Weekly North Carolina standard., 1858-11-10
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THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND IT'S PERILs.
MEssRs RDiroRs Recent political events in this
country, suggest to my mind few reflections, as
peculiarly appropriate to the state of things now
existing around US. Whether these events are the
premonitory symptoms Of premature decay in the
body polite, or whether they indicate an inherent
weakness in the system ITSELF are matters Of much
speculation and controversy. Sure it is are Of
ten exposed to dangers growing out of sectional
heart rtburnngs and the intemperate clashings of
ultra sentiments, promising to promote the public
good, through methods diverse and ot-times alarm
ing A difference in domestic institutions will
essSary produce contrariety Of opinions but they
should be tempered with Eberality and justice
as to leave no evil effects from their free and
strained expression. History and human experience
have proved with the cearness of beam of light,
that people cannot long maintain free institutions,
who seek to impair confidence in each other by as
sailing interests which it is the highest duty Of the
government to protect. curSOry observer
see that we not floating on tranquil seas with
favorng winds and cloudleSs skies to make our
journey one of long and uninterrupted harmony
and peace What can restore to all sections their
rights. and give the country the repose it so earn
estiy desires,-is question worthy not only Of the
consideration of the statesman, but also of the pri-
vate citizen
The history Of the Democratic party, is so familiar
to your readers that any extended observations up
on this point, will be entirely useless. 1t is coeval
with The government and its measures of public
policy have signally exemplitied their wisdom, in
the trials through which have so successfully
passed. Di>carding the centralizng dogmas of AL
exander Hamilton they confer upon the government
ample privileges and immunities 20 protect the in.
terests of the States, without infringing upon any
rights compatible with their well being as separate
communities. These tenets of faith command
the admiration of men, from the conviction they
carry with them of their justice and their adapta-
ton to the harmony and beauty Of our federative
system
Amid the disintegration of parties, we have seen
the Democratic party surmount the peris and dan.
gers which have dissolved other political organza-
tons Whether in its struggles with the United
States Bank, or in its efforts crush odous
tocracy OF manufacturers in its resistance for
eisn aggresSions at the point of the sabre and the
bayonet, it has stood forth as the conservator of
the grandeSt ideas of republican government
educed from the mind of man. If its trials have
been great, ITS triumphs have been the more spen-
dn. from the ordeal TO which it has been subjected.
Other anzatonS have arisen and succeeded for a
brie period, but they have fallen before an aveng
ing public opinion leaving not the debris of
respectable c"rporals guard to form ralying point
for a future conflict. With the Democratic party a
defeat is not annhilation, nor does it resort to
temporary expedents and paltry subterfuges to re.
cover lost prestige, but appeals the sober and
rejecting Judgment of the people to restore its
principles to their wonted supremacy 1t is not
my purpose to recur to the past achievements of
our party, but simply to refer its posi- ion and its
perils, in the present excited condition of the coun
try
During the existence Of the Wing party, the two
parties were not divided by geographical lines
Each had its friends in the slave as well as in the
non slaveholding States. upon the ruins of the
Whig party" arose Know Nothingism whose short
lived successes were marked by heart.revotng sat-
urnalias of bloud, such will proclaim its shame
TO coming generations. That too, except in a few
atpQ
"tae that is told" We behold too formidable
political organizations in the country profess
edly sectional, and the other national. Between
them must choose.
That enlightened statesman, John G.. Calhoun
dated the most decided abolition movements in this
country as commencing in 1885. Certain it is So
cieties then sprans up throughout the North, and
during the administration of MI. Van Buren gave
much trouble to the South. lncendiary documents
sent into the slaveholding States while cmissa.
ries in the nefariouS and reasonable work of abo
toni>m were not slow in trying to excite the slaves
to rebellion against their owners Since 1885, the
dimensions Of this party have increased to a power.
| ful organization. Prior to 1885, il was unable to
carry single free State, but in the Presidential
| election Of that year Fremont swept New England,
Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa. and the populous States
! Of New YORK and Ohio. 1t seeks to get control of
| the government, to accomplish its unholy designs
and dissolve the ties of fellowship and good will
| which ought 70 exist between the North and the
| South.
Last winter Kansas applied for admission into the
UnlOn with legally framed constitution, establish
| ing slavery. The emigrant aid societies of New
! Ensand had thrown the Territory into the widest
state of excitement. Collisions between the pro-
slavery aud anti-Slavery were Of frequent oc-
currence, and blood, confagration and rapine were
! witnessed within her borders The Lecompton
| Constitution Came before Congress with the strong
recommendation Of the President, for the speedy ad-
mission of Kansas into the Union. The dogma had
often been proclaimed that the North would never
consent to the &" AREA Of slavery extended" " by
! receiving slave State into the COniederacy, and
| from the opposition raised agains. the Lecompton
| Constitution 1t seemed the dogma was to be faith
| iuliy ooeyed Lecompton was rcpulSed eschewed,
and rejected. compromise was offered, and Le-
compton sent back TO the people with its claims
to the public domain restricted to about one half of
its demands and recently it received its quietus by
the verdict Of the inhabitants. But another Difficult
ty presents ITSELF and threatens trouble to the coun
try. 1t is disposition on the part OF a few men,
who with worse than punic faith, desire to force
Kansas into the Union, because she has decided
against slavery as part of her social system. II
compromises are put the play things of legislators
then il IS time for us to prepxre to assume posi-.
tion, beyond which it would be degradation and dis
honor to retreat.
Again, we hear assaults made upon the Supreme
Court, because it pronounced dlsasteful decision
to the Black Republicans, in the case of Dred Scott
cs John Sandford. BY this decision, two impor
tant principles were established. First, the Mis-
souri, Restriction Of 1920 pronounced unconsti
tutional, and secondly, that negroes not c
zens" of the United States, according to the Con
s,itution. The Black Republicans contend tha
C1ngreSs has plenary power to legslate over the
the equality of the white and black races, in al
the rights pertaining to CT zenship Now the abo
ltioniSts in their crusade against Southern insttu
tions, desire TO remodel tue Supreme Court, which