The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-16
NEG CITATIONS FOR THE SALE OF
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

Negotiations for the sale of the Republican
Party were set on foot, if we mistake not, du
ling the last session of Congress. The rebel
Hon of Douglas against the Administration, the
stand taken by Crittenden and Bell against its
Lecompton policy, and the temporary combina
ton of the Republicans with the few followers
Of those leaders in support of the Montgomery
amendment, awakened the hopes of certain polit-
ical schemers that the Republican Party might
be supplanted by general union of the oppo-
nents of Mr.. Buchanan, with a view to the
Presidential election of 1860. AS conditions
precedent to this, it was necessary that the Re-
publicans should drop their name, cease to urge
yheir peculiar ideas, and eithere fuse" or CO.
operate with Douglas Democrats, National
Wings, and Crittenden Americans, on general
issues, not embracing any of the doctrines of
the Philadelphia platform. That platform was
70 be ignored Douglas was to be supported
in Illinois. Americanism, National Whiggery,
and Republicanism, were to be harmonized in
New York; Crittenden, and other gentlemen
OF like views, were to be made prominent in a
word, events were to be carefully shaped to the
gathering together of nondescript, head-over-
heels Opposition in 1860, made up of the most
discordant elements, without Principle, without
Policy, united by the single purpose to obtain
the control of the General Government What
gas to be done then, did not appear in the pro-
1ramme Whether Republicanism, or Douglas
ISM, or Crittendenism, or National Whigism,
was to bear rule, was to be left to chance or
20 the skill Of demagogues.
That certain Republicans, so-called, were
concerned in this plot, appears from the decla-
cation of the editor of the Louisville Journal.
who announced that they had been written to,
and were not unfavorable to such a combina-
ion. The Philadelphia meeting last June that
attempted to inaugurate the Peoples Party was
doubtless part of the scheme. The active eff
Forts of Mr.. Greeley, in concert with certain
managers of the Know-N Nothing Party in New
York, in favor of plan of coalition, which, had
- been successful, would have superseded the
Republican Party in that State by a mongrel,
ydnprincipled Opposition, were in accordance
with the same scheme, if not an essential part
0f IT,
We have seen how signaly the plot failed,
3oth in Illinois and New York-and what an
sabortion the Peoples Party has turned out.
The victories won over the Administration du-
ring the last season have been won chiefly by
the Republican Party, which has quite une-
quivocally announced its purpose not to be sold
out, or to be made a subject of barter by artful
politicians.
Notwithstanding all this few of it's news
papers seem disposed to magnify their wisdom
against the clear decision of the great mass of
the Party. The Louisville Journal, represent
ing Party which has no national existence
which controls but single State, and that in
the South which has not ten opponents of its
ideas in the Congress of the United States ::
which voted for Willard Fillmore in 1856 and
thus secured the election of James Buchanan
which is pledged to acquiescence in all the
usurpations of Slavery which, after the cleo
ton of 1856, would never again have been
heard OF, had the Republican Party been saga
ciOus enough in every case to ignore it. and
carry its appeals directly to the People-this
Journal, representing such Party, not only
know-Nothing, but a Do-Nothing concern,
coolly invites the Republicans, controlling as
they now do, and have done since 1856, nearly
every Free State in the Union, to abiure their
name, to abjure their principles, to abure their
distinguished statesmen, to disband their or
ganization, and go South for Presidential
candidate-Mr. Crittenden, for example If
they will do this, Hurrah for 1860 the grand
Opposition will sweep everything before it! The
Journal is capital at joke, and this looks like
very broad one; but few Republican papers
seem to think the invitation is made in good
faith, and have solemnly taken it into consider
alton. The New York Tribune, for example,
which has lately assumed kind of ownership
of the Republican Party, announcing from time
to time what it will and what it will not do what
1t shall and what it shall not do, demurs to the
proposition of the Journal, but offers counter
one, as follows:
1 " Let us state, on our part, what we think the
Republicans would generally be willing to con-
eede for the sake of harmonizing and securing
the triumph to the Opposition.
!, We propose that the Republicans, as the
larger section of the Opposition, be permitted
~ A"Ao ohe 0l Inelr NUMBER Tor President, to
be sustained by the entire Opposition, while the
American and National Wings propose the
wee President. The ticket thus formed shall
De supported by the entire Opposition each
party and each State making its own platform,
ana none beng committed to any but its own
doctrines or propositions, and the united Opposi-
lon 10 De designated Republican, American
Ohlon, feoples party, or whatever else its
voters IN any locality may choose
We suggest this first because it is the basis
on which the late benefcent triumnb in
pennsylvania was achieved. The Opposition
was heartily combined on a negative platform
and a union ticket, headed by John NJ. Read
VINO was VIGOROUSLY Republican pure and
SIMPLE, and very earnest one. The tariff cues.
ton was powerful element in the canvassA
but nobody pretended that Mr.. Read was ner.
sonally better Protectionist than his ornament
Judge Porter. In the North and West. the on.
position tickets were generally designated Re
publican, in the South and East, they were
known as Peoples; but the name was of no
consequence. Suffice it that the State was car
RED throughout, by majorities ranging from
twenty to forty thousand. The next Presiden-
nai election may be carried as sweepingly and
IN tne same manner. Why not?
:. but suppose this fair and conciliatory propo-
sl u prove unacceptable, we suggest another,
winch would be heartily acceptable to us. and
Onra y satisfactory to the other wing of the
oPPostlon, we would heartily urge upon the ac-
eePtanee OF the Republican party-namely:
inc otner wing OF the Opposition name