American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-06-20


meeting of the Conventions
TULIP GROVE, May 26, 1857.
Sir: l regret that it is not in my
power to attend the meeting of the A.
merican party, which is to be held at
Louisville on the 3D. Of juno. / regret
this the more as | approve of the OBJ
Jects OF tho meeting, and believe that
much good will be effected by it. The
local prcjudices which have enabled the
party, called by General Jackson the
"sham Democracy," to get possession
OF the Federal Government, are rapid
ly losing their influence; and there are
many reasons in other respects for say
ing that the people already comprehend
the machinery by which the true inter.
ests OF the country have been sacrif-
ced to subserye the purposes of few
sectional agltatorS.
We see in the formation of the pres
ent Cabinet, as we did in that which it
supersedes, Il coalition of the most dis.
cordant elements, u mockcry of the
most Important landmarks established.
by our earl y statesmen.
Mr.. Buchanan, in 1852, unwilling
to risk the displeasure Of the nulliier
and abolitionist, profcsscd to consider
the maintenance of the Missouri Coln-
promise as the panacea for the evils
which had grown out Of the slavery
agltatlon-an agitation which he was
among tho first TO start. lie was So
sensitive on this subject that he felt
himself aggricved when his name hap
pcncd to be placed in the same list with
the patriots who sustained the measure
Of 1880. lie desired it to be under
stood that the line Of 36 30 was his
measure, and that it was almost as sa-
cred as the Constitution itself. 1t was
in this attitude that he made terms with
alien squattcr sovereignty, throwing
overheard his sacred 80 30, as he had
done his 54 40, and suddenly became
the medium through which the Buffalo
platformists, the Nashville-IIart
conyentionists, and all the other ultra
lists that have disturbed the peace of
the country for the last seven years,
have gained momentary triumph and
have now potential voice i'll the Fed
eral Administration.
We are indebted to Mr.. Buchanan
and this alien squatter sovereignty for
the composition Of Cabinet which re-
presents nothing national, and which
can do nothing but reward the ultra
partiSans who are the most active in
arraying one section Of the country a.
gainst another. We sec in one of the
Departments Secretary who but a
short time since denounced in terms of
the coarsost billingsgatc the whole
States Rights party Of the South, de-
claring their doctrines and designs trail
lorous to the Union. BY the side of
this Secretary sits one of the most no.
torious Of the leaders Of this southern
Rights party. There, too, sits the man
who declared that his heart would
break sooner than approve Of the COM
promise of 1850; and he was in cordi-
al fellowship with the Cabinet Minister
whose chief prctcnsion to public favor
rests on the fact that he united with
Mcssrs. Clay and Webster in giving
that compromise cordial support
The natural result of such compound
of contradictions is, that every corrupt
faction in the land looks to the Ad,
ministration for protection and coun-
tcnance. Hence, like the preceding
Administration, it has d northern and
southern face on the slavery question,
and is provided with Cabinet Ministers
to speak with forked tongues to both
sections.
Let it be our purpose to hold up to
the public scorn this shameful feature
Of party dcgcncracy and corruption.
Let us constantly contrast it with the
enrolling examples left us by the car
ly founders Of the Republic.
There is no longer room for hum,
buggery on the slavery question. This
"Sham Oemocracy' with the blood
which it has shed in Kansas has lost
this portion Of its capital; and it is now
! obliged to submit to the tests it has
provoked in numerous other intrigues
equally fatal to the true and lasting
interests Of the people.
Are aliens, without naturalization,
still to be recognized as squatter SOW
eroigns, and in this character to decide
what shall be our organic laws, and
who shall be our public officers? Are
the public lands to cease to be treated
as the common fund Of the Union, and
to be hereafter given away in utter dis.
regard of the principle of equality,
which entities all the States to share
alikein this great Inheritance of wealth?