The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-07-28
The State OF Parties.

The State OF Parties.
It is significant circumstance, and one which
throws strong light coming events Chat the Re.
publican is the only political party in the country
which exhibits any appearance of unity, frmness sol
idity and vigor.
The American party, so.called has, to say the
least, greatly declined from its powerful con.
diton In fact In nearly all the Southern States its
organization has been abandoned. In those States
the opposition to the present National Administra-
tion has attempted to rally itself anew in some OF
them, as in Tennessee, mere questions of local
policy in otlersin Virginia and Kentucky, for ex-
ample-as especial guardians of the laveholding in
teres The late Northern section of that party thus
abandoned by its Southern allies has lost with those
claims to national character which it SO loudly
Wanted its main hold upon the bulk of its adherents
and all claims to any decisive influence.
The Democratic party is split up into three hostile
factions between which there exist almost irreconci-
liable breaches At the head Of of these factions
stands Mr. Douglas with his doctrine of squatter Sow
eregnty. To this doctrine large proportien of that
semaining fragment of the Democratic party to be
found in the Northern States is understood to adhere
What gives to this faction and its leader very great
Importance is that they control those few Northern
States in which alone there any chance of obtain
ing Democratic majority at the next Presidential
election and the votes of which absolutely
tial to the of the Democratic candidate should
that party be so fortunate to be able agree
candidate Over against Mr.. Douglas and the Squat.
ter Sovereignty faction stands the faction at the head
Of which Governor Wise has lately att ed to place
HIMSELF that which demands actual legislation on the
part Of Congress for the of slave property
in the Territories There is still third faction which
may be called par excellence, the spos faction of
which Mr. Hunter aspires to be a leader, and which
enjoys the smiles and assistance of Mr.. Buchanan,
who possibly might be persuaded to accept renomi-
nation. This faction. regarding the possession of
power as the main thing after ALL and platforms and
principles as of but little comparative consequence
is anxious to contrive some means for stepping in
between the other two factions and carrying off first the
nomination of the Charleston Convention, and then
the votes of the rank aud file of the party. .tHs'
But apart from these differences what shall be
done with the question of Slavery in the Territories
another question is fast looming up which
to give tn Democratic party vast deal of trouble.
This is the question of the egazation of the african
slave trade by the repeal of the acts of Congress by
: which it is prohibited and punished. This idea is
making such rapid progress at the South that II is
already becoming serious question whether il can
be kept out of the Charleston Convention. Mr. Doug
las in his late letter in relation that body and its
appears refer TO this the subjects
on which the Convention may undertake to act. The
Introduction of this question into national politics
involves not only point of controversy between
Northern and Southern Democrats it involves an
internal divisoni in the South ITSELF the
States leaning to sde the say ebuync States
to the other it involves also a collision between the
aspiring poor and the contented rich to the South
ern unity of sentiment on the Slavery question so
loudly boosted Of and upon which what calls itself the
Democratic party has of late rested 70 its ma
support To all these internal differences and dissen-
sions add the great number of Presidential asprans
of which there is scarcely not able to furnish
its quota and the bitter feelings of personal hostility
with which they regard each other and it is mposi-
BILE not to see in the Democratic party abundant signs
of decripitude, decay and dissolution. g. -.
}, The Republican party, the other hand, grows
every day more solid compact, united and vigorous
Composed, as it was in the beginning, OF materials
drawn largely both from the old Wing and from the
old Democratic parties, and a portion of those who
formed it having been temporarily connected with
the American party, it naturally to be expected
that at first it should exhibit certain want of uni
formity and solidty growing out of this composite
character. But already al! these diverse materials
are firmly united together and the party has tain
distinct principles, aims and objects which all
its members are agreed. The Republican party is
properly entitled and alone entitled to be called the
conservative party the Union 1t does no pretend
to have obtained any lights, itself up as
wiser than Jefferson Washington, Hamilton and the
other great men by whose courage abors and sacri-
ces our independence was secured, and by whose
wisdom the Government was framed. 1t looks upon
Slavery in the same light they did-as an evil po-
litical economical and moral, great grievance and
heavy burden unfortunately inherited from colonial
times Hence oft ha lioa
to the spread Of this evil beyond its present. limits,
and its disposition all the territory belong
ing to the Union for the exclusive ccupation of Free
Labor following in the example of the who framed
the ordinance Of 1877, which made applicable to
all the territory then belonging to the Union. As
Slavery in the States, it proposes to leave it, the
Federal Constitution leaves it, to locs legislation
though whenever the question is raised in Slave
State, in Missouri, may be sure that the Re.
publicans viii be jealous Emancipationsts But as
national party they insist that Slavery and shall
main purely State institution and of the great
purposes Of the party is withstand that insidious
course OF legislation judicial decision and executive
action BY which, especially of late years. has been
attempted to give to slavery national character Ia
view of the ideas the subject Of negro slavery
which have obi aimed sudden an ascendency at the
South, and Of the attempt now vigorously making,
the natuI and logical consequence of those ideas
to revive the African slave-trade, the Republican
party may be regarded having been providentally
raised up to meet great crisis in national affairs
and to preserve our institutions the basis upon
which our fathers placed them Shall this nation re-
main Free-Lahpr democracy, or shall it become a
Saveholding arstocracy? Shall the element of free
industry remain the cornerstone Of our social and
political system? Shall look to emigration from
Europe as the means to furnish that supply Of labor
required as supplement to national increase,
or shall we open all Southern ports to renewed
impo.tations from Africa? Are these United States
to remain what they are, they to be Africanized
To these questions the Republican party stands ready
to give firm and decided answer.-N Y. Tribune.
ARRIVAL OF THE AFRICA.
4 II D s TILITIES SUSPENDED
Am Arlnistic Signed.
Cotton g-B'eodstu6s and Professions
ayi1s,