Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-01-15


THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
~ sITc1nE = DnSSNVANT.
FRIDAY, JANUARY is. 1858:
PRINCIPLES AND PARTIES.
Tas present relations, not Of parties Out OF 'ne
leaders OF parties in this country may seem " oe
curiously complicated. Recent debates 10 congress
oztray the sct that there are points oi poicS moi un
frequently arising, which do uot dfectIy pertain 70
the cardinal principles of any party-e1temporaneou'
questions no, anticipated by platforms or involved
il the controversies of political campaigns And it
ia nuon one of these that We find this remarka.
bio admixturs of seemingly antagonistio elements
this sympatby and fellowship for the moment be-
tween men of autipodal political principles.
1t may appear strange, but it is not so. To see
Seward sustaining the Administration in its position
With reference to the conduct of Commodore
Paulong, while Toonbs and Stephens manifest
decided dissatisfaction, if not indignation in com.
meulins upon the Presidents temperate. but adm-
raole rebuke, might we'll startle the Southern
people, ii the question under consideration was Of
that pecuIa character which belongs to their domes
tic institutions. If with reference to negro slavery in
plause hsaped upon the President by Black Republi.
leaders, and, at the same time, disapproba'ion
from true and tried Democratic champions, the
conclusion would be clear, that abolitionsm wac en-
croschng upon US with the encouragement OF the
Federal Executive. But when the question is confined
strctly al to international law and construction o.
the russ and regulations defining the duties of
Government TO others, and prescribing the jurisdiction
OF the United States the high sess there are no
party principles involved; aud consequently the
party leaders may mingle in an unharmonous
medley of black spirits and white blue spirits and
grey" without at all compromising their distinctive
posons in the respective parties to which they be-
long. An instance is also afforded in the individual
attitude of Senator Douglas, at present, in which dis
tiuguished Democrats may differ from the main body
0. the party points of construction and expedency,
without necessarily subjecting themselves to excom
muncation As long they stand by the great princ
pies of Democracy, it matters not what honorable
means they may propose for arriving at the ends to
which those principles are directed, so far as their
party relations are concerned. But Senator Douglas
does not concur with Mr.. Buchanan as to the
mode Of developing popular sovereignty in Kan
sas-the immediate means under existing circum-
stances of so enforcing the provisions Of the Ne
braska bill as to allow the people to determine
upon the character Of their institutions, free
ly, fearlessly and fairly. But because the one is
in favor of accepting the Lecompton Constitution as
il s and the other nssts that the whole Of it must be
ratified by the people at the polls, before the Kansas
act can have been fully enforced, and popular sovsr'
eighty duly deferred to; cay, that while concurrng
upon the principle because there exists disagreement
between the Administration and Senator Douglas as
10 the most advisable and available mode of carrying
out and preserving that principle, shall there at once
be an impossible gulf forever separating them'-
Shall Senator Douglas be drummed out of the Demo
cratic camp and branded as a deserter, because he
happens to have an opinion of his own, which s in
support of principle, that no man in re.
publican country would dare refuse to afirm1 Is
every Democrat whose views of e1pediency on GER
tain point do not accord with the views of majority
of the party to be placed beyond the political pale
in which he has been accustomed to novel
1t would be as reasonable to contend that every de
nomination but one of the Christian Church should
be turned over to the tender merces of the devil as
an association of heretcs and hesthens. The appa
rent contradictions sometimes exhibited in the po
cal professions and temporary positions of party lead
ers are much more easily reconciled than prejudced
observers are ever willing to admit. An opposite il
lusiraton of the idea endeav orng to elucdste
IS furnished in the vote of the House of Dele
gates on Tuesday, on the resolution" e vh'"h
we adverted yesterday. Those resolutions were
offered and adopted in Democratic caucus the
night before. They were submitted next day TO the
consideration of the House of Delegates. They ex.
pressed appreciation of the position of Democratic
Administrator regard to the admission of Kansas
into the Union. II was proposed, by opposition
member. that they should be go amended as to repre-
sent a reflection of the Democratic members alone.
The motion was earnestly opposed by Mr.. Segar, of
Elizabeth City-and the vote upon the resolutions
being takep at least gentlemen of the opposition
whom We may call party leaders, Ncre found in Demo
cratic company. And now let us ask, are these gen.
tlemen to be communicated by their own party 7
Are they ess than they to the principles they
profess uphold. and with reference to which they
doubtless elected to the Legislature? lathe MEM
Der from Monroe, or the member from Richmond and
Westmorland,or the member from Henry,or the mem
Der from Jefferson to be suspected of secret sympathy
for the principles of the Democratic party because he
voted for resolutions sustaining Mr.. Buchanan in his
position on the Kansas question, Is the member
ON Loudoan to be considered henceforward a State
rights Democrat, because he voted for those resolu
tops also7 And 10 the member from Northampton
10 De regarded henceforth and forever Internal
improvement man, free trade man, an anti United
States. Bank man, and wthal an antdistribution
man, because he too, voted for those resolutions
Ia company with a whole host of unaduterated
irr-clsimable, wool.dyed Democrats Or, on the
other hand, are the Democratic members
>e &c -;kb
che opposition because these gentlemen voted with
t..enl If neither, then the positions of Seward and
Toombs, and Stephens, and others on the Walker
Pounding question, need not disturb the dreams
OF Democrats; and the difference between Mr
Douglas and the Administration, we would also sug.
gest, by means augsrs disruption either Of the
Unon or the Democratic part..
We 90 rot include Mr. ST ar among those gentle.
men Of the opposition who oted for the resolution
10 which We have REFER, 4; and for the reason,
TIA. we think We should 20 doing him injustice'
TO say that he is altogethe of and with tho oppo
son. SO far, We hsieve, he sdmires and spplauds
the Administration, for almost all that it has done
and We quite confidently hope that bis consistent &C.
voton the good old Democratic doctrine Of State
rights will lead him, at last, into full fellowship with
the party which has so often felt the force Of his
heavy b.owe.
We have to thank Messrs. Macfarlane g. FERGUSON
for neatly printed copy Of the Rev. T. V. Moores
able aud beautiful sermon, delivered at the funeral OF
that excellent man, Z. w. Flournoy Esq. 1t is CD.
titled The Christian Lawyer the claims Of Christi
aui,y on the Legal Profession" and does full justice
TO the subject.
ENDORSEMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATION
CLEVELAND. January l3th.-The Ohio Legisa.
ture has psss.d resolutions expressing confidence
in the Administration; re.sfhrmng the Cincinnati
platform declaring the refusal of the Lscompton
Convention to submit the Constitution to the people
do unwise and unfortunate tor the peace Of Kansas,
insrucny the Senators of the State and requesting
Representatives to vote against the Lsoompton Con.