Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-05-10
For lie Enquirer.
The Democratic Party and the Charleston Con-
vention

TOT tHt L>HI"'''
The Democratic Party and the Charleston Con-
venGon.
Ncssrs. Editors-When we take view Of
the Democratic party of the North, especially
at the present time, and consider the almost
universal defeat that noble old party sustained
at the October election, we cannot avoid CON-
dcmning the policy pursued by President
Buchanan in making the Leeompton Constitu.
tion a test of party fealty. But before we
nroceed further, we would remark, that it has
ever been our opinion that the Lecompton Con-
stitution was got up in accordance with law
and order, and that everything was fair on the
face of it; therefore, we think Congress would
have done right in admitting it as State into
the Union, when it applied for admission as
regards the legality and constitutlonslity oI tlal
instrument; but the President and the Wash
ington Union, endeavoring to make Lecomptoh
test of Democracy, we regard as ioily, Ill
the extreme. The Lecompton Constitution as
regards its loyalty. was matter that Demo,
Gratis might honestly differ on, and still all
stand on the same platform of principle AS
We live in Pennsylvania we can realize the eflect
produced by the administration trying to make
its Kansas policy = test O.. Democracy, IN n
greater degree than you who live in the South
as we are Surrounded by abolitionism in all its
protean shapes. When some of the wisest and
mast noble statesmen, as Governor Wise and ;.
A. Douglas, were ostracised simply because they
differed from the President in single instance,
we think, it is supremely ridiculous. The Demo-
Gratis here, both Lecompton and anti-Lecomp-
ton, arc beginning to get their eyes open con-
cerninc the test matter pursued by the Prcsi-
dent, The enemies Of tile Democracy seized
upon the supposed division in the party as an
omen of the downfall of Democracy; and they
effected their object here in Pennsylva'
mia and in most of the other Northern,
| States. last fall; but we confidently predict
| their triumph will be Of short duration, as We
now think the signs of the times indicate. -
The matter of man being read out Of the
Democratic party, simply because he differed
| from the President in a single instance. We
look upon as veid Of common sense Such Il
principle, if carried out, would make the Pre-
! sident dictator, and Congress would be bound
to submit The majority Of the Democratic
/ party in Congress from the South, opposed the
! President in his Nicaraguan policy, yet they
were not read out Of the party. Yet these gen
tlemen might, with the same degree of profrl'
ETY., be read out, as the ones from the North
who opposed the Kansas policy of the Admin
istration; but all such matters as the ones spe
CITED, are liable to difference Of opinion by
members of the same party, and ought, there
fore. never to cause discussions amongst tho
friends of Democracy. AS we said before
we who live at the North arc better pre-
pared to Judge of the test Of party set W
by the President than gentlemen who live a
the South; because We live in the midst of abo
litionism in all it forms, and are surrounded b.
all the miserable isms, cliqucs and factions; ant
of course, we are we'll qualified to judge Of tn
ruinous policy pursued by the President. sucl
a course every Democrat in this republic ough
to frown upon. The following motto ought T.
be inscribed in the heart Of every Democrat
limited VIC stand, divided We fall" 1t be
comes every Democrat to be on his guard, es
pecially now, more than ever, as we have tn
combined foes of the Constitution and tn
Union to contend against We should all remem
Der that eternal vigilance is the price oi hoer
ty. If the Democratic party are firmly anlle'
success is certain in eighteen hundred an
sixty; but if Lecompton should still continu