The Feliciana Democrat., 1858-08-14
TIE OPPOSITION IN THE SOUTH

the political landmarks OF former times There once
was period when the majesty of opposition reared
high Its crested and puuoplicd front and face to face
baitlcd with the Democratic party for The supremacy
IN political affairs. But that time has passed, and
now, like stately pyramid ii stands firm and uil-
yielding, and as free from equal oc ae do our in
stitutons result of It's unmatched policy from
rivalry by those Of any foreign nation. It may be a
position that will not be taken for granted when we
assert that at the present time there exists no reg,l
4 larly organized party which eoniionts aud opposes
democracy.
Let the careful observer Of passing events calmly
survey the measures which have agitatcd the public
mind for The last five years, from which period we
date the decay of the Whig party and see If there is
not cause, deep and profound which has given rise
to the vast acccssons to the democratic party Of late,
and which has destroyed as with the battle axe OF
war, the contending, conflicting and fragile frag-
mcnts that doaed away from the wreck Of ruined aud
conquered Whggeiy. The SO called American par.
iy, first presented the ensign Of renewed war and
with mystery similar TO that which cnyelupcd the
proceedings OF the ancient sect Of druids achieved
astounding proficiency in the political art Of ma
nuuyering. and in the north temporarily trampcd
the flag Of the Democracy in the dust But when
knowledge penetrated the hidden rcccsses of its
gloomy culserts, aud discovered ts anaconda strides
in the direction OF monarchy - no sooner had rs dc.
signs been exposed 10 the view Of The public than
its power cvaporttcd III the cricblc Of tlwarcd ~
erccy. That party died a It was born silently Il.
and those Who went into office upon thc wa,r If H.
popularity, yielded TO fate with mourntt ysagcs and
immoyublc mbcctlity. Their race wa IL cphvmarnl
and meteorio, as il was i'll timed and injudcions.-
Starting out with high hopes o. III immortal destiny
it pcrishcd from natural debility, early hut not pre-
maturcly. The disease which destroyed lis life MAS
one for which no political physician could prescribe
a remedy, and ya;alv amid The commissions which
prcsoged its dissolution. was the c:v beard ha; no
thing could check its advances, but the attainment Of
its Objects. when to the surprise Of all II went down
without discbarging sky-rockct III the southern
part Of Che Union at least that the world might know
where il sunk. Ncdislike TO alude to the dead and
always tread lightly upon their ashes Il is 10 as q
painful theme bat when Il political phenomena
of so rcmarkablca character dies out some record or
its origin and downfall should be left behind
But TO The subject i there really any oppgstion
to Democracy which could be dgninad with The ap
pellation Of party? All reading aud thinking mcu
Will answer IN The negative. The kaow-Noth.ng
party hayingpasscd away unhc'dcd ana unnoti,cd
its Struggling forces arc scattered throughout The
country in squads, without amy fixed or definite aim
Now and then they discharge Il parthian arrow. but
before It has time to take effect they retreat in iulc
cent haste. We seldom find Il pres. Tia. tlurders
its anathema against the itOmlu Catholic Church or
declaims ycA.iu-atlt ugaias tic naturalization laws
These issues are no longer considered hy them the
: 4pG sesam of power Sometimes thry charge upun
the Democratic party abandonment Of their posi-.
tion upon the slavery question, and III thei enthu.i-
asm 20 beyond McDulc, when he exclaimed. tia,
slavery was the corner stone Of the Republic: /" and
before one can congratulate them upon the rcpudia.
ton Of their old principles, they wheel hnir front
and assert IN the ueXt breath that weaeitc Tie sla-
very question for The purpose Of keeping in power.
Sweeping Assert o0s lead them OF the point Of wefnl
ignorance aud No two advocate the same policy One
to-day is for southern coeiedcracv and complains
that the leaders Of the democratic parity will not nj
tempt TO sever tie Union, whily: another dru.s
gloomy and intensely melancholy picture Of is hy-
pocrify and fraui, aud warns into life IN editorial
adder whose sting they suppose, viii cause is death
what two Q; the opposition press fake .thc same
stand upon the public questions OF lhe day some
of them assaulted the English Conference Bill he.
cause in their opinion il was a surrender Of TIE rights
OF the south What right have they 10 say that She
was defrauded Of her dues when they have opposed
every Measure tat could possibly extend their ins-
tutons? What right have they in The face of their
past opposition to the Kansas Bill and in view Of the
ground taken ~ Winter, Davis Marshall. Gilmcr.
and Others 10 pass an opinion that the south was
cheated ont of cr rights, when at tie opening Of the
Kansas controversy they told The people thai the re-
peal Of the Missouri Compromise was an injury TO
them and that slave property could never be intro
duced into any of the territory beyond Mason and
Dixon's line They have no right to say that the
south has been deprived Of that territory into which
they formerly conended it was unconstitutional for
her to carry her slaves.
1t Is certainly OF noinportance what opinions they
may advocate, rs the paucity of their numbers has
them into clique which the people do not
and can not consider as party. We would rejoice
If in the south there was but one sentiment touching
TTavdTyJ but opposition upon local af
fairs sometimes creates circumspecton the part of
The majority, and conduces TO Wholesome reforms
THE TREATY OF PARs.--The Paris Monitcur has