The Washington union., 1858-02-28
WASHINGTON CITY.
SUNDAY MoRNINa. FEB. 20, 1868.
THE RICHMOND EE.ouIRER AND THE KANSAS


Enquirer as one of the ablest the most consistent
and conservative democratic journals in the country
Ne may not be able always to agree with the En-
quircrs views of political questions, but we are
quite safe in declaring that have seen no occa-
sion for condemning them heterodox aud unfaith-
ful to the democratic party. Nothing can be more
just and timely than this extract which we take from
leading editorial Of our contemporary OF FRIDAY last
james Buchanan was elected 10 the presidency of
the United States not northern man or as south
ern man but as statesman whose views OF public pol
fnde In honest convictions Of the rights of both
scctjoas and as patriot who appreciated the consu
Non and who would administer The affairs OF the
nation with rigid regard for the interests OF the whole
country and the spirit Of American institutions We
warmly Advocated his election and confidence in his
capacity and patriotism has been increased by almost
every act of his administration He has proved himself
n skilfl pilot with steady hand No man. unbiased
by prejudice can complain that he has manifested par
tialty for the North for the South He has held the
scales Of justice and has been swerved neither to
the right hand to the left by any influence or agency
either of his enemies his friends SO far his admin
istraton presents record which poserty will turn to
wholesome lessons in the political history of our coun
try We trust and believe that it will be the to the
end But in view of the policy pursued by some of the
bles and nceres supporters OF the President we might
tembe for the consequences not only to the aminstra
ton but the democratic party and the country also
had less confidence in the calmness, discretion and
forecast of him who In these perilous times assigned
the duty of subduing the force of fanatcm and bring
ing the Union back to its original equipoise few days
ago referred to the fact that the democratic party
has arrived at dangerous uncture Its unity must be
maintained now or in 1860 the government will be
given to back-republicansm
Il is due to the Enquirer that we should say that
these views precede temperate protest against
making the admission Of Kansas party issue. 1t is
part of our purpose discuss the propriety mpro
b,o oI.,,io
sion to account and to enforce against them edicts
of accommodation We hold no dctatoria Office
OF the kind. We are intrusted with no such power.
We claim simply the right to discuss the matter, to
weigh all the facts in the case and to state the
clusions of fair, candid Judgment upon them The
position of the President and the strong array of
democratic senators and members of Congress on the
side Of admission facts which go out to the peo
pie for precisely what they worth. They not
conclusive; they do not bind the party; though we
insist they are entitled to great weight with every
democrat who is called upon to form Judgment
upon the question whether the admission of Kansas
is or not party measure.
But there are other facts to which we appeal in
this behalf
In 1854 the democratic party inaugurated policy
involving fundamental principles, by which it was
proposed to govern the Territories of the Federal
Union. We are justified in saying that for more
than thirty years, beginning with the great conro-
versy of 1920 and including the fearful struggle of
1885, the public mind of the country was much ex-
cited upon the question Of slavery practically in
volved in the organization Of new States. BY the
act of 1920 Congress undertook without any
L., Il,
by which the people should be governed in organ
zing States out of the territories. In 1854
Congress repealed the act of 1920 and asserted the
great doctrine of nonntervenon- declared that the
people thereafter should form and regulate their own
domestic institutions in their own way.
Upon this question the opposition took issue.
Every man of them opposed it and the united de-
mocracy sustained it. Never was an issue more
complete in its and in the array Of pro and
con- We went to the ballotbox, and were sadly
beaten in nearly all the northern States In 1855 we
made another trial upon the old record and recovered
many of the fortresses we had lost. In 1856 we
again took the field, the republicans to man against
us, and the democracy to man the other side.
1t was then national fight. We took up the act of
1854 and fully endorsed it. We had organized ter
ritoral government in Kansas-we endorsed that
government. We denounced the republicans in Kan
sas as traitors and rebels. In short took the en-
tire responsibility Of the principle of non-interven-
tion and avowed unalterable purpose to enforce
it. We triumphcd, electing President and ma
iority Of the members Of Congress-.
Now, these ore some of the other facts to which
we referred and which have gone out to the democ-
racy of the country testimony by which they will
be guided in forming judgment upon the question
discussed by the Enquirer whether admission is to
be regarded party measure. The proposition
is before Congress under the direct sanction of the
President and all his cabinet and is sustained by
more than one hundred and forty out of one hundred
and sixtyive democratic members in the two houses
elected by the people and chosen by the States
This is another fact which is entitled to great
weight with the democracy in deciding the political
character Of the which the Enquirer pro-
poses to float without rudder rudder-man upon
the troubled waters of politics. Another STILL
we must name the republicans to man are now
opposed to that measure, which is based wholly upon
the law of 1854, sanctioned by the people of Kansas
the former being in truth product, legitimate
fruit Of the latter the application of the principle.
But admission is opposed, the alleged
syro,,pd that pnovo NJ do moi Tho