Washington sentinel., 1856-07-29

The Democratic party has always boasted
that 1t was the great progressive part of the age.
Ii can also claim to be the most conservative
party in christendom. There is no inconsistency
in this. 1t has been busy for half century
IN removing impediments from the way Of pro.
gress Ii has succeeded. The Federal doe
trines OF consolidation, Capitalization and pro-
lection Of and interference with industrial
pursuits, by the Federal Government have been
put down. The United States Bank, grand
system Of national Internal Improvements, and
a Protective Tariff have been superseded by
State Institutions and State legislation, which
infinitely better promote and achieve the ends
and objects proposed by those Federal measures
The country disembarrassed from these doc
trines and measures that impeded and retarded
her growth, has been for the last twenty years
making more rapid progress than ever be.
fore,in wealth, population, extension of terri
tory, mechanic arts and scientific attainments
The Democracy having put the ship of State on
the right course, now intend to keep her steady
on that course. They are now conservative,
but more progressive than ever. They believe
that free competition at the North and slave
labor at the South, are equally powerful agen-
cles IN promoting the growth and Improvement
and increasing the wealth of the Nation They
believe these to be the chief, almost the only,
efficient agencies for these purposes. The sms
make war on both. On slavery at the South
because, as they assert in the teeth of all ev-
dence, it is inhumane. On free competition at
the North because, as they say, it produces
practical slavery. This is true. But it is the
escaping Of the laboring class from this slavery
that peoples the West, enriches the East, and
adds to the strength and greatness of our
country.
Free competition and the despotism of capital
over labor, are the great stimuants to Northern
industry, skill, enterprise and energy. Destroy
them, as the isms propose, and our North would
become as stagnant, as indolent, as pauperised
and as iguorant as Spain or Italy. Without
slave labor the progress of the South would
cease, and half civilized mankind feel diminu-
ton of food and suffer for. lack Of clothing
The healthfulimproving, extending and increas-
ing condition of society North and South
proves that both are, in the main, we'll governed
There must be much Of happiness and of virtue
where there is so much Of progress: for misery
and sin incidentally beget decay of industry, of
knowledge, of wealth and of population A y
steady uniform course of improvement is con-
elusive evidence that the laws, institutions
habits and customs OF a people, if not perfect
are too good to be seriously tampered with. In
the midst of this general prosperity, unexam-
pied in the annals of the world the crazy isms
propose and endeavor to uproot, to change and
to revolutionize every thing. From the negro
cabin to the Presidents House, from the govern
ment of the family and the farm to that of the
Nation, they would destroy and subvert every
thing. And they may do all they propose, for
they often have the control of the State govern
ments at the North, and now almost have the
control of the Federal government.