Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-02-11

IL hundred bushels OF grain and other fodder,
were destroyed. His loss, over and above a
small insurance, is estimated to I've 5000.
The origin of the fire is a mystery.
From the Washin ,ton States, Jan &c.
HAVE WE DHMocRAric PARTY AMONG
Is ?-Iue doubt implied in the above inter
ogltory, however startling at first sight. APP
pears anything bat absurd on examination.
Nay. at the hazard of coutradicting the vul-
gar prejudice and shocking our own sense Of
security, we are obliged to announce the de-
li1eratc conclusion that there Is nIw no
Democratic party in existence. And we will
venture til" assertion. that the pirhdpxicil
opinion will be embraced by all observing and
rchGctag persons.
Of individual Democrats, dispersed over
the country, each with his peculiar profess
sion of faith and object of pursuit, there is
unqucstionably a very abundant supply. But
they no move constitute party in the phi
losophical and practical sense Of the word ;,
than II heap of unhswn and unadjustcd
stone, constitute n palace. For the realization
Of the dca there must be primarily "A com
mon foundation, then due subordination
and fitness among the parts, and finally
complete unity of organization. We doubt
Gated of the Democracy.
In the first place, will any man pretend to
affirm that Democrats are agreed upon a ba-
sis Of yrincple? In respect of which one
among the political issues before the COIN
try is there so much even as an approach to
unanimity in the "party?" Not surely in
regard to squattcr sovereignty. The disa-
grcemcnt between the President and his Sc
cretary of State ON this subject, is the SYM
boil of an equivalent difference among the De-
mocracy Not i'll regard to the Pacific rail
road, for here again the Chief of the Admins
tration is Mt prints with his Secretary of War,
and the class Of strict construction Demo-
Gratis, dissent from the faith of their SIS
scrupulous associates. Not in regard to fe-
deral appropriations for the improvements of
rivers and harbors since the division of the
Cabinet on this issue is likewise responsive to
similar division among the mass Of the De-
mocracy. Nor yet is there anything like
unanimity in the party in regard to that
most important matter OF all-the tariff ques-
ton in respect of which Mr.. Buchanan af-
firms one belief, while Mr.. Cobb main
tains directly the opposite.
We need not recapitulate all the points of
divergent doctrine among the Democracy.
Il is sufficient to say that upon no single is
sue is there adequate agreement for COM
mon basis ofaction.
In the matter of organization we discover
an equal absence Of concord and unity in the
'party." We have a Lecompton and an
anti-Lccompton faction there are the follow
crs of Douglas and here the adherents of
Buchanan in short, us many as are the as
pirants for the Presidency, 50 many are the
ciqucs ard cabals among the Democracy.
Unless these domestic discussions be har-
moni2ed by the prevalence of more fraternal
counsels or suppressed by the pressure of an
overshadowing peril, we are not warranted
in anticipating the cordial cooperation of
the various factions among the party in
| the struggle of 1860. Even the potent spell
of the spos will not now avail to subdue tle
! demon of discord among the Democracy.
1t is no absurd speculation. therefore, to
inquire whether there be u Democratic party
among us? In fact, on elaborate investiga-
ton, we are constrained to return negative
response to the question. There is no such
entity as Il Democratic party. Greater con-
fusion of tongues and opposition of interests
| did not prevail among the children of men
after their ambitious but abortive attempt in
the plain of Shnan, than are now visible in
| the broken ranks and mutual animOsities of
the once harmonious and triumphant De-
| mOcracy