The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-04-13
THE NEW COALITION MORE DEVELOPMENTS

lIlE NEW OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES LEV
As time progresses the evidences of the new coali
ton are becoming frequent and more con-
vincing Each day furnishes us with some fresh and
interesting developments respecting it, and scarcely
"a leading journal of the opposition comes to with
out disclosing additional fact circumstance
in tho chain of events that is gradually leading to its
final contamination. The Now York Times of We'd
nesday last contains most significant article on tho
subject, and one which, coming Rom the source it
Does is entitled to tho fullest consideration The
Times says:
at is undoubtedly true that the republicans voting
for MIR Crttcndcns amendment have committed them
selves to the doctrine of popular sovereignty far as
that doctrine recognises the right Of the people form
their State constitution But within those limits the
doctrine has neyor been denied it was only upon the
question whether the people OF Territory h remain
ed such, were sovereign over it, not that difference of
opinion prevailed. STILL with the Journal of
Commerce in the opinion that this point too has been
substantially decided and that the whole country will
hereafter acquesce In it, We practical people, and
disposed to accept results when once attained We
not fond Of fighting battles that have been
cidcd And although many will still continue to hold,
matter of law that Congress ought to make laws for
the Territories and exclude slavery from them no serious
attempt will probably be made hereafter to enforce the
exercise of that power to interfere with the right
the people establish and regulate their domestic inst
be decided and earnest In its support of tho
principle of popular sovereignty than the South"
In this extract the Times behalf of the rcpubli
party, comedies to Mr.. Douglas and his friends
the right to put plank in the new platform and
gives the country to understand that hereafter wc
are to have eulogies upon the Missouri Com
promise, and no lamentations over it's repeal.
The who did most to strike it from the satntc-
book, and to erect upon its ruins tho great doc
trine of popular sovereignty and congressional
non-ntervention, is expected to be leader in
the new party, and must have his opinions on
this subject treated with some degree of re-
spect, and DO allowed place the new piece
of political mosaic upon which he can stand with
reasonable show of consistency. Hence the aban-
donment by the Times and its friends of their old
ground that Congress possesses absolute power over
the Territories, and their readiness to agreo never
again to attempt enforcement of that power or to
interfere with the right of the people to establish
and regulate their domestic institutions in their own
way
But tho Times goes further, and says
1T Is also true that the republicans have voted In "a.
vor OF admitting Kansas as slave State, provided the
people vote to have II This however is but condi-
to be fulfilled that the commitment on this point IL
theoretical rather than practical But we presume the
opposition party will not hereafter stand upon the ground
Of resistance to the admission of any slave States
Individuals in the republican ranks have held this posi-
ton and will do still The platform of 1856 commit
ted that party to II far territory dedicated to free
dom by the Missouri Compromise concerned and SO
far the action of the presidential campaign was In
voved But platforms temporary structures always
designed to purpose, and toeraby certain to
damage the purpose they intend to They are gen
orally taken down when they have been used and if this
is not DONE they certain to tumble down themselves
II is not likely therefore, that the platform of 1856 will
do duty again for the party which formed It. No great
party will plant itself hereafter upon the position that
slave States seeking admission shall be excluded because
they slave States from tho Union Both parties
there will be but two for three or four years to come
will that the people of each new State shall decide
the question for themselves that their decision shall
be respected by Congress and the country"
+ From this are 10 understand that tho republ
cans, in view of the new programme, have taken back
all they have said against admitting new slave States
into tho Union that they twill not hereafter stand
upon the ground of resistance to the admission of
any slave States = that they arc willing to
abandon the platform upon which they stood in 1856
and concede the great democratic doctrine that the
slavery for themselves and that their decision shall
be respected by Congress and the country
The New York Tribune, tho great and acknowl-
edged moothpiecc Of the republican organization,
goes length further than the Timcs and insists that
Its party never did stand upon the no-more-slave-
States doctrine. In the leading article Of its Fri
days issie 1T holds the following language
Some of the journals including one or two that are