Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-05-02


The last issue of the Republican contains
some structures on our editorial conduct. at this
carly stage of its development, which we deem
deserving of reply. We will no, affirm that II
has manifested recklessness OF assertion which
cannot fail to commend il to the particular favor
fits party" for we could wish that RECKLESS.
ness of assertion" might whore be regarded
us the quality necessaryto secure favor; but we
shall undertake to maintain the position we as
sumed. and to demonstrate that. in point of fact,
our esteemed cotemporary is little out OF the
record. Exception is taken to the "gronndless
assertion made in our salutatory That the
Democratic party is directly or Indirectly res
ponsible for the alarming significance which the
slavery question has assumed of late Can
any man at all familiar with the history Of poll
tics, in Virginia. at least. doubt IT Can the
Republican point TO single candidate Of the
Wing American parties. who has been before
the people for the last twenty years, upon whom
the Democratic party has not sedulousy -
deavored 10 fasten the odium Of Abotionsm.-
1t was so with HARRISON it was SO with Clay.
The charge even made against Gen. Taylor;
renewed with ten fold force against Scott and
enforced with all the bitterness of party macvo-
lenco against Fillmore--in comparison with
whom Martin Van Buren, declared to be
IAN angel of light"
George w. Summers was an abollioni-t, and
Thos. s. Flournoy, a native Of the largesl slave
holding community in the State, also un.
sound upon the great question. We rcpoat
then what we have intimated before. That il has
been the never-failing expedent 10 which the
Democracy have resorted to distract aud divide
the opposition in the South, We believed mat
the agitation of the question unwsc. and
that its unnecessary introduction into the arena
ofpariy politics was only calculated 10 prcpi
tate an issue between the North and the South.
Before the North sought or cared 10 make II
potential element in Presidential elections, and
did not hesitate to support Southern men for
that high office, the Democracy, aud especially
the Virginia Democracy were, for political eff
feet merely. constantly pressing tho question:
with view of fixing the onus of abohionsm
upon their opponents. They threw down the
gauntle, and the North has taken il up. Let
il not be understood that less true to our
section, more disposed to ex,enua,c the
conduct of the North than the Republican, for
we have no terms in which to express our con.
demnation of the policy by which much the lar
ger portion Of it governed in the late cleo
ton; yet, ii is nevertheless true that extremes
beget extremes, and those who inaugurated ug-
itation South, have found rendy response at
the North, And where, would nsk tho Re-
publican, is this boasted National Democratic
Party North In 1852, Pierce carried fourteen
Al J,nl "a.
in the country of 23.929. whilst Buehanan car
ried his own State by the meagro majority of
l,025, over all opposition and was in u minority
in every other Northern State, with popular
majority against him of nearly four hundred
thousand. When remember that "A large
portion of the Wing vote South was cast for Mr..
Buchanan. we may well inquire what has be-
come of the great Democratic party We can
not sec much 10 commend in the nc.
ton Of the late Democratic Convention the
Republican claims for it. Trueit adopted res.
oluton in favor of the Kansas Bill. but we know
that it meant one thing South and received a
contrary Interpretation North. Whilst the prin-
eiple of unrestricted popular sovereignty was
the boon offered to the South, that of squattcr
sovere gnty was given TO conciliate the North
And whilst the usual resolution was adopted
against the constitu,ionaliiy of making in
ternal improvements by the general gov
eminent, another of different character
was struggled into the platform, bat art
fully excluded from the published document de.
signed for circulation in the South The candi-
date too, was doubtless instgated 10 the uuwor.
thy device which he adopted to secure the vote
of California. We have said that the right OF
her people to govern themselves" WIS proclaim
ed in the platform but the ink had scarcely driel
upon that instrument, before Douglas stepped
forward with his Qualification Bill" which re
pealed whole statutes of the territorial legsla
lature; and, Notwithstanding the resolution agains
internal improvements, two-thirds Of Demo
cratic Senate passed whole ba ch of bills vo
ting away millions of money for this 'unconsti
tutional" object. and were therefore. aocordn,
to 1.-The South guilty ola "scandalous breao
of faith and outrage upon principle" Thes
are the evidences that indicate the nationality q
the Democracy the party which is every wher
the same. Can party that is guilty of sue
double dealing and duplicity, commend itself {
the favor of those whom the Republican seem
to think, IRE virtually outside the pale Of any ma
tional political organzat We are perfect
willing that the Republican should attempt t
make all the capital possible, out of the actio
of the Convention that nominated Mr.. Fillmore
That was nomination of which any man nigh
be proud; and what is more, it was a triumph G
the South over the cohorts of abolitionlsm, 70
that pesferous set we're driven out OF the Con
vention. Not SO at Cincinnati The wishes G