Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-05-10
National" Democracy.

We do not believe il is the duty of Southern
patriots to lal~r any longer Tor the maintenance
of the organization of the Democratic party. That
once respected party has had lis day, aud it has
already outliyed its usefulness. II ii was unable
To defend the South against her Northern cne-
mics, when in the flower and ,igor of its strength.
how could it be expected +" defend her now, when
rapidly sinking and lettering into imletiliry and
decrepi'udc? Long since, it ceased to le Il aat'on-
al party.
The above extract is not taken from n Whig or
Know-Nothing paper. 1t is not the splene,ic ut
terancc Of u minority partisan. 1t isfrom The Mo-
bile Mercury, an organ OF the extreme : uthcrn
Democracy-a Journal that has the manliress
not to blink q palrahle truth tina, s'arcs i, in the
face. and a courage that is equal to the occasion
OF confronting unpleasant realities, no matter how
timidly the taint-hearted may cover and shrink
frum the contact.
The Mercury expresses an undeniabl" truth
when it says that the Democratic party has long
since ceased to he national. 1t has not been u
natiunal party since the days Of james H.. Polk.
The agitation of the slavery question, growing out
Of the annexation of Texns. and the acquisition of
territory from Mexico, discovered n radical differ
ence Of sentiment in the respective wings Of TINT
party North and Southland every attempt to
heal the breach since has met with temporary
success only. to be followed immediately after
wards with a fresh hemorrhase from the bleeding
wound.
On special occasions, as in the Presidential can
vass Of 1852, the divisions in the party. in respect
of principle. are plastered over with II thick layer
of the spells. coneealipg to some extent the hide.
a., 1901. .-l:uh. lr - 4. r-
unity Of the Democratic party. But as soon as
these spoils are torn off and devouied by the hum
CRY cormorants who Aock around the public crib,
the hidtus yawns open mere palpatly than ever.
and the difficulty Of even a temporary closure is
aggravated by every fresh attempt.
1fjt were the slavery question alone that segre-
gated the Democratic party, perhaps there might
be discovered some e1pcdicnt for reuniting the
different wings upon a Common ground IF policy.
But the slavery question is one only Of the many
elements which distract the counsels OF the party,
and enfeeble and emasculate its strength. There
are other questions upon which thc Democracy are
even morchopele:sly divided than upon this grand
and ovcrshadowing issue, which has beer p%rccipi-
tated upon US by the unwise tinkering aud unne-
cessary and meddlesome interference of profess
sionai spo'ls-secking politicians and adventures.
The old Democratic doctrine Off strict construc-
ton OF the Constitution has been long ago scatter
ed to the four winds IF heaven, and its impul nall.
fragments now float about the atmosphere, with.
out either form or substance. To suit local pur.
poses or minister to the cupidhy of those necessi
tous camp-f"llowers who steal along in the rear o
the Democratic army for purposes of plumber ant
pillase. The doctrines Of the Resolutions of '0s an,
20 have been secuted 10y modern Democracy a
only the tarbsrous relics Of a by-gone age. N,
longer recognised IS Of binding authority, tn
creed Of strict Construction has been discarded a
Offering indispensable distractions toa wholesale
syssem Of stsalage from the Federal Government
and the consequence is, the party is now auatin.
sbaut. without chart or Compass, among the logs
driftrwocd. and debris which the popular curren
b hurrying down to the gulf Of destruction.
The Mobile Mercury 10 right. The Democrati
rarty IL notonly not national, but it has lost ever
sasnsato f vitality which formerly animated its b
q: sithes estlived its time. and is ct now oul
tpbe stossd away in some dark corner in the ~
litiqsl CARED, 70 b preserved "a q memorial OF Ii
tN0 wAise NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. upon S~orruptio
9egAtioD mi political pruAigasyA
Esea ~ 1870 potency Of the spoils can no 10,
ossu2ss toseasits - discovered fragments OF