Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-12-01
THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
TUESDAY DECEMBER L, 1857.
A PRACTICAL TEST OF DEMOCRACY.
BY RITCHIE g. DUNNAVANT.

TUEsDAH DECkMBRR L, 1857.
A PRACTICAL TEST OF DEMOCRACY.
The extremists of the South, who look upon di
solution of the Union as object 10 be most earnes
ly desired, are in the habit of declaring d'
trust Of the Democracy of the North on the SLAYER
question And it is not unnatural that those person
however, liberal aud intelligent they may be, who's
newspaper reading is confined to the journals Of tn
utraists and Of the old opposition, should, to som
extent, be imbued with the sentiments thus IL
geniously inculoated upon them. The time has beel
when there we're Democrats in tbs Free States wh
sympathized with the Ani.Slavery movement. 81
then the ground on which parties were divided We
not narrowed down il ia now to that strict const
tutioua test which excludes from the Democrat
rights Of the South through the sovereignty OF th
States and the sovereignty Of the people.
The Black Republican party has drawn of fror
the Northern Democracy oil those who oonside
slavery amsnabls to Federal legislatioui and thus
though reduced in numbers, the gallant Democrats
the free States are united in their msintenanc
Of the Constitution for the sake of the Union. Th
abolition sympathisers have left them 70: more con
genial company, and the Southern people have hae
from them such assurances of their sincerity a
should not be lightly questioned. A few years ago
the avowed abolitionists amounted to little more
than turbulent faction. Then the two great politl
cal organizations of the country were tie Whig par
ty and the Democratic party. Then the slavery
question was only collateral issue in our nationa
contests. Now that these aboitonisu have multi
piled their hundreds of fanatics by thousands; now
that slavery is the test qusstion-the o great issue
before the peope-let us ask II these sane party dv
sons still exist there has been no charge in poll
tcal nomenclature Of the country' Isthe old WhlG
party at the South and at the North intsct yeti And
how tares the Democracy lis it still in the held
with its State rights and strict construction creed
holding the Federal Government in Check and pro.
noting the interests of all sections, protecting the
sovereignty of each State7 or has it yielded TO the
pressure and been borne down by te antelavery
.element of the Northl have it'd cherished princi
pies, which worked so beautifully ir less troubous
times. proved impracticable, unsouid and unsafe
at the height of ths storm Either the Wing party
or the Democratic party must have been merged IN
Aboli,ionism at the North, or whence this formidable
array of Incorporating opponensot the institution
of slavery1 Out of what material made this pow
erful Black Republican party II the trse States
we Aud now no Whtgs nothing but Abolitionists and
National Democrats. The Northern wing OF the old
Wing party, then, has evidently been transferred te
the ranks Of the Black Republicans. But we free
to admit that the Abolition faction has grown into
powerful party, not altogether account OF the &C
"a. r.. A. no olaf
have gone over in numbers and assisted in swelling
the ranks Of the antslavery fanatics. But The De
u,ocratic party is nevertheless, not extinct In tht
North. 1t still maintains its identity, not only il
name bat also In its principles The disafecied bav'
deserted and thinned the ranks; but those VINO arr
left are now known to be true, because ,hey have
been severely tried. The grain has been wiunowed
the chaf has blown of, and that which remsns ha
proved to be sound.
We have glanced a; the North; lie. us now see hop
it is in the South, since the slavery question oas beef
made the party touch stone1 In the free Safes, VI
ace that the old Wing party han been completed.
merged in Black Republicnnism and totally lost II
view; and, not escaping the contagion, tht the De
mocratc party, too, has contributed its quota +
the abolition host, though 1t has not been le wthou
force sufficient stil to contest every inch oground
In the slave States also We look in vain for The oil
Whigparty. But We find the Democracy 10 sln,st un
disputed possession Of the whole field. WhiRg'ry ha
disappeared here too, but the increased ranksof tn
old enemy with which it onoe 40 gallantly oonsnded
soquently proclaim the gratifying fact, that th
Southern people, irrespective Of party, aekuoElsdg
Ill. tba;s inoff tnth ho m
veregnty Of the States, higher and stronger thin tbs
they owe even 10 the Union, which they 60 poudl.
cherish.
Can any unprejudced mind calmly consider tbs stat
of things and still entertain doubt that the prnci
Piles of the Democratic party are indispensable to th'
security Of the South, because they truly represent
fully develop, and fairly put into practice tb, origi
nal policy of our government as it was desgaed BY
its founders7
At the North and at the South the Democratic tes
of fealty is the same When there were manY issues
it was impracticsble to command that stri,t con
formity to principle, on the part Of all, which is now
az imperative as 1t is easily ascertained. Every De
mocrat in either section of the Union s required te
defend the sovereignty of the States and the suprema
cy Of the people, to deny to the Federal Government
all claim to any right of interference with slavery in
the States, and to maintain that the people OF the
territories by fsr and full expression Of their co.
vereign will are at liberty to decide for themselves
whether they will accept slavery or not when they are
prepared to apply for admission into the Union as q
State. Such is the practical test OF Democracy
North and South and, as an evidence that it is mol
IN tbo ;py ;ta he
reader to dispassonate perusa of the following ster
ling and able article from the New York DAY Book. "
1t should be carefully read by every man in the South
and especially by those who are in the habit of read
ing denunciations Of the Northern Democracy:
CAN An ENEMY OF "SLAvERr" BE A DEMOCRAT
The exact question before the country for the past
ten years. and likely to be before it for ten years to
oome, is this what shall be the permanent and re.
cognlsed position Of the negro element Of our popu.
lation7 Shall 1t remain as at present, or shall it be
changedi Shall the negro Continue subordinate or
be forced to level with white ctizens7 In short,
shall there be negro slavery or negro "freedom p
And il this question could be truly and honestly pre-
sented 10 the people, even those Of the North there
could be little or no doubt Of the resu or what their
decision would be. For Greeley and Sumner and
their gang to 90 before the people and ask them to
affiliate with negroes or to vote for negro equality
would be to endanger even their personal safety in
deed, they would be iyncbed Without mercy if they
should openly venture upon that which, under the dis
guise and deuson of the hour represented to be the
cause of liberty and progress. We have 1000, 900 Of
negroes they rapidly multiply, they must always re
main here; and if at this moment there were none
chips would be fitted out aud they would be brought
here, for their labor is absolutely essential to the
growth and products on which, to great extent, de-
pend the civilization and wsbeng Of our times
There is no middle ground or possible compromise
these negroes must remain subordinate or be forced
tected by the superior intellect Of the white man. OIL
they must be distorted into citizenship in short they
must remain as they now are, or society must be
destroyed.
And il openly and honestly presented. could there
be or would there be any conflict of opinion smons
our people about this matter Will any one, ever
the most debauched among the Abolitionists, 60 in
in their case. for negro afhation Will Garrison Oh
Abby Kelley, or the most frantic against the preju
dlces of color" equslizs with negross1 viii the!
give their sons and daughters to the foul embrace
the sooty African or mings the rosy current that cir
olss in their own with the black puddle thst ssgna'e
nature and instinct and the "higher law" which th
hand Of God has fixed eernaly in their whole being