Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-11-25
From lhr National Intelligencer,
A Source of Weakness.

| 1t NAV be remembered by some among rea-
ders that, in abiding several weeks AZ" to the
political and tendencies Of the current time
We took occasion to int mate our belief that tho
Democratic party WINS destined to find that See
tonal agitation which j. has 80 greatly c"ntrihu-
ted to orig mate and iomcnt during the last lew
years Of our evil history, would prove IN the end
Ia source Of weakness, and disintegratlon instead
Of continuing 10 be it's tower of strengl. For the
expression OF this opinion We were ut the time tn.
ken to task hy u South Car,.liua contemporary,
which contested at once statement Of the fact
and Inference IN the premises.
Those who ignore the responsibility ct the De-
mocratc party for the sectional asltatIons which
have sprung from the repeal Of the Missouri Conn
lpromisr. doubtless pos,esssI of >oint exrlanu
tory theory which s sal snctury Ia their minds
II. however, we are labor,ng uni", IA mistake in
surprising that there is some relation OF cause md
effect between the Territorial legislation of lsji
aud the political events which hive followed III its
train, it is Mt least some satisfaction 10 perceive
that our mlsapprchens"ns may shelter II sell bc
hind the authority OF distinguished names
Among these, we need hut cite TINT of Senator
Hammond, while we recall tho statement rrccntly
made hy him to the effect that tho Kansas Nelras-
lka bill "inluced the South 10 join in false and
useless issue, which has kept the country in tur,
mol for the last four years, and given fresh Ii
and yigor To the anti-slavery sentiment ut the
North.
fct, notwithstanding tho perils which
cnun'crcd by this renewal Of our sectional crnirsts
the Democracy have been accustomed to derive
some consolation from the evils thus brought upon
the country by finding in them the indirect eau
scs If politica success which crowned their efforts
in the last Presidential election We incline to
think, however. that the day has passed when
they can longer hope to thrive by n perpctuatiun
If the present issues. 1t is true that the official
journal doubts whether the party can afford to
abandon IA measure which has Of late years been
the standard and test Of Democratic orthodoxy,
but it must be obvious 10 everybody else, if not to
our neighbors of the Union" that but little ben
eft can be expected Ia accrue to the party from
the rigid maintenance Of the minor issues beoueath-
ell by the Kansas Nebraska bill, and which. as
now held and interpreted by the great mass of its
Northern a,lherents, afford nothing better than
the conditions Of "a serene indifference with re-
gard to the election of Democratic and Republican
representatives in the National Legislature. 1t is
in this spirit that the thoroughguing Democratic
journal, the Rochester Union and Advertiser"
protests against what it deems the purpose of the
ofcisl journal in this city to erect "a single ques
ton into the sole surviving criterion of National
Democracy. and that a question which it affrms
is practically null and imperative" 1t is not
for us tn pronounce upon the political Significance
tor contemporary, but, in the face of the declara-
ton that the effort to ,uake it test Twill certain
iy cost the Democratic party the Presidency two
years hence we are at least authorized to infer
that in the opinion Of this Democratic PAPER 1.-The
slavery issue has ceased to be q source of poti.
cal strength Mt least to the Northern Democracy.
And it, a. Mr.. Hammond declares. il has of late
years offered nothing better than "a deception and
n delusion" to the South, we are at some loss 70
understand the grounds on which it seems no de-
sirahie u some that the present sectional coptro-
versy should be nurturcd by the Democratic party.