The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-05-09
STATE on POLITICAL PARTIES.

article in the New York Herald OF the 27t
ult., upon the Estate of Political Parties Z
the Country" They will be found both ia
structive and suggestive. After speaking q
the ''Old Wing Party" and the yacksonia
democracy, the article continues:
But the course and the men of the part
have wonderfully changed. The old system
save that of the name and the spirit of terrific
rial conquest, which may be said to be com
/ mon to US all, is as thoroughly obiterated ~
if il had never existed The motive and N,
principle of action are gone. There is nobod,
to fight on the old issues, and this of tsei
has operated as release to all the sworI
subjects of the party. They have not scat
tered off like the wings, but they have actual
ly done worse: they have suffered their cam
to be surprised by its avn traitors, and the
troops to be commanded by the least worthy
Of the number. General Pierce is the chief o
the party now! He commands its forces an6
gives character to its name. He has sncceed
ed to its estates, lives on its tavors aud dis
penses its honOrs. Who will say, after sur
yeying the present condition of public affairs
that the old Jackson democracy still lives in
the vigor of its manhood, the integrity of ts
life and the power of IL energies? 1t is mass
of decentralization, corruption and folly, de.
tested by honest men aud mourned over BY
patriots; it is supported by knaves, but only
as knaves know how to sustain sinking
dynasty,
Out Of the wreck of the democracy there
4 is springing up everywhere in the country a
homogeneous national sentiment, which now
finds its expression in an earnest cffor. To re.
deem the country alike from the curse of the
( Pierce policy of nigger driving and the Sew.
I ard policy of nigger worshppinr. Neither of
these extremes belongs to the old democracy.
No such fierce distractions entered into its
creed and service. 1t was n ot n party made bv
demagogues and supported by madmen-it
was lot party for the North or for the Soutb
it was great union organization, looking
solely to the constitution MS the charter of lis
existence and the guide of its pocy. IF we
had no other evidence of its prostitution, it is
enough to prove how complete has been its
abandonment of n true life of virtue, to regard
its present chiefs.
We have, then, a new democratic party-a
great Protestant organization, seeking to rid
Itself of the errors of its past life, and to com.
mand public confidence and sympathy by
good works in the future. We have the
4 black republicans, or negro worshippers, an
otfshoot of the Pierce democracy, seeking to
break up the Union on account of the exis.
tence of American slavery. We have, too, the
Know Nothing or American party, which has
sprung into existence, entangled in the
mcshes of former political assocatons--now
vigorous, powerful and triumphant; now
weak, enervated and sallen--uncertain, of its
adherents, divided in principle, broken and
.dlsiointed in council--nominating its candi.
1 date, repudating its candidate, betrayed and
shattered, recovered and re organized, and at
last great party, national in sentiment,
courageous and determined in action. The
Know Nothings came together in whrlwind,
in the midst of which if was impossible to
distinguish the fine PARTICLES of gold from the
mica which glistened and deceived the Jealous
crowd. The elements having lost some of
their rapid motions, the application of little
constitutional mercury has attracted all the
precious material TO itself, and left the balance
in the hands of the nigger worshippers..
The Know Nothings, It is true, commenced
their political career by prescribing Catholics
Iodpes--1nd vet the party as il now stands.
winnowed of the niooer worsL;oners. ia n
national one: and that ideo. in the nresent
temper of the country. NAV exercise n now.
erful influence in removing them from the
palpabIe errors of their ORGANIZATION. and
constitute nucleus around which viii he
gathered a great and predominant purtv.-
Their strength now lies more in the nossi.
Bile errors Of the other parties than in their
own position and merits. They can eusily