Washington sentinel., 1856-05-22

have not the nerve TO pass the stream, and
encounter the valiant knights of time-honored
error. Like TIE woman of old, who turned to
gaze upon the burning city, ue revert to the
history of the past. We are allured by the
destinations of the almost unbroken Sodom of
two thousand yearsl Crowns scepters, palaces,
and all the paraphernala of the ignoble great,
tiit before US like golden dreams. With all our
boasted love Of liberal principles, we are still
prone to walk by the light of bygone empires
we still venerate the crurAkling ruins of the
ancient dungeons of humanity; we pause be-
fore the Parthenon, the Coliseum, the Pyramids,
the castles Of the Rhine, the fragmentary re-
mains of the tabernacle of Jupiter Ammon, and
the Tower of London, not to admire the super.
human energies Of generations past, but to
indulge secret regret that ace are not per.
mitted to fight with wild beasts for the edi6ca.
ton OF a heathen popuace-that aoe are denied
the privilege of worshipRng "thirty thousand
god" ,ce can never be "hewers Of wood
and drawers of water, for an Egyptian tyrant;
we stand as much in need as our ancestors of
political regeneration we have our Sodom and
Gomorrah, and cling with an eastern devotion
to the ancient prostitute, despotism we turn,
like the race of Jacob, back to the land of
bondage, and are all but ready to recross the
river OF our redemption that we may revel
again in the viands of our degradation and
shame.
As the period for the meeting Of the Cincin-
natl Convention approaches, the friends of vari-
Gus candidates naturally press their claims with
increasing zeal. In some instances, it is to be
regretted, too much feeling has been manifested,
and spirit of bitter rivalry engendered; men
OF the highest order of mind whose lives have
been devoted 10 the seryice of their country, are
arraigned as if they had been guilty of criminal
offenses, and formally tried at the bar of popu-
lar opinion.
Democrats should remember that the Pre-
sidency is position neither to be sought nor
refused, but particularly not to be carried by
storm. Whoever would win the prize, should
trust his claims to the enlightened delegates
who will assemble in June to consider them.
Attempts to forestall the Judgment of the
people almost invariably prove futile, if they
do not absolutely recoil upon their agents. No
other body of men in the world can be found
so independent the Democracy of America;
dictaton they will never submit TO, whether it
emanate from the press the stump, or the halls
of Congress.
II We shall nominate man of ability-one
tried in the fre-one who has been identified,
at every step, with the great issues of the cam
| pagn, he will sweep almost the entire South,
4
| The only ground upon which we can hope to
| triumph over our enemies, is that of NoS-INTER-
vENTIoN. No candidate, unless he shall stand
fairly and boldly upon this great cornerstone
OF the Democratic creed, can ever hope to sue
ceed. Our enemies are waiting for US to tremble
on the eve of the conflict, and are ready to
profit by every false step which we shall take.
We must meet the issue which is rendered us;
it is not possible to escape or ignore it.
The opposition now number in their ranks
all the weather-beaten, diseased old backs of
politics that ever fought, or pretended to fight
under the banner of Democracy. These Old
Men of the Island, that periodically attempted
to ride our party over the precipice, or Arnold
like, to sell our principles for price, have bid
US final adeu, and registered their names on
the proper record. To say<we could spare them,
is not to say enough; they we're dead weights,
encumbering our march, and demoralizing our
energies; their open detection and desertion
was positive blessing to us; we should thank
God that they are gone, and pray that they
may never return. The true men of the oppo-
stion are coming over to us every day. The
slavery question is settled forever. The clouds
which temporarily obscured The horizon are
rapidly disappearing, and the outlines of
| frightening sky already be discovered
| From some portion Of the Union, our ears are
continually greeted by the shout Of democratic
victory Chicago, indianapolis, Cincinnati,
and many other cities Of the North, have been
! gloriously redeemed from the thradom Of Abo-
litionism and bastard Americanism. From
various parts Of the South and East, the notes
Of triumph are daily sounded. We have only
TO grid on our armor, meet the enemy in the
| open field, and place our party once more upon
the high ground which it occupied in the days
/ Of Jackson and Polk.