The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-08-26
WASHINGTON CITY, AUGUST 26, 1857.
From the Richmond Whig.1
Parties in the next Presidential Canvass.

ulations, concerning the probable condition and
relation OF parties in the next Presidential cam
paign. AT least, such specnlations must neces-
sarily be vague, Indefinite and unsatisfactory
But there are some considerations which naturally
| suggest themselves, In view of tho next great
stuggie ior the Presidency, and which we may al
lude TO In a curspv and general manner at the
present time.
We perfectly s&ree in the opinion put forth by
| our contempora9 of the Lynchbure Vsrgia,sa,
| that from the asns and Indications around US,
there VIII DO reconstruction of parties before the
commencement pf the Presidential canvass in
1860. Indeed, snch an event, in our Judgment,
| is enevitable. Before the close of the next Con.
gress all the issues at present in controversy grow
ing out OF the qpstion Of slavery in the territories
will be defnitey and finally settled. In truth
this vexed matter of slavery In the Territories has
| already been adjusted--not indeed in accordance
with the wishes and expectations Of the South, OF
accordance with fairness and Justice, but in obe-
dience to the desires and demands of the North
| through the mischievous and shameless interfer-
ence OF democratic administration and it's dicta-
toria officials, in regard to Kansas, the great bone
OF contention between the North and the South,
what do we witness? Is it not fixed, acknowl
edged, irrevocable fact that Kansas will adopt a
constitution prohibiting slavery, at the very next
session OF Congress, as q free State? Ard ;. Z.
not upon the domestic condition Of Kansas That
| this whole sectional controversy has turned from
sne beginning The status Of no other Territory
has been In dispute. All the other Territories
have been conceded to the North The sole practi-
cal questior doe been, hesn whether Kansas should be
slave or free State and that question, as we have
said has already been decidedin favor of the North
It is obvious, therefore, that in the adjustment Of
this Kansas question: all sectional parties out Of
| sight, and become dissolved into their original
elements. There win be no basis then, for either
| Southern sectional party or Northern sectional
party in the next Presidential campaign. The
black republican organizations practically at an end
the democracy themselves having accomplished
all the objects aimed at by the renublicans in de-
termining the question that no more slave States
shall be formed out Of the present territory of the
Union. And the democratic party itself, having
no common principles to stand upon, would also be
disbanded but for its unccnquerable resolve to
perpetuate its hold upon the public plumber. That
is in truth the "cohesive power" which binds
the democracy together, and il is only that which
can make them act together in the campaign of
1850.
Thus, then, there must be reconstruction of
parties prior to the next pitched battle for the
Presidency. And as the slavery question is already
settled so far as the Territories are concerned and
as there is no ayowed or entertained purpose on
the part Of the republicans as a party to interfere
with slavery in the States, we consider It probable
that all the elements of opposition will be COM
pactly and unitedly arrayed against the democracy
in 1860. That this is an object greatly to be de-
sired, admits OF no doubt in the mind Of every
man who has watched the course of the democratic
party for long years, and who Is cognizant of the
tricks and artces to which IL continually resorts
for the purpose of acquiring possession of the
government, and satiating It's appetite upon the
spoils OF office. The sum and substance of its
policy-the absorbing object of its leaders-is
plunder. And hence its readiness to make foot
ball of any question in aid Of its own elevation to
power, and to push all questions to extremity, no
matter what may be the danger and hazard In
volved. Indeed upon the subject Of slavery Itself
in regard TO the security and preservation of
Southern Institutions-what recreancy and faith.
lessness has il not dsplayeds II s susceptible OF
easy demonstration that whatever peril the South
has Observation-Disclosures the South has lost or has
a prospect of losing-is attributable not to the
abolitionists Of the North but to the national de-
mocracy, North and South. They have fed and
nouished upon agitation for the last twenty-five
years. forever gulng and deceiying the South into
the support of their candidates and their policy,
and yet all the while leaving Southern Institutions
weaker and more exposed, for all their pretended
efforts to strengthen and 10 fortify them. Take
for example, the case Of Kansas In their hands
and under their control the whole management Of
this question has been placed. With msjorites
in the Legislatures Of more than half of the States
with democratic Presidents and with msjorities in
Congress, they have had it completely in their
power to demonstrate their competency, and their
willingness to save Kansas to the South, and pro-
tect Southern institutions. But notwithstanding
their pledges and appeals Oh the subject last fall
Kansas has been lost; and not only Kansas lost
but even the existence Of slavery endangered in
Missouri, and perhaps other border States.
Now, suppose that Fremont had been elected
instead of Buchanan, what worse thing could have
befallen the South under his administration than
has already befallen it under democratic admins
tration? Would there have been any more GER
tanty of Kansas becoming a free State than ex-
lists at present under the management of Buchanan
and Walkerp Would slavery have been any more
certain TO be excluded from all the Territories |
under Fremont than under Buchanan? We be- |
lieve not. On the contrary, we incline to the |
opinion that the election OF Fremont would have |
resulted in the saving Of Kansas TO the South
for tho Southern people would then have taken |
the matter in their own hands, and not left it. as
they unfortunately have TO be dealt with by
treacherous and unprincipled democratic admins
tFatou. IL Ia our deliberate eonvction--in short,
a conviction shared in by nearly all the State
rights men Of all parties at the South-that Buch-
anan's election will prove In the end 10 be au ir-
finitely worse calamity to the South than the cleo
tion Of Fremont would have been. Why then
should the South longer stultfy itself by reposing
confidence in and sustaining party which has SO
often betrayed IL, and which will continue to betrsy
t, 80 long as treason is a sure means Of Its OBJ
tanning possession Of the government ard the spos
At It's command?
1t Is then, in our judgment, in all respects de-
sirnble that the democratic party should not only
be displaced from power, but that 1t should be per-
overthrow and crushed The rights
and interests Of the South their security and pres
ervaton demand il; and we are ready to unite and
10 cooperate with any old or new political organi
zations which may combine together for the spe-
ci6c purpose Of defeating and prostrating the
democratic party-a party which is really the worst
enemy the South has, because il is sneaking and
nsidious, not an open and manly enemy. As,
therefore, the slavery question will be practically
settled and out of view by the close of the next
Congress- we are in favor Of combining all the
all the elements Of opposition to the democracy in
one compact and powerful organization for the
Presidential campaign Of 1860. The democracy
are in powerless minority in the Union, and with
such an organization as that we have mentioned,
we can sweep them from Maine to Texas, and