American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1859-02-11
Have We a Democratic Party Among

sight, appears anything but absurd on
examination. Nay, at the hazard of
contradicting the vulgar prejudice and
shocking our own sense ofsccnrity We
arc obliged to announce the deliberate
conclusions that there is now no Demo
! cratic party in existence. And we
VIII venture the assertion, that the para
doxicai opinion will be embraced by all
observing and rejecting persons.
OF individual Democrats, dispersed
over the country, each with his peculiar
profession of faith, and object of pur-
suit, there is -unquestionably very
abundant supply. But they no more
constitute party in the philosophical
and practical sense Of the word, than
a heap OF unhewn and unadjusted stone
constitute palace. For the realiza-
ton OF that idea, there must be p.imari-
~ common foundation, then due
subordination and fitness among the
parts, and finally complete unity of
organization. We doubt if any one of
these conditions can be prcdicated of
the Democracy.
In the first place, will any man pre-
tendto affirm that Democrats are agreed
upon basis of principle? In respect
OF which one among the political issues
before the country is there so much
even as an approach to unanimity in
the party" Not surely in regard to
sqnatter sovereignty. The disa gree.
men between the President and his
Secretary of State on this subject, is
the symbol Of an equivalent difference
among the Democracy. Notrin regard
to the Pacific railroad, for here again
the chief OF the Administration il q
points with his Secretary of War, and
the class OF strict construction Demo.
Gratis dissent from the faith of their
less scrupulous associates. Not in re-
gard to federal appropriations for the
improvement Of rivers and harbors:
since the division Of the Cabinet on this
issue is likewise responsive to y similar
division among the mass of the Demo.
crscy. Nor yet ia there anything like
unan'mlty in the party" in regard t.,
the most important matter of all-.tbs
tariff question, in respect Of viii .b Mr.
Buchanan sfiirms one belief, chile AIR.
Cobb maintains directly TIE opposite.
We need not recapj'.nia,s all the
points of divergent dc ctrine anon, IN.
Democracy. It's sufficient to saw tba.
upon no single ;ssro il there adcnn,ts
agreement Tor common basis sfaction.
In the Hat.er of organizstio We dis.
cover a.. equal absence of concord and
UNITY H.. the 'psrty.". We have a
hecorApton and Anti. Lecompton fac
hoI; there are the followers of Doug
las and here the sdhercnts of Buchan-
an; IN short, ~ many as are the as.
, p'rants for the Presidency, 80 many are
the cllques and cabxls among the Dem
ocracy. ...... n. .....
= Heretofore, the Administration has
, afforded ralIying point for the ind-
, vIduSls of the party but, instead,
, 1t IS become an original occasion of dis
pate and dissension. In these latter
days, the recommendation Of Demo.
cratic Executive implies little more
authority with Democratic Repre-
sentative than with member of the
Opposition. ...... ....... ..,...
In one particular the Democracy are
thought to be very generally agreed
In opinion and concurrent in action,
: and that is in the pursuit of the spoils.
But even in this most important mat.
ter, they exhibit the same diversity of
interest and policy observable in every
other regard. The course of the pre-
sent Democratic Executive has been
signaiscd by the indiscriminate ostra.
cism of the surviving ofliceholders of
it's Democratic predecessor. And in
respect of future promotion, the rival
factions in the "party'' are more intent
each on the defeat Of its rival, than on
the overthrow Of the common enemy.
Unless these domestic discussions DO
harmonlzed by the prevalence Of more
tratcrnal counsels or suppressed by the
pressure of an overshadowing peril, VIC
are not warranted in anticipating the
. cordial cooperation ofthe various fac.
tons among the ''party' in the strug,
gle of 1860. Even tho potent spell Of
tue spollS will not now avail to subdue
the demon Of discord among the De.
mocracy.
1t is no absurd speculation, there.
fore, to inquire whether there be De.
'nocratic party among US? In fact,
on elaborate investigation, we are con.
strained to return anegativc response
to the question. There is no such entity
as Democratic party. Greater con.
fusion of tongues and opposition in.
terests did not prevail among the child.
; rem OF men after their ambitious
but abortive ATTEMPT in the plain of