Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-03-11

are Buchanan, Douglas, Bright, Dickinson,
Dallas-all from the North and Norihwest2
Where are her own Statesmen, Hunter, Wise,
Butler, Rusk2 What, the South must be
narrowed down to Franklin Pierce as her next
President? We think it scarcely just and not
quite wise, to lay down such terms
Must the South furthermore humble herself
before the man who attempted to disgrace
three of the most prominent, men in our conn
try-two from her own section and one from
the gallant old Keystone, 10 whom she has
never looked in vain for help in every time of
her need II is too little awhile ago that the
course of the Administration, in the celebrated
Ostend conference was exposed, to forget or to
forgive that most shameless of all treacheries,
towards three honorable and distinguished
statesmen The blood mantled to the cheek of
every true American, and the whole country
cried shame! What does our honorable friend
think of that transaction? Is such conduct
worthy of the appreciation Of the South? Is it
in consonance with the high spirit and noble
bearing of her generous sons?
But let us look at the effect Of those things
upon our party. Franklin Pierce came into
Office nearly by reclamation, and he had for
his encouragement and support a Senate with
large Democratic majority, and but four free
soiers, all told. A House of Representatives
with an overwhelming Democratic majority,
and with only small Freesoil party. By the
fast and loose course of his administration
his habitual withdrawing with everybody
his pledges ever disregarded, or what is worse
evaded-his shutting. undecided course in our
foreign Relationships abolition appointments
and thousand and one other things we could
add, equally demorazng in their tendency;
the Lower House is in the hands of Black Re
| pubcans, and in the Senate Of the United
States the small neucleus of four freesoilers
| has been increased To one-tifth Of The whole
body Is this is result to be thankful for :?
| For this service to the Democratic party and 10
the country. the South is required by the hon
orable gentleman from South Carolina, to ode
mand" the reelection Of Franklin Pierce
Well, we are one Of the South and we are not
willing to embdrTdss the Democratic party BY
making any such demand" at all We make
no "demand" upon our party, for we will earn.
estly support the nominee of The Cincinnati
convention. but we shall continue to invoke
those who are at heart devoted 10 the State
rights creed to reject Franklin Pierce; and we
shall employ our time and the little power God
has given us. to prove him, by his own acts,
unworthy OF renewal Of our confidence. Sc
there is wide difference on this head between
| the gentleman and ourselves. But we are
quite as wide apart upon another point in the
| gentleman's letter. He modestly asserts that
General Pierce is the choice of the South,
| and in orr fhs) own State!' Now, we will
not. for po,eness sake, dispute the genteman's
right to know the sentiment of his :" own State"
better than ourselves, though we have quite
good reasons for believing he may be mistaken
even in this. But we, with all respect, submit
to the gentleman, if the avenues of public
| sentiment in the South are alone open to him?
! He does not think one man in a hundred OBJ
jects TO himi" Well we happened to see ninety
nine men in hundred at the Richmond con.
vention who did most positively "object to
himl' How many of the gentleman's own col
leagues do not object to him." and how many
are in favor of another gentleman! we should
like to know9 As to the comparison of the
dntecedents" Of Mr.. Buchanan and General
Pierce, which our friend makes, we beg leave
to pass that by with good-naiured smile.
Indeed, we have little doubt that the risable
muscles Of both the General and our solemn
neighbor Of the Union themselves were dis
turbed BY it.
1t is precisely because we do not like Gen.
| Pierce's dntecedents since the 4th Of March,
i 1853. that we are opposed TO his re-nonina-
ton. And, again, we think he is the only man
spoken Of for the succession. who by possibility
can place in jeopardy the success of the Demo.
cratic party in the coming election. Thou
sands and tens OF thousands Of true and honest
| Democrats who have been driven from our
lines into the ranks Of our enemy, or whose in.
huence and power have been neutralized by
the bad faith Of President Pierce, are ready
and anxious to come back to us upon any other
man, but who cannot be brought to his sup
port.
In conclusion, for we are already far beyond
out editorial limits, we say to our friend in all
kindness and respect, that while we are very
sorry to differ from him, We consider bis favo.
rite for the nomination the very most unfortunate
he could have made, and we are happy further
to state our conviction that he is literally
nophere in The race.
ANOTHER BLUNDERi
W. ,;ya ,1aoa H. r.lio.:-- r.