Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-01-19
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

The late letter of Gov. Wise to the Tammany
Society is one of the most unaccountsble occur
rences of the day. 1t has filed his enemies
with exultation, the Democratic party with
and the friends of the Administra-
ton, of which he was regarded as one of the
warmest and most able supporters, with un-
speakable chagrin
The baneful agitation of the three past years,
which has convulsed the country and shaken
the Democratic organization to its foundations,
had arrived at its 1nal crisis A settlement Of
the Kansas question by Congress, and dismissal
Of it, in some form, from the national delibera-
tiOns, had become absolutely necessary to the
public safety, and was about to be finally
effected. The united South, and almost entire
Northern Democracy in Congress, had settled
upon the proper action to be taken-not a
course of action, perhaps entirely free from
objection, or squaring in every particular with
abstract theories of politics; but the best which
the manifold complications of the case practi-
cally admitted of.
Ex-Governor Walker, who had lost the con.
fidence of the Democracy in the same degree in
which he had won that of the Republican
amid the applauses of the Abolitionists and the
excavations Of the Democracy. Senator Doug
las, following in his wake and echoing his SEN
timents, had excited the same manifestations
of joy from the opposition and disappointment
and modification in his own party. The De-
mOcracy had resented the conduct Of Messrs
Douglas and Walker, not so much for the alb
stract doctrines and arguments they advanced
in support of it, as for the conduct itself, which
in the pending emergency, was precisely that
to entail the greatest amount of mischief upon
their own cause, and to contribute the most
effective aid and comfort to their enemies-con-
duct which, however periodically intentioned
was calculated to have all the effect of vindic-
tive treason to their organization.
But not even the detection of these Northern
men had availed to endanger the policy of the
democratic party. Their appeals to their own
section we're so at capfanaHm, so repulsve to
the sound sentiment of its conservative men.
So acceptable to its factionsts and abolitionists;
and their motives were so open to question
and lmputation, that no difficulty was appre-
hended by the conservative party in Congress
IN consummating the policy they had contem
plated for the final dismissal of the Kansas
question from the national councils.
1T was just as the difficulties that had thus
been thrown into the path of the party
by Walker and Douglas, had been trodden
down under its heavy tramp, and as unex-
pectedly as a clap of thunder from clear sky,
that this Tammany letter Of Governor Wise
came to aStOund the Democracy and to eytort
Civilizations from their enemies. Coming from
protested friend of the Administration. and
not from a mere unfriendy coadiutor in
the Democratic coming from a
Southern man in opposition to the unanimous
sentiment OF the Southern representatives. in
Congress. and to the policy for which Il North
ern President and large Democratic repre-
sentation from the North had incurred so much
reproach and obloquy in their own section and
not from Northern man hard pressed by abo-
htlondom at home and bending before a storm
he dared not defy-cOming from the Executive
head of the mother State of the Snutb. as n
sratuitous act called for by no official duty
and lmPelled by no official oath binding upon
the conscience this letter. under all the cir
cumstanres under which it appears, is one of
the most unfortunate occurrences that has han
pened since the advent of the present Admin
lstratiOn. As blow L. the brave National
Democrats of the North from a Southern cood-
Jut"r-aS an assault upon the policy of the
Administrator from one Of its most valued and
cherished friends it is the Il m B,nf, of letters
We shall not enter into any painstaking ex-
animation of the doctrines and arguments of
this singular production, easy as it would be to
relute them; for it, evil and mischief are not
in its theories and reasonings. but in the fac,
that such letter should have come from Gov
ernor Wlse-an evil and mischief which the
most conclusive refutaton would not cure in
the least. No exceIlency of doctrine or cogency
OF argument can affect the issue now Joined and
closed between the Democracy and its enemies,
one way or the other, and the misfortune of
the letter lies i'll the fact that, at the very mo-
mcnt of action, after the order Of battle is de-
clded On. and the hostile forces are arrayed
for the final and decisive struggle, IN impor-
tant of Ger refuses to fight, files OFF in n vain
parade Oh neutral ground, and enters upon an
elaborate haranguc to the advantage of the
enemy.
We repeat, we will not argue patiently with
such disputant in such an emergency Gov
ernor Wise plunges in the slough Of abstrac
tons and contradictions into which every one
involves himself who espouses the absurdity Of
popular sovereignty in Territory The alb
surdity of his assumption, that individuals
are sovereign before the State is sovereign :
where the population is yet incohesive where
there is no family or neighborhood or consist
ent community; where there is not single
fixed institution, or the first element Of stable
serene sovereignty where every public func-
ton is performed by Federal agency, or under
Federal authority, and p"piiagc 10 Congress
Is stamped upon every circumstance and pro-
cedure, is too manifest to need grave refuta-
ton.
III such fine-spun theories as these of Messrs
Wise. Walker and Douglas needed any answer,
1t would be easy to show that their whole ar
guInent against the Presidents policy pred.
Gated upon the idea of squatter sovereignty, is
fallacious and untenabe. How came the cit
liens of Virginia. Carolina, Massachusetts,
PENNSYLVANIA. England Ireland France Cor