, another Northern statesman sought a
nomination for the Presidency. Warned by the
fate of Mr.. Van Buren,, he wrote a letter, con-
ceding to the South, not all it demanded, but
enough to pave the way for hope, and as his
reward he received the nomination he sought.
But a more reliable man for the South was his
opponent In the election; and the one idea, true
to itself at all times, gave its support to the
candidate who had interests identical with its
own. Thus, two Northern statesmen-men re-
nowned for their attachment to the principles
of Democracy, were struck down; one for NOM
inaton, because he was still true to the doctrines
of the father of the church the other in the
election, because the one idea had not received
an obeisance low enough, and because slave
holder was his opponent.
The ever memorable and accidental admins
tration of Fillmore, during which the single
birth, attended with so much trouble, took
place, so Disguised the people of the North,
that they visited terrible vengeance upon the
party he was supposed to represent. In the
nominations and elections of 1852, the one idea
was on the side of the popular party; and from
the advent of the present Executive we may
date the exact and close union of the two IDEAS
Slavery and office. This union needed some
striking solemnities to inaugurate it in the
minds of the people-some monument to per-
petuate its political strength, by showing what
two ideas can do 10 the councils of a nation
The Kansas bill was passed. compact was
broken--a majority of Representatives were
reduced to a minority-rules of legislation were
violated and in defiance of the popular will,
in defiance of right, justice, and public faith,
two ideas ruled and rioted in the plenitude of
their power. And, yet, the North is "aggres
sive." l wish it were so! Far better would it
be that the North, representing, as it does, the
true spirit of our Government-life, action, and
be aggressive, than to be what
it has been, tame, timid, and compromising
A world of trouble would have been saved to
the future; for the harvest is sown, and the
crop will be gathered.
And we, who have passed our lives in. the
Democratic party-we, who have given the
best proof in our power of our sincere love of
principle, In refusing to recognise party in
which the lust of office is allied with the evil of
Slavery, as the Democratic party of Jefferson
we are told by this party of two ideas that we
are not Democrats. / am not choice about
names they have too often been the means of
deceit; and while am sure that l hold to the
principles of the past, party designations are
all of but small moment. We all know, that
what was Democratic at the North eight years
ago is not so now; at least we who hold to the
old faith are denounced by our political doctors
as traitors, and read out of the church as schis-
mates and heretics, beyond the pale of hope.
Just six years ago, as the editor of Demo
cratic organ, used the following language in
its columns, and it was then good Democracy ::
"What does the South want? Her rights in
the Territories? She has them? Her citi-
zeDs are as free to go with their wives and
children, their wagons and horses, rs the citi-
Gems of the North. Will that not satisfy the
South? Has she some peculiar right which the
North does not possess, and does not wish !?
Has she the right to take into free Territories
{ 81 h. 10 TO- ~
the North regards as pestience, and which
it knows to be its natural enemy? Most GER
tainly not. There is right stronger than
that claimed by the South-the natural right
of man. 1t is right which overrides all
others. 1t is omnipotent, Irresistible. 1t
acknowledges an equal right, but no superior.
1t goes hand in hand with its equal, but not
with the slave. 1t breathes and lives in the
pure air of Freedom, and suHocates in the at
mosphere of Slavery. 1t only asserts the
9 great principle of life-that of selfpreserva-
tion-when it says, the fertile plains and smi-
ling valleys of our new lands shall be free. II
the South is content with Slavery where it now
exists, we are. All we ask is, that it shall re-
main where it is."
This was Ohio Democracy in 1850. The
resolutions of its State Conventions breathed
the same unmistakable language, and under this
banner of non-extension we marched on to vic.
tory as the Democratic party. But the party
Rspudiated its platform, and the Democracy oil
Ohio have repudiated the party. In 1854, when
a majority of eighty thousand of the people OF
Ohio repudiated the Kansas bill, the nominees
of the present Democratic party did not dare
to breast the storm, but preached that act as the
great charter of Freedom--as an act that was
to make all the States hereafter to be admitted
free but the people would not believe them
they loved the old Democracy better than the
new.
And of what is the present Democratic party
composed? have shown that it has two ideas
aud in the nature of things, with two such ele
ments, the collection must be homogeneous
From extreme radicalism, it has gone over to
extreme Hunkerism. 1t is now the conservative
Federal party of the Union; and, instead Of
being the rollicking, dashing party of the past
full of revolutionary designs, it is now staid and
quiet, and talks very demurely of law and order
1t has gathered to itself the conservatism of the
North and of the South and with the specious
cry of popular sovereignty" it seeks to march tc
victory. Kansas stands as a living monument OF
the kind of popular sovereignty" the one idea
would concede to the North and the support il
receives from the other idea shows exactly wha
the people have to hope from the union ofthem
both. tits precisely the popular sovereignty ,
the present perjured usurper of France permit
| ted its people to have after the coup Getat, 10y
which he won his way to throne through blood
| and carnage-if you vote as directed, You car
vote-if not, not. A slave State, Missouri-ons
of the twins of lS20-fears the effect upon hel
property if a free State is formed on her border
and her citizens regulated the popular sover
eighty of Kansas. A Legislature, thus chosen
! passed laws which must disfranchise every emf
grant from the free States, yet we must hav,
| law and order;" and the party of two ideas
claiming to be the same that stood by the free
men of Rhode Island In their reyolntion-