The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1859-01-19

entire south 1t has recently given the most
convincing testimony of the genuinenessof its
democracy, by yielding its support to candi-
date for the Office of governor Of Virginia, after
having proved conclusively that he was un-
worthy of that Office. 1t opposed the nomina-
ton of John Letcber, and day after day its
colums were filled with earnest denunGatons
of that, distinguished individual, and its read
ers were convinced that he was utterly unfit
/ for the position to which heaspired. But not
withstanding those earnest denunciations of
Mr.. Letcher, the State convention nominated
him, and the Enquirer at once declared that i
would support the nominee as earnestly as it
had resisted the aspirant. After this signal
surrender of its independence the democracy
of the Enquirer cannot be questioned. For
that reason its views of the presidents message
are important. Of course, ifthe recommends
tions Of the president were adopted by the
party, the Enquirer would adopt them too,but
, from the following extract it will be seen that
it dares 10 differ from the president, at present.
/ 1t says:
"We have carefully considered the contents
of this document, the message and before
entering into written discussion of its separate
features. must premise by avowing that in our
opinion, its departures from the rule of polti
cal faith laid down. in the platform of the demo-
cratic republican party, are too marked and too
/ frequent, to admit of its endorsement By the
democracy Of Virginia.
This is sweeping declaration, and reads
Mr.. Buchanan outof the party The Enquirer
proceeds to snub the president thus:t
owe regret that the president should have
thought it necessary to commence his message
with long and labored review of the Lecomp-
ton question, which has already oocasioned
sufficient disaster to the party. Ifintended as
mere personal yindcatlon of his own course,
it may well be questioned whether he has not
! given such yindication more prominence than
it meried or required"
Mr.. Buchanan is next lectured for reagitating
this question, as follows: =, ..s.t.l 4.L
Moreover, it presents nothing which has
not already and repeatedly been discussed and
even denied. and seems to insist too sringently
on one side of a question, which has at least
been acknowledged to possess two sides, and
ON which the democracy are divided, without
present prospect of the reconciliation Of oPpos-
ing views. If not intended as mere personal
vindcation, then this part of the messagesmast
certainly be considered as worse than useless
Assuredly it was not required in any manner
to guide the deliberations of the present con-
gress. At all events, it reopens an old sore,
which time and the careful avoidenee of addl-
tiona recrmlnatlon are alone suficlentto heal"
While it endorses the general recommends
! ton that no new State shall henceforth be adj
mitted into the Union, until it shall acquire a
population equal to the ordinary ratio required
to elect a congressional representative, the En-
quirer is opposed to applying the rule to Kan'
sas and is in favor of admitting it with or with
out the requisite population, whenever applcar
ton is made with a constitution legitimately
approved by the inhabitants Of the territory
Our Richmond cotemporary goes even further
than this, and asserts the right and duty of
congress to interfere for the protection of per-
sons and property in the territories. e
The Enquirer likes the aspect of our relar
tions with Japan, China and Brazil, and is not
very explicit as to Mexico Cuba and Central
American affairs.
The recommendation in regard TO bankrupt
law is thus met
"The proposition for federal bankrupt act,
which is 10 give the general government imme-
diate and paramount control over Stale corpo-
raions, we are obliged to say, is as unconsti7
tutonal and as dangerous TO State sovereignty
as Mr. Calhoun ever described it to- be. On
this point, Virginia statesmen owe it to their
own traditions TO meet the proposal of the exc
cutive with firm denial"
With equal earnestness the Enquirer protests
against the proposed changes of the tariff and
the appropriations for the Pacific railroad.
Equally opposed are we to any retrogade
step which proposes to introduce specific instead
of ad valorem tariff duties. Indeed, in our
Judgment, the ordinary expenses of the goy;
e IL cf.rf
rates of tariff duties. And if they do, we are
prepared to stand firm in the advocacy Of
strictly ad valorem tariff, adapted, not TO pur-
poses of so called protection" butentirely to
raising revenue just sufficient TO meet necea-
sary governmental expenses,
"And we are obliged again to protest against
} any federal appropriation of land or money to
; works of internal Improvement. However de
sirable a Pacific railroad may be, we recognize
: no necessity for its construction, sufficient to
authorize congress to appropriate the property
Of this confederation OF States to any purposes
not prescribed by the constitution.
From these extracts it would seem that the,
Enquirer does not have very high opinion Of
Mr. Buchanan's democracy. Our cotemporaly
notwithstanding the declarations to the contrary
will be prepared to back down if the views Of
the president should be adopted By the party.
# other democratic journals of the south were
TO protest as earnestly as the Enquirer has
against these innovations Of the president, he
himself might be induced to abandon his bank
rupt law, internal improvement and tariff
schemes, and side with the old fashioned demo-,
: Gratis of the south. In the meantime we shall
watch with some interest the future movements
of the party, to see whether they viii be led
away from the old landmarks of democracy by
Mr.. Buchanan, who is comparatively raw re-
crut, or stand by the Enquirer, the veteran
: exponent Of the faith as it was handed down
from the fathers. AS president Buchanan ad
vocates one set of principles, and his leading
partizans advocate batch of an entirely oppo-
site stripe. can any old democrat informs us as
to the ''true principles of democracy" Echo
answers, "Nahingh' Nashville Banner
The example Of the democratic governor Of
Tennessee, &'ho, being requested to appoint a
thanksgiving day, said after the result Of she
recent elections, that che didn't know what be-
or his party had to be thankful for" has been