Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-02-19

asserting the right of Congress to tax one por.
ton of the Union at the expense of the other,
and the last, as steadily and inAexibly denying
this right The struggle was marked by many
hard fought battles, each resulting, however, in
apartial victory to the Democratic party, and
closer approximation Of the system to free
trade, one Of the cardinal principles of the
party. The advance to this contamination so
devoutly to be wished, has been slow, from the
necessity of the case, but not the less sure.
AS to the various modes Of regulating the
currency of the country, which have been pro-
posed for many years, and the contest about
which, has resulted in relieving the country
from that greatest of all denominations, Unite1
States or Government Bank, almost by com
mon consent, the present mode-the sub treas
ury-has been found to operate so successfully
that all opposition to it has been hushed.
Internal improvements by the General Gov
eminent is another, and not less obnoxious
feature to the State-Ri ght's party. This party
has Away held that the Constitution gave no
such power to the federal government. The
granting Of any such power by the States,
would have opened wide the door to innumera-
BILE excuses, for absorbing the common treasure,
and applying it to all sorts of reckless expen-
ditnres, sanctioned by hasty or corrupt leg
islation. But this is not all; it would have
tended to corrupt the government after
while, and made it, and its functionaries, part
ners in these unworthy projects of speculation.
Here again the Democratic Administration of
our internal affairs, corrected an abuse of the
spirit and letter of our compact We shall at
future time show if an innovation has heen
attempted to be made upon this leading land
mark of our faith by any one connected with
our own party.
In conclusion, Of this enumeration, of what
we honestly believe to be the invaluable tenets
Of the Democratic State-rights' party, are our
relations sciM foreign governments. 1t is one
of the consequences of government like ours,
which has by its own inherent power thrown off
the yoke Of monarchical oppression, and
planted upon her battle plains the tree of her
to the older governments of Christendom. We
do not regret this-the spirit and letter Of pro
gress both command it, and we are prepared
to meet the Issue. Having triumphed more
than once in the cause of right, we do not in.
tend tamely to surrender the advantage
achieved BY our arms and treasure, because Of
the taunts or insolent assertions Of any foreign
power, however strong it may be in its own
conceit. And here we may fifty say. that
there is nothing so prejudicial to q successful
controversy upon this head as a firm, unchang.
ing policy upon the part Of the government.
Vacllation, imbecility are fatal. We have re-
peatedly disavowed the doctine--the piratical
doctrine of fllibusterism. We believe no
victory an honorable one, save that which may
be achieved under the flag Of The country
We will not further elaborate this point.
We do not intend to arrogate to ourselves the
right to suggest to, or the power to enforce
upon, the State-rights' party creed of our
own construction. 1t is as fit to Judge as our.
selves. But we do mean to say, that the man
who breaks or has broken the least of these
commandments, can have no quarter from us.
These, then, in our judgment, are the verits-
BILE principles by which, we think, our party
should be governed, and, by consequence, the
principles which should govern the party in
the selection of candidate at the next Cincin-
natl convention.
How faith has been kept by our present Chief
Magistrate and his advisers is q question
pregnant with import, and which, because of
the unexpected length Of this article, we will
examine into in future number.