The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-10-20

suits OF their policy aud principles, and
not by exceptional acts. Mr.. Buchanan o
Administration has been made memora.
by series of brilliant successes He
| has done al, he could do, since the open.
ing Of Congress, 10 maintain the rights
and expectations of the South. Even if
the party of the North waver, believe
Mr.. buchanan will stand firm. believe,
therefore, that bis Administration, in the
future, viii be such as we can safely and
cordially support" Good policy also re
quires that we should cooperate with the
Democratic party. In tue progress Of IA.
uaticlsm, its Northern hosts have melted
away until they are now but minority In
most Of the free States. As the Northern
wing of the party declined, the Southern
wing, however, strengthened. This de.
cIension of the one, and increase of the
other, have continued, until the party has
lost control of nearly every free State, and
has obtained control Of every Southern
State but ore. The slavery agitation has
weakened the party at The North, and
strengthened it at the South. In this
process, the whole machinery of the party
has fallen into the hands of the South, ex.
cept that which is called National Con
ventions. Issues have thus been made
which have tried the party and driven
from it the timid and wavering. It's pol
icy, too, has come very much under the
control of the South. That desire to
conciliate Northern opinion, ard thereby,
through party strength, keep possession. of
| the government, has too often and i'm
properly been manifested by Southern
men, is true; but it is equally true that
the policy of Lhe party, for the last few
years, has been mainly Southern. This
policy il has often been unable to carry
out, because of defsctions in its Northern
ranks; but it has still clung to its policy,
and the deserters have remaired in the
camp Of the enemy. The South has the
general control of the party, and if its is
sues and policy be improper or danger
Gus, she has most Of. the blame 10 bear
It is in view of this ascendency of the
South in the counsels OF the party, that !
think the party purer than it has been,
and that good policy requires our co oper-
alton with it. =
But, while | would advise the State to
cooperate with the Democratic party, |
would strongly counsel against being
merged in it. | would not create any
artificial ties 10 bind her to the party a
moment longer than sound policy dictates;
nor would ! weave around her any NOR
al restraints, spring from intimate associ
alton, to keep her from independent ac-
ton, whenever such may be proper
While, then, | would not tie the State TO
the Democratic parry, would counsel
her to act with it. do not very clearly
see What other policy lies before us. The
slavery question has become paramount,
in fact exclusive, and upon it alone parties
hre now founded. The Black Republican
and the Democrat parties are now contes.
ting the field, and the batle is between
them; for, really, at the present moment,
no other organized party appears in the
tight. 1t is true that there are differences
III the ranks of each party, hu, these diff.
ieronces are not now expressed in organ.
Ized forms. Cur southern Rights friends
are now acting with the democratic par
ty, AMI not IN separate and opposing
organization. Besides, what else can we
do? Can we retire from the field, like
Achilles to his tent, and see the tightr ra.
giag aroand us, without sharing in its for
tunes ? Can we organize a separate and
independent party at this moment Upon
what issue ? What recent development
is there upon which we can rally and con.
centrate new party There is no pal
pable and direct issue upon which we can
now proceed. II it be true that the
Black Republican and Democratic are
the only two organized parties in the
field, and we must oppose the Black Re
publican party and there is no issue
upon which we can organize new party;
then what is left TO lis but TO cooperate
with the Democracy Thus advise co.
operation with the Democratic party.