The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-06-02


thunder. The Sham Democracy claim pre-
scriptive right to threaten disunion as often as
they are in danger of losing power, and they
are determined that no other party shall make
use of the argument Of terror.
THE TRIBUNE AND TIE PRESIDENCY.
To tie Editor Of Tie Nati0Rdl Era:
4 The great idea of the Tribune
seems to be, to beat the sham Democracy IN
1860" This was just what the Wing party
proposed to do in 1910. OF course it was per-
fectly legitimate, having such purpose "to
unite the Opposition" The result was, that
some of the affiliated Opposition turned out to
be more worthy Of being beaten than the De-
mocracy ITSELF and John Tyler's Administration,
elected by such deceptive success Of the Oppo-
siton, conSummated the annexation of Texas,
a measure which nnetenths of the men who
voted the Wing ticket in 1910 would have con-
templated with adherence. Again, in 1913,
the union of the Opposition was effected in ut
ter disregard of sll community of opinion upon
questions of public policy, and it turned out
that Mr.. Fillmore and the conservatives were
of an entirely different school from General
Taylor and the progressives, and the death of
the President threw the Administration elected
by the Wing votes into position OF hostility
to the great body of the Wings of the country.
So that in the only two instances where the Wing
party seemed to succeed, they found themselves
compelled to oppose and repudiate the very
Administrations they had constituted. If the
cause of their pOSitioe defeats is sought, it is to
be found in the fact that they had no permanent
policy no central idea, no real faith in dis
tinctive, in any distinctive principles, but fast
ened for the nonce upon such trivial issues as
the discussions of the hour CHANGED to turn up,
while their opponents, with their one name and
their one idea false as they were to it, came to
be regarded as legitimate opponents Of the
Constitution, and the proper administration of
the Government.
Ever since 1886, period SO precious for
maturing and concentrating public opinion,
preparatory to real regeneration and reform,
the Tribune has been holding in the leading
strings the great body Of Republicans, who
fought the battle under Fremont, and making
the most preposterous overtures to the factions
that defeated him, which, unauthorized and
treacherous as they were, have been treated
only with scorn. 1t has magisteraly dictated
silence upon the question of the Presidency,
while preparing the way for the adoption of
Douglas, Crittenden, Bates, or Bolts, mention
ing the successive tavoriteS in the order in
which the Tribune has presented and urged
their claims. To trust the settlement Of this
matter to a spontaneous National Convention,
at which the gathering of ardent Republicans
might generate an enthusiasm for their own
honored leaders and world-known statesmen,
might now be unsafe. But after another year,
during which the Republicans proper shall pre-
serve a decorous silence upon their own prefer
ences, while their own leading journal gener-
ously urges the preference Of Americans and
shareholders, and doughiaces, and the country
is well possessed of the necessity Of GcatiAg
the Democracy" anyhow, it may be safe to
leave the settlement Of the question TO such
public opinion as has been by that time manu-
faetured.
Hitherto, whenever any paper or person has
ventured to suggest adhesion to the platform
upon which the Republican party was formed,
and confidence in the men who stand upon
that platform, they have been put down with
the question: y GU want TO beat the DemOc-
racy, don't you ?" Whether We want to beat
the Democracy or not, depends altogether upon
the question, by whom they shall be beaten,
and what is to be the result of the beating. To
beat the Democracy by a coalition of the OPP
position, each faction laying aside its distinctive
opinions, can be of no sort of consequence to
any but the persons who hope to gain office by
such n success. 1t neither can nor should IN
Al e Al. Il
care to waste time, or money, or brains, or
heart, to bring about such a consummation
What possible reform is to be expected from
such result? Would the abuses of official
bribery cease, and the system Of using the
places under the Government as the means of
rewarding partisan services be abandoned
Of course not. Mr.. Buchanan's friends would
all be put out, and Mr.. Botts's put in. Would
the corruptions in the different branches of the
public service, the Specializing in public grants,
the foisting of groundess claims against the
Government, disappear under the new regime {?
What assurances have we of iC. Would the
consular or the diplomatic system be abolished
or reformed, with SO many partiSans of the OPP
position eager for its honors and its salaries
And the tariff what could the Opposition agree
to do with it, should the revived trade and gen
eral prosperity of the country restore sulli-
What of the present or future ntrgues of the
slave power to extend its area or increase its
political power, would an Administration Of Tie
Opposition counterfeit, that might succeed I'M
der Democratic Administration with AN active
nti-Slavery Opposition, controlling at least
one branch Of Congress? ] do not mean to
say that Mr.. Bolts might not come into the
Presidency with very much more responsibility
and with better intentions than Mr.. Buchanan,
or Mr.. Douglas or Mr.. Wise but | do believe
that a conservative Administration, with no
policy, and no character, and no relation to the
great interests that agitate the country, would
be disastrous to the public welfare, fatal
to the Anti-Slavery cause, and destructive Of
those political agencies from which 50 much
has been hoped. The better intentions of the
Administration would be overborne by its in
ferior political experience; and though public
abuses might be fewer, yet, for want of the art
By which old dishonesty learns to conceal them,
they would be more scandalous. The vice of con.
cessiOn by which such party was coalesced
would follow and curse it. The cancellations
made to soothe the South, while they would not
have that effect, would drive the North into
opposition in less then six months. To save
the Republican party from being beaten in one
battle, the advocates of this insane policy would
thus insure its humiliation through deceptive
and premature victory.
No Bolts, nor Bates, nor Bell, can lead the
hosts of the North to victory. There is no
prestige about the men, to call forth a popular
enthusiasm. The Wing party revived, with its
exploded theories, with its Duplicates, its utter
lack of faith, its old fatalities, will command
nothing but contempt. The Tribune had the
sagacity first to perceive and proclaim lis
death: IL was more true than the Tribune knew.
The thing was dead as well as the name They