The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-07
WHAT SAYS THE SOUTH :


trine of his proviso, he an ardent democrat in
f fellowship with the national organization enjoy
ing in unusual degree the confidence and respect
OF the democracy. When he promulgated the new
doctrine it Immediately became question with his
democratic constituency, whether they should invite
probable defeat by bringing out sound democrat, or
whether it was not better to support him, sound on
every democratic principle but this, rather than al
low abolitionst to be elected, unsound not only
on this but all other questions. The alternative
with the truo national democracy was between
the policy of supporting Wilmot, Eat least BET
Ter democrat than any aboltonist" and bringing out
a true democrat sound on all points, including the
proviso, with the probability Of defeat An honest
division of opinion arose. of course, among the most
honest men of the party. Many went off with VIII
mot, espousng his proviso; many went off with him
notwithstanding his proviso and it was the defee-
ton of these last that broke down the organ
izaton for 80 long time in his district. The
plca that Wilmot " at least better democrat than
any abolifioniyt, I" was the one which ruined the
democratic in his district David Wmot,
the quondam democrat, did more to disorganize and
paralyze the democracy of Pennsylvania than all the
wings and abotonists of the State combined Has
the result of his detection been agreeable to the
South?
There similar question in the legislature Of
Massachusetts when Charles Sumner was elected to
the Senate of the United States Sumner was dem
ocrat of ability, intelligence, and very sound views
every political question but that of slavery. 1t
feasible for the democratic party to elect him by
combination with few moderate men of other par
ties BY voting for sound democrat they hazard
ed the election of confirmed abotionist wing They
voted for Sumner the plea that he was "at least
better democrat than an abolitionia Has the result in
his case been palatable to the South?
The case of Samuel p. Chase in Ohio, is another
one precisely similar to that of Sumner Chase was
an able man and democrat; but Chase was also
free-soiler. He was voted for by the opposition be-
cause of his rec-soism and by portion of the de-
mocracy, notwithstanding his freo-soilism on the
score that he cat least better democrat than a
wing abolitionst." Have the democracy realized
any benefit from his democracy? have they not reap
ed the whole injury of his free-soilism?
The was the case in the election of Preston
King Of New York, of Trumbull of Illinois, and of a
dozen other from the northern States now in the
Senate who were elected by the union of the oppos-
ton with that portion of the democracy who thought
they at least better democrats than their abo-
litionist competitors The democracy of the coun-
try has had much experience in this policy of pre-
ferring the election of renegades rather than haz-
arding defeat with sound men. Are the democracy,
is the South especially in view Of this experience,
enamored Of the destructive policy?
1t is through this fatal policy that every congress
sional district in New England has been lost to
the democratic party. 1t was by this policy that
we lost New York in ls48 large portion Of
the party going off upon the Buffalo platform
sound democratic platform except upon the slavery
question, at least better democratic platform than
that of the wings and abolitionists." We lost Ohio
also in the way, and will never be able to re-
gain her in fact until we shall have learned to insist
upon the integrity of faith, not merely ON por-
ton, but on all its principles 1t was the habtlal
pursuit of this policy that so completely broke
down the wing party of the Union, once the haugh-
test party the country ever saw, now the most d.
lapidated, abject and Inundated. The party which
tolerates schism and assault from it's own mem
bers will soon have principles to boast of at
all. The party which permits detection, much more,
which honors and rewards it. in fact conspires with
its indictments for its own assassination.
At last this same policy Of putting up with sound
ness on almost all the principles of the national
faith, and Of supporting fathess men who are Eat
least better democrats than the black republicans is
attempted to be naugurated in Illinois; and public
men are to be found even in the South, so blind to
the history Of the past this subject as to counsel
against the support of sound democrats for the
sake Of their principles, with the probability of de-
feat and in favor Of supporting Judge Douglas in
stead, as "ai least better democrat than Lincola"
We would ask, in all sincerity, if the South
ia in earnest in conserving longer to insist upon
soundness on all the tenets of the national faith,
and upon entire fidelity to the organization which
dcvotes itself to the support of that faith There
are thousands of able and noble democrats at
the North, who have sacrificed themselves to
their fidelity to the whole national creed and
who if the rule obtains, Of requiring them to avow
merely'' better democracy than that of the black
republicans, would carry their districts with case
If it may be permitted. to democrats all over the
North, as it is permitted to Judge Douglas, to brand
the action Of their party with fraud" to de-
nounce its organization stained with fraud" to
IN Wit