The Placer herald., 1858-04-17
Extremes of Political Opinions,

The Erie Pay Observer, after speaking of
the proneness of men to run into extremes
of opinion upon politica! as we'll as we'll as
other subjects, without thoroughness of in
vestigation sufficient to arrive at correct
conclusions, says:
The present agitation Of the questions in
volved in the Lecompton Constitution clear
ly shows this. There is an extreme faction
of the Democratic Party that has been car
ried away from the great body, determined
to rule or ruin. All the reliable men in the
party, all the solid Statesmen almost with
out an exception, have undoubtng faith and
confidence in the wisdom, honesty, and abili-
ty of the president. These men are guided
by an enlightened sense of their duties to
the whole nation, by long experience in the
affairs of government, and by thorough
knowledge of Constitutional law, and hence
they are not drifted away from their old po-
sitions by every tide of agitation, nor blown
about by every wind of political doctrine.
These men both north and south, are men
who have stood boldly up against all fanatic
ism come from what part of the country it
might and scorned to act for any lower ideas
than national honor, and national prosperity.
They have never arrayed the interest of the
South against those of the North, but have
treated all portions of the country, and all
the interests of the States as a web of mu-
tai dependencies, woven up by the motive
power of great unifying sentiment. They
are to-day what they have been for the last
quarter of a century, national men. Slavery
or no Slavery, is not their motto, they rally
not around that Standard for they differ
among themselves on the abstract question
but their standard of action u.s. what is best
for the country independent of this question
of Slavery. TO them there are other
questions of importance in country contain
ing thirty millions of people, beside the sim
pie question that concerns only three mil
lions of negroes. 70 them 1t is not of so
much Importance whether Kansas comes in
to the Union as a Free State, or Slave State
as whether there shall be Union, into which
she can be received at all.
They have taken position with the Presi-
dent because they believe it to be the dictate
of sound reason, good judgment, and an hon
est regard for national honor and the perpet.
uty of the government When the extreme
lists of the South led off against the President
and abused him, for the arrest of Walker
these men rebuked those Southern fanatics
and manfully defended the position of the
Administration. When the extremists ot
the North led by few ambitious and dis
affected Democrats and the natural enemies
of the South, the Republicans, thrust upon
the country the Kansas question and sough,
to embarrass the Administration, and block
the wheels of government, these na:iona
men were again unit, and now stand shoul
der to shoulder not to extend Slavery, or
abolish Slavery, but TO maintain the just and
equal rights of all the States.
The factions and extreme opinions of the
opposition on the present question of agita
ton like all other extravagancies must socr
die out. The Pennsylvania Convention O
the 4th inst, shows that they have no hol,
of any considerable Importance in the ole
Key stone Slate-Thosc anxious Republi
cans who expected to see a split in the De
mocracy Of Pennsylvania have been badly
disappointed. Never was there better State
of feeling, and never were our prospects of ;
complete triumph better. We have our mcr
in the field and they wW be elected. We
have all confidence in the Democracy O
this State, and we say again, the men We
vote for will be elected.