Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1860-01-21
THE STRUGGLE IN CONGRESS.

designation as such are quite as little to
blame for the continual reorganization of the
House as are the Abolitionists." Certainly;
they are, comments that sterling sheet the
Memphis Enquirer, and for exactly the same
reason. These sweet and loving associates
these two patriotic organizations which have
absorbed all the pnblic virtue Of the land
have each earnestly and persistently labore'
to elect is own nominee, ard nobody else. OF
course they are not to blame, hut the Opposi-
ton are deeply criminal for trying to elect
one Of their men. although if they had not
done it, they would have been compelled to
choose between Mr. Sherman, who endorsed
the Helper bcoh, and MIR. BococK, who re
fuses to say that he would not be in favor of
the immediate dissolution Of the UGion, IN
the event OF the election of a Black Repub-
can President, without waiting for an overt
act OF wrong or oppression Worse still, IN
voting for Mr.. BococK they would have en-
joyed the satisfaction of giving a gtatuitous
endorsement to a disuHionist. when they
knew they could not elect him. TIC vote for
RococK would have simply been to endorse
the reasonable sentiments imputed to him,
without the reuiotest hope OF b. ingihg about
All organization OF the House as some COM
pensation for the degrading sacrifice Of feel
ing and Of principle which such a vote IL
yoived. The Opposition vote, added TO those
(which be received Of his own party, would
still have lett him in a minority, and cur
friends, in sustaining him, would have traded
away theif honor for d less price than Esau
received for his birttiight.
We do not suppose that any member of the
Opposition feels the least tenderness in re-
gardto his position upon the Speakers; cleo
ton. Certain it is that ii VI were Que of
them We would offer 40 Justification for re-
fpsing to support SIBERIAN, than that he was
a Republican, and none for refusing TO sup
pert Bocock other than that he was a DEM
ocrat. In those two words. IN our deliberate
opinion, is comprised all that is reprehensi-
bic in politics, and an apology for refusing to
support any nan wearing either name is
Something which no conceivable acircurn-
stance could wiring from US. Still it is due
to the truth OF history that tie facts should
be stated. Carrying complaisance to the
utmost verge a decent regard for principle
would allow, the Southern Opposition have
said to the DEMO- racy, not once o rtwice, bat
every day, and almost every hour since the
contest began, prove to ms that We tan elect
your candidate and you Shall have our votes
Give hun SO votes; and we ailf give MIN %
more, Ii you cannot do this it is folly for rs
to vote for him, and you ought not to ask t.
This has been the iarariabie language Of the
Opposition, and we speak OF what we know
when we say it was the private feeling of
every member Of The party, with perhaps
one exception only. Their conduct through
out-thelr conversation in private. and in
pubic has been characterized by a degree of
iiberaIlty which no party ever exhibited
before, and they have manifested a spirit Of
charity which, however, it may he demanded
by the circumstances OF the times. we should
grieVously mistrust' our ability 10 initiate
Our opinion, after sixteen days association
with members Of all parties in Washington.
s,thst the Democratic patty. as a marty. are
determined to prevent any organization as
long as possible, and that the Southern On
position are too anx Gus. if anything. to bring
it about. From the beginning, the Demo-
cratic organs have INDUCED in an amount of
coarse inveetive and abuse, which could have
had no motive but a desire TO exasperate the
Opposition, and prevent the possibility of a
fusion. Leading Democrats openly avowed
that they preferred the election Of Sherman
to that of Etheridge, elmer or Davis. The
Washington States proclaimed that snder no
circumstances could the Democracy be induced
to vote for any member of the Opposition,
and that article has never been repndiated
by a single member of the Democratic party
in Congress. Neither incorporate, ~partizan
zeal, nor mere malignity, is sufficient to
account for such an unbeard IT mode of bring
ing about harmony and concord among the
opponents of Abolition. The Democracy
have other and deeper reasons. There is
bundled up among the records OF the differ
ent departments, a mass Of corruption which
they have no desire to see exposed to the
public view. If a Speaker is not elected
committees of Investigation cannot be ap-
pointed, and the misdeeds of the last four
years will stiIl slumber in undistprbed OBJ
%scuritY. They wish no organization there
lore, since organization, except with a Speak
er Of their own reelection, involve. an expo-
sure OF the corrnptions which disgrace the
government They are perfectly willing TO
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