The Washington union., 1857-09-15
THE PLUMBER PARTY AND THE CHARLESTON
MERCURY.

MERCURY.
Noticing the formation of a new party based upon
the plumber Of the national treasury, contrved for
the overthrow Of the administration, and observing
the hostility Of the Mercury 10 the latter we were
led to infer that it act in its ranks II seems
that we mistaken ia its intentions of occupying
such ground. We are happy TO have its own au-
thority for saying it win oppose distribution. We
shall be gratihed to see it laboring with its accus-
toned ability the side Of the democracy in oppo-
sition to this new party and the principles upon
which it is formed. We copy the following from
the Mercury:
The Washington Union has clearly no faith in prin-
pes and expects their abandonment whenever fears or
interest demand The Charleston Mercury contended
against the distribution OF the surplus revenue when il
supported and carried In democratic Congress by
the votes OF democrats, just opposed the tariff made
by the democratic party, which produced the corrupt
anomaly Of surplus revenue. We suppose, having SO
lately ON the Kansas matter been moving In harmonious
concert with Messrs, Giddngs, Banks and Davis and
with the New York Tribune, Evening Post and Albany
Journal the Union most charitably comends the same
association to US.
Of its own course the Mercury ought to be compe-
tent to speak but it in some of its historical
statements IL it claims that the dcposite act of
1886 distribution we have TO say that it pass
ed the Senate by vote of 40 to G. both senators
from South Carolina voting for it. In the House the
vote l55 for and 3S against it, two members
from that State voting for, two against and two not
voting at all. OF the 38 eleven from the South
and the residue were northern democrats, twelve of
whom were from New York. This act was not
intended as distribution, and many of those
supporting it would have opposed it, if they
had so understood it. The Mercury probably
aludcs to the distribution law of l84l But it
errs in saying II was passed by democratic Con-
gress. The political whirlwind of 1s40 prostrated
the democracy and brought Harrison into the presi
dency The House was strongly whig, and elected
John White, of Kentucky, Speaker, he receiving III
votes and John w Jones, the democratic candidate,
only a. The distribution bin passed the Housewives
ll6, nays los-the vote for it being nearly identical
with Whites vote for Speaker, and probably no dem
ocrat voted for it, In the Senate every vote for it
i2S) anti-democratic, and every vote n3 except
one against twas democratic. In both houses South
Carolina voted against it, and in both the democrats
resisted its passage and throughout the country they
denounced the measure with the same spirit with
which they resist the revival of the measure. We
iaton of corrupting surplus of revenue. But
when that paper says that We have lately been
moving in harmonious concert with Giddings
Banks and Davis, with the New York Tribune
Evening Post, and Albany Journal, we meet the
assertion with full and positive denial We
have not acted with either upon the Kansas subject
and this ought to be known to the Mercury. Our
readers know that we differ from the persons and
papers named, and have constantly denounced them
and their purposes They are disunionists and by
their course seek to destroy the confederacy We
oppose their because it is wrong in itself and
because ii tends to fatal consequences We love and
sustain the Union. The northern Kansas -shriekers
hate and wish to destroy it,
The course Of the Mercury toward the administra
tion and the Union, whether intended or not has
created widespread belief that it designedly pro-
notes the same reasonable object Should this be-
lief prove founded, we shah not fail 10 resist its
efforts with all the energy and efficiency that we can
command We 60 for the Union whoever maysat
tempt to weaken destroy it. or be willing to let
it Slide" We shall treat as political enemies all
whose course perils the Union whether we agree
with them upon other subjects or not We oppose
equally its northern and southern enemies and this
the Mercury knows We shall pursue the same
course toward those who by distribution or other
kindred measures, seek to PROSTATE the independ-
ence of the States. All such measures tend equally
TO fatal results, and democrats every where will op-
pose them,