The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1857-1858, 1857-09-16
from the Cincinnati Gazette.
The Opposition party atthe South,

Although hut single slaveholding State
cast its electoral vote against Mr.. Buchanan
at the last Presidential election, the vote for
Fillmore elsewhere at the South was large
and in three of four States nearly balanced
the Sham Democratic strength. The COM
bined Americans and Wings were consc-
quently, though defeated, not desrondent-
Considering the odds against them, they sup
posed there was good reason to take courage
and 70 ahead The course of the Admins
tration, since Mr. Buchanans election, was
even claimed to have furnished them new
capital-strange as to us, at first view it
might seem. But the late elections have o.
pened their eyes-in some instances, we
should judge, rather wide
The opposition at the South has come to a
sense Of its lost condition Its leaders now
see the error Of their ways, but it is death
bed conviction. little prudent foresight
few years a Co. would practically served a
better purpose than any amount of penitence
now. The calamity that has befaileh them
i one they had every reason to expect
5 ,uthern Wings and Southern Americans
nave both spurpsd golden opportunities
The time has been, and more than once
when they might have co-operated with true
men Of the North on conservative ground, in
such a manner as to hate saved the country
much of its recent dissension and disgrace.
Going back only three or four years, let us
see what they have been doing.
tnls52, the two great parties had alike
given the country q solemn assurance of
quiet on the subject Of Slavery. Each affirm
cd its acquiesence in the compromise meas
ures of 1880. declaring that adjustment TO be
final settlement of the question. How
much that was odious and bitterly offensive
to the people Of the free States was contained
in those measures we need not rehearse.
Northern Wings, however accepted the plat
form in good faith. fthey gave Gen. Scott but
the electoral votes OF Massachusetts, and Yer
mont, our candidate received no better sup
port at the South. The country wanted
quiet. The abolition vote east for J. P. Hale
was but triiny compared even with that east
for Van Buren,. four years previously. "Agi-
tat;on was manifestly at a discount-was fast
dying out
How came t,,is violent strife to he revived
revived, too, with an earnestnes and effect
before unknown ? Everybody understands
where, and when, and how, this bitter con
test began The Richmond Wing tells us
that all these inischiefs are to be attributed
to the National Democracy, North and
South" "They have fed and hourished upon
agitation says the Wing, "for the last
twenty five years. Grant it Pierce, Doug
las, and the Sham Democracy, were the first
to give the country pledges of quiet on this
subject. and they were the first to move in
this most exciting as we'll as most inexcusa-
bic and wicked Of all pro-slavery agitations,
IN contempt OF the people to whom their sa-
cred faith was pledged in favor of the oppo-
site course. But unfortunately the history
of this business does not end here.
The Southern Wings are themselves res
ponsible for the consumation of this periidy.
They were indispensable to its accomplish
ment. They even We'd with the Southern
Democrats in the alacrity with which they
threw their Baltimore pledges to the winds.
If Senator Dixon of Kentucky, was less ca
pable than Senator Douglas, of the origin OF
that part of the Kansas Nebraska act, which
annullcd the Missouri Compromise, he was
at leas. not far behind in this iniquity = and
the Sectional zeal of Southern Wing Sena-
tors, shutting themselves up in caucus of
their own, with narrow exclusiveness, plot
ing to betray their Northern associates, and
perseyerin.ly carrying through their fatal
schemes. forever rent the party in twain.
We hold the Southern Wing leaders to
this responsibility. The sagacity and fideli.
ty Of Senator Bcll of Tennessee
'Among the faith 'ess, faithful only he."
is but an exception, which We clearly had
right TO expect would have been the rule.
These Wing Leaders Of the South counted
too much on Northern submission 1t was
in that they were warned Of the fatal mistake
they were about to commit 1t was in vain
they were appealed to by conservative Whigs
At the North WHO. had long ''stood in the
gap for the sake Of maintaining national
party. The pesfdy was consnmated. Nor
thern Whes.were contemporary left to vim
cate themselves IS best they might. for the
pledges they had given of the honor and e.
deity oil their southern brethren. No po--
tim of the North had better reason for in
diynation than conservative Wings.
Ii was no transient outbreak Of popular
passion which gave birth 70 the Republican
party, and which gained it at the very start, |
eleven Of the free States, and powerful MI !
nority in every ether The party has . per-
manent basis. In objects are sure 10 be 90
conpsishcd. Its triumph l. mot remote.
The Southern wing u the Wing party 10 |
have aid tock The responsibility u the ~
peal Of the Missouri compact oil lS30 Per-
kans The mAes 0e the SOuthern WhiRn in6oeA