The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-05

q
oral votes to Mr.. Buchanan. Meantime, his
abominable policy in relation to Lecompton, Gu
ba, and Slavery Propagandism generally, dis
tracted his own Party, aienated many of its
stanchest supporters, and it became quite evil
dent that, should the two parties, the Pro-Sla-
very Democracy and the Republican, be per-
mitted to meet each other again, face to face.
on the Presidential battlefield, the result must
be a Republican victory. How could there be
any doubt? Know Nothingism, as a. distinct
political agency, had generally disappeared ;
Old Wings and Conservatives had become Re
publicans or Democrats, or retired from active
politics; the people were fast becoming organ
lied, as Democrats or Republicans, and there
was no indication of the formation of third
party strong enough to determine the struggle
between them.
What could have prompted the Tribune at
such moment to assume that third party
was in existence, whose prejudices must be
eonsulted-that the Republican party could not
win success by adherence to its own organiza-
ton and polcy-that Conservatives, Wings,
Know Nothings, Shareholders, and Pro-Slavery
men, must be conciliated, and Republicans must
forego Unnecessary, their own organization, their
principles, their men, for the sake of uniting
with those discordant classes and forming a
great Opposition, weak enough to forswear all
Principle, strong enough to poll a majority of
the votes of the country?
u1ge have said enough to show the utter re-
1ancebf such policy to sound principle !:
Une remark more, and we shall dismiss the sub
ject for the present. The scheme of the Tri-
bune is impracticable Such combination as
it recommends can never be formed. The Black
Democracy is still strong throughout the free
States See it casting only two thousand fewer
votes than the Republicans in enlightened Con-
necticutl In nearly all the Free States, it is
the adhesion of the earnest Anti-Slavery men to
Republican Party thattur the scale against the
its antagonist. A partial disaffection of this
element would reverse the state of things.
Let the politicians beware how they trife with
the consciences of men who care for no success
but that of the Right. On both sides of the
great Question are large bodies of men, enter
tanning decided convictions, who detest trick
cry and compromise. Let such such an
Opposition be formed, as the Tribune vanly
counsels, and let Bates, Bolts, or Bell, be the
nominee, the stigma of abolition attached to
the ticket would drive every Pro-Slavery man
in the South into the ranks Of the Slave De-
mocracy, and thus ALLEVIATE every Southern
4OfD -.
gust and drive off every Anti-Slavery man in
the Free States, thereby restoring the Democra-
cy in them to power. On the other hand, let
Chase, Seward, or Banks, be the candidate, and
pass what resolutions you please, ignore, evade,
or mystify real issues as you may, does any
man in his senses believe that single South
ern State could be carried? And does not
every man in his senses see that policy so
disingenuous would inevitably hazard the sue
cess ofthe ticket in the Free States?
Let us be honest, manly, consistent.
We shall be pleased to have the cooperation
of the Conservatives and Old Wings, whom the
Tribune is so concerned for, but if when the
lines are drawn between Slavery Propagating
Democracy and Slavery Restricting Republ
can Party, they prefer the success Of the former,
then we know they would be satisfied with
nothing short of the total surrender of Republi-
can Principles, the disorganization of the Re
publican Party and the adoption of the same
policy in relation to Slavery, that has given it
its present mastery in the country. If, on the
contrary, they are sincere in their desire to see
the Black Democracy overthrow, let them
unite with the only Party, whose moral power
and numerical force are sufficient for the
achievement of that end and let the Tribune
reconsider its ground, and ponder we'll the
question, whether its counsels are not calcula-
ted to raise expectations among Conservatives
and Old Wings that must come to naught, and
TO SOW dissension and distrust among Republi-
cans, unfavorable to united and decided action