The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-03-26
PENNSYLVANIA POLITICS.

Forty-nine individuals (al that could BIO found
after severe drumming have signed a call for a
meeting in Pennsylvania, as they say;
ITO resist the high-handed attempt of the federal ad-
ministration to dictate political oreeds to the people
To protest against the war Of a consolidated federal
despotism upon State sovereignty and State rights
''To reassert the great principle of popular sovereignty
aud non intervention, as well in the Territories as in the
Observation-Disclosures by Congress with slavery in the
Territories, and non Intervention by the federal execu-
tive with the franchises of the people of the States
4" TO re-endorse the old-fashioned creed of the demo
cratic party, r~epudiated and ~trampled under feet by men
claiming to represent the party
And, finally, TO proclaim our un~faltering confidence
in William \. Packer, governor OF Pennsylvania, who
has been assailed and prescribed because he refused, at
the bidding of federal dictation, TO betray the trust, de-
sert the principles, and falsify the pledges of the Union
Btate-ights democracy.
The persons TO be resisted are the democracy
of Pennsylvania, who held a State convention a few
days ago, and by a large majority, four or five to
one, earnestly sustained the administration Of Mr..
Buchanan, and refused by an equally decisive vote
to endorse the State administration of Gov. Packer.
1t is unquestionably the right of the people of Penn
sylvania to meet in convention. The Americans
have done so the republicans have done so the
democracy have done SO; and now, if they can afford
to pay the expense, we insist that the political va
grants and disappointed aspirants for Office shall be
permitted also to have a State meeting. The call
indicates open opposition. 1t proposes to resist
the federal administration to protest against the
action of the executive government; to damage
the democratic party to sustain and uphold its enc,
mics and promote their fortunes.
We may with propriety, we trust, suggest to the
movers of the Pennsylvania meeting that it would
save time and expense and be far more honorable to
There is no sense in holding a separate State con.
vention unless it may be thought well to do so as
matter of policy. If the sore-heads expect to make
favorable terms with the abolitionists, and believe
that they can do SO only by getting up a general
meeting, their present movement is timely and OK
pressive. 1t is to be called a democratic meeting
q democratic meeting to oppose democratic nomi-
nees, to sustain and elect republican nominees. The
forty-nine gentlemen who signed the call are pretty
generally known as ~forty-nine opponents of the dem.
,ocratic party. They believe that their friend, Col.
Forney, was not placed in this city to be the SOW
ereign director of Mr.. Buchanan's administration, as
they are convinced he should have been. They
are ~forty-nine gentlemen who have got it into their
heads that all past ~triumphs of the democracy are
due exclusively to the admirable management OF
Colonel Forney; that he impaired to the party all its
strength and nearly all its virtue. Now, we are not
about to contest the orthodoxy of this belief; but
this much we may say in all candor If Col. Forney
contributed in the past as much aid to the democ
racy as he il, trying now to contribute to the cause
of republicanism, he deserved something of the
party. 1t is true he has been well fed and cared for
but 1t is a feature of small minds that they believe
they are entitled to a pension for every service, and
the party is ungrateful which does not confer it.
The old-fashioned democratic party " we pre-,
sumo, will be sufficiently honored should the pro-
posed State meeting endorse it. Its resurrection
under such auspices canuot be doubtful. Every
thing must go ON smoothly enough should Colonel
Forney and his virtuous associates conclude in State
convention that the democratic party is worthy OF
their support. What a hopeful day it viii be whel
such men meet They can point out the errors Of
the past, and guide us all to a brilliant and triumph,
ant future. And then when they shall have fairly
re-established the authority of the 'repudiated de
mocracy'' under such delightful auspices, nothing
can resist US.
THE oT ApyEpMA C1rEp,s pEpA pTATENrT ANN