Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1860-05-11

the prevailing current at the South in opposi-
tion TO any such protection.
Mr.. Van Buren, having been proposed as the
Democratic candidate to succeed Gen. Jack
son as President, the Southern wing of the
party attempted the same mauGuver against
him which had been successful against John
Quincy Adams Advantage was taken of the
agitation of the Slavery question, then begin
ming, aud principally carried on 10 Congress by
Calhoun and other Southern members, TO de-
nounce Van Buren as "a Northern man, unfa-
voTable TO the interests of the South; aud on
this occasion, and on this sectional ground,
another Southern secession, in addition to that
led by Calhoun, took place from the Demo-
cratic party. But these seceders or their rep
resen tatives, have most or all of them since
gone back into the Democratic ranks, and it is
they principally who are the leaders in the dis
organization now going on at Charleston.
Down to the time when, under the auspices
of Tyler and Calhoun, the annexation of Tex
as became leading question in our politics,
the Northern section Of tho Democratic party
had pretty veil held their own. On the ques-
ton of the right of petition they bad made
some disgraceful concessions, bu; on most 9th
er points they bad upheld the claim of North
ern ideas, interests and sentiments to have
their fair share of influence on the policy of
the nation. They experienced their first great
humiliation when, through the treachery and
ambition of Gen. Cas- and the operation of
the two-thirds rule, they found themselves
obliged IN the Convention of 1914 to drop Mr..
Van Buren as Presidential candidate. This
was the beginning OF an eIsctual sectional
pressure brought TO bear upon the Democratic
party by the slaVeholding interest. acting un-
der the encouragement OF Northern presiden-
tlal aspirants.
The nomination of Frank Pierce might seem,
from the circumstance that he was No.thern
man. TO indicate that the Northern section of
the party had again recovered its influence
But, Mr.. Pierce was raminated merely on the
strength of his entire and total devotion to the
slaVeholding interest, aud on the principle of
holding out to even third and fourth>Iate North
ern politicians the prospect of the highest po-
litica position to be obtained, not by leadership,
but by subservience. Mr. Pierce was, in fact,
not the candidate of the Northern Democrats,
but the candidate of the slaveholders, to whose
favor he was indebted fer both his domination
aud his election.
The effect of this new scheme of political re-
generation was soon apparent, IN the introduce
tion BY Mr.. Douglas of the kansas.Nebraska
bill; the attempt to eEtiee the Northern De-
mocracy into its support, under the delusive
pretext of Squatter Sovereignty, and the effort
to coeTce the reluctant BY the whole weight of
Executive influence. But this was point to
which tue honest and Intelligent portion of The
party could not be brought The passage of
the Kansas-Nebraska bill, Including the repeal
of the Missouri Compromise, indicated fixed
resolution to sectiouaize the Federal Govern
ment, and to make it subservient to the exten-
sion and perpetuation of slave labor. The in
telligent Democrats in the Free-Labcr States
refused to become parties 10 this procedure
Seeding at once from an organization which
could no longer be considered as anything but
Sham Democracy, they assisted in forming the
Republican party. What is now going on proves
that they did this none too soon. They have
washed their hands of the disgrace of Buch-
anan's Administration, and they have escaped
the humiliations of the Charleston Convention
~. Y. Tribune.