The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-31
RULE OR RUIN, THE POLICY OF THE DOUGLAS
FACTION

RULE OR RUIN, THE POLICY OF THE DOUGLAS
FACTION.
The last political news from California is decisive
on one important question upon which portion of
the democratic party this side of the continent
still affect to entertain SEINE doubt II throws food
Of light upon the intentions, past and prospective
OF the disafected wing of the democratic party who
designate themselves as Douglas democrats -
In the democratic conventions that have been held
throughout the northern States on this side of the
continent, it may be stated as general fact that
wherever this faction have failed to secure the nomi-
nations and the control Of those bodies they have
bolted the party and formed secret or open coali-
ton with the opposition. This policy has been
pursued In California, in manner that proves the
movement to have been concerted and settled
upon before the adjournment of Congress
They commenced this movement in Congress- last
winter, and voted on all questions whether relating
to the Kansas issue or not, with the opposition.
They have followed this policy up in the primary
meetings and local conventions of all the northern
States and in California.
The Douglas wing have bolted from the regular
organization in Minnesota, and made common cause
with the opposition. They have done the same
thing in every congressional district in Indiana, and
Douglas democrats the most efficient leaders of
the opposition in that State. They have done SO in
Pennsylvania in every district where they could not
rule; one of the districts which they carried pre-
senting the remarkable instance of Douglas demo-
crat, montgomery after succeeding in securing the
nomination of the democratic convention, actually Of
far, nJf, ,lot
blackrepubican convention in the same district In
New Jersey also the Douglas democrats bolt or refuse
to support the democratic organization where they are
unable to control it and in the few districts in New
York where there are Douglas asprants to Congress
they make bold and audacious dash for the nom
nation of the blackrepublicans or of a fusion of
which their wing forms a component part
Throughout the North the policy of this faction is
to "rue ruin Nor is this any new demonstra-
ton of theirs, but policy agreed upon to all APP
pearances, before Congress adjourned, and pur-
sued since, with uniform zeal and pertinacity,
in every part of the country The votes they gave
in combination with the coalition through the whole
Of the last session of Congress on every question
and measure well known; and indicated fore
local campaigns of the interior. The course they
have pursued in California from the commencement
Of the primary for the delegates to the DEM
ocratc State convention proves the early adoption
of this purpose. In the primary meetings in Cali
fornia for the appointment of delegates to this
vention their policy has been this same one of ru-
ling boiling in every part of the State and, when
fhe convention itself assembled no sooner Uaa II
ascertaned by count of noses that their faction
in alean minority, than they bolted and organ
lied convention of their own.
Now this action of the faction in the primary
meetings in California could not have been copied
from the example Of their confreres on this side
Of the continent; and their movements in Cali
fornia and here are conclusive of the fact of
pre,concert and an early determination to disor-
game the democratic party wherever it could be
done, or to coalesce with the opposition where it
could not
We shall recur to this subject again at an early
day; and we in the time warn those members of
the democratic party who still fancy that this faction
well to the party, and ought not yet to be as
sailed resisted of the fatal danger Of the ignorance
or blindness in regard to the movements of this
faction which AFFECTS them. We would caution gentle
men at the South, especially who from the nature of
things cannot be acquainted with all the facts of the
subject that, unless they are prepared to sustain
class of politicians who are sure to be in open coali-
ton very with the most violent agtaors of anti
slavery at the North they had better beware Of Civ
ing aid comfort counenance in the form of either
apology ex enuation tolerance, to this dsor-
gapizing and ncendiary movement of Douglas dem
ocrats."
ELECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER