Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-02-28

popular appliances and assumed the name OF "democR-
CIV a name which soon found strongly TO diStin-
guish It's prominent features. BY aru appeals to pop
uar prejudice by loud professions Of love for the people,
this division succeeded power and inaugurated an era
in which the executive department powers TO
unheard Of Then begun that fatal resort OF
purchasing support with the emouments OF once ana
the proclamation went forth that ito the vctors belong
the spoils.'
The other division took the name Of Wing; name in
British history significant of opposition to hngy power
and in this country illustrated in our annals by patriotic
devotion to the cause of liberty True the antecedant
of the great Republican party pursuing It's high purposes
the Wings cast themselves in opposition to Democratic
excuses and invoked the public judgment upon the dis
astrous tendencies of federal affairs Although the dom
inant party experienced OBJECTIONS from its ranks
the iron rule of party held stern sway but In the hands
of Mr. Van Buren, the scepre held by ateeher grasp
The misrule the eXtravagances, the work. the corrup
tons of he administration more than the positions OF
the Democracy could withstand and for time the peo-
pe were rallied TO the In the North, the great
States Of New York, Ohio and Massachusetts, and in the
South the States of Kentucky Tennessee and North Car
ona were in the ranks of the Wings while in Georgia
Florida Louisiana and Virginia aud OF the other
States the contest for hesupemacy was sharp and doubt
ful
The great questions Of Executive power Congressional
responsibility economy reform OF abuses OF protection
TO the Of the country were pressed at every
point and the opposing hosts reeed and staggered under
their irresistible force Condemned upon these issues by
the public judgments in their extremity they let hy Para
THAN arrow az the pursuing hosts and the enVenomed
point ranked in the bosom of the country For the first
time in our history the question OF slavery was ntrodu
ced for party effect and that dangerous element nrudcd
into the conflict of parties The Democrats Of the South
ern States set themselves up the exclusive guardians Of
the institution of slavery whole those of the Northern
States strenuous in the interests OF freedom and
the Wings found themselves in the anomalous condition
of being asaed in quarter as unsOund on the ques
a. God IN Tho n
liberty Yet both in the North and in the South, there
were in the ranks of the Wings men as eminent for abi
itv auc as ustrOu for integrity and patriotism rs ever
adorned the division of party, and as thoroughly dcn
tilted with the interests o! their sections any that lived
in them The Susceptibility of the Southern mind TO the
interests of slavery enabled the Democrats to weaken the
Wings in the sayeholdug States and finally to withdraw
them from their influence while IN the North they
bncd with the AbOuonsis and succeeded to power in the
States OF Ohio New York and Massachusetts,. During
these operations the yctOrs had difficulty in uniting
for the common purpose. On whatever battle fields
thew fought they wings OF the same army, fight
ing for the same spo and when met together in general
convention resolutions of equivoca import designed to
admit of opposite construction, put FORTH US the
platform OF the party, which either wing could secure
ly stand in the region where it 10 give battle.
Il was not the least remarkable feature OF this strange
anomslv that successes achieved at the North by abO
ton aid were heralded the South Democratic vic
tories until at last, the party became jubant over the
election OF Marcus Morton 10 the Cle executive ONCE
of the State OF Massachusetts,.
The new element thus introduced into the conflict of
parties tended necessity to sectional autagous and it
was easy to see that however well served the eIgency
Of the moment it was likely in the end, to bring dis
cord into the party whose behalf 1t was invoked As
political issue il tended to mischief, TO excite passions,
10 ulame prcjudices to sectonllz parties and mper
slavery But no considerations of craftsmanship no
enlightened forecast OF paryweare, no regard for the
peace of the country and the safety OF It's Institutions,
no respect for the integrity OF the Union; nothing
awaited to restrain the Democracy from the desperate
resort Introduced upon the political arena 1t soon en-
crossed the public mind and the success that attended
In the southern States invited 20 a similar Of il in
the Northern States Now, al other issues are laid aside,
and opposing parties rely for success in the different
sections upon their ability TO excite and eIasPerate the
minds oil the masses by the hudaton and abuse OF
slavery
The claim Of legislative power to exclude slavery from
the common territory fruitful O! agitation.
In the ordinances OF 1881 providing government for
the Northwestern territory t declared that inyouu
4ry ,ervulC except for crime should be- forever cycud
ed thereirom This ordinance conteuVorueous with
Che formation of the federal constitution. Being adopt
ed by the Congress OF the confederation was ratified boy
express provision Of that instrument and 20 the unioru-
nate policy was iuausur4J,d 40 the birth OF the Govern
ment Bot for long time nothing occurred TO disturb the
peaceful relations OF The States. Uuler Mr. JcegSOus
administration Louisiana was purchased from France
ANA tlilF 4u44aA PIN'i't'i i'Ni sA'i aA
ia both territories slavery recognized and established
bv law and in the inhabited parts ualy existing
a the time OF the purchases. No effort made by the
federal authority interfere with IT, but when Missouri
applied fer admission it proposed 10 impose upon ler
people the condition of excluding slavery from the new
State TIE struggle ended in a compromise by which
,s line OF drawn through tc remaining part
the Louisiana purchase aud the application OF the pro-
5iJon OF the ordinance OF 1907 10 The part north OF
that line She country acQuesced in tue settlement and
tue excitement subsidized but in the division OF parties,
the question Of slavery Was rot permitted 70 enter
TIE States OF Arkansas and Florida, in the course of
events were duly admitted without question to their
system Of labor But m 1882 another condition pre-
vailed: the fathers of the Republic had passed oil from
scene OF their usefulness the great epublcan party
had given place TO the fierce Democracy, and the ags-
ton OF slavery the paDuium OF It's existence. Under
their conduct OF tine government seCtiOu>m had cree
cj It's hord head aud parties already threatened TO d.
vide bY Mason and DiIol's line. When, therefore,
C5ugre came to make disposition Of the terri DRY coded
10y Mexico il furnished just ground Of surprise that
ts vicious element should distract tine rcpose OF the
country. Blu. fortunately there were distinguished pat
riots OF both parties Thea ia the conduct of affairs These
great minds addressed hemse.Y 10 the WORK OF pach-
cation and - series Of cuactueut-, known the Com
promise measures OF 1850 were placed on the statute
book By these the law for the rendition of tugVes from
rvice was made stringent; California was admitted
as State with Constitution prohibiting slavery; gov
eminent was provided for the territory Of New Mexico,
Missouri Compromise extended through the North
e-n part of Texas and the trade in slaves prohibit
ted I'M the District of Columbia The purpose OF these
acts was to dispose once, Of all the subjects touching
which t1e question OF slavery WAS likely TO be agiite1,
and heuc, forward to exclude that topic, Is matter OF
legitimate discussion from the halls Of Congress In this
spirit Mr. Fillmore accepted them, and IN his message,
declared them to be ua adjustment in substance aud
In principle of tie questions 10 which they related The
State of Virginia by her Legislature expressed her ac-
uuesccuCc the country was conteA ana peace ana con-
cord seemed about to be restored to divided brother
hood. The Democratic Convention chat nominated MIR.
Pierce adop.eda resolution declaring tlc huay OF the
settlement and made 10 plank IN their PLATFORM the
Wing Convention that nominated Gen. Scott did the
same. In his inaugural address, Mr. Pierce reairmed
he settlement and both ia that and IN his rSt message,
expressly pledged himself TO the country td" 10y nothing
- be would DO or cOuutouance la the dOilg OF Others,
should the dst,1cung question OF African slavery, dur
ing his term OF Office be obtruded upon tue deliberations
OF Congress.
When Mr.. Pierce entered upon the duties Of his Office
there had been time siLce the first OF this
mischeyous element into party politics, at which the agI-
ators in both sections, were more poweress their
Strength was paryzed and parties were raylng TO bring
again issue the great questions from Which they had
so long been led asJrly IL az this Juncure, that
the act of 1920 known as the Missouri Compromise,
repealed and through the foodglc5 OF Congress, the
slavery discussion poured its torrcns over the land. Of
its disastrous effects the whole country is witness That
disrupted tue whig party; that it drove from the ad-
minstratouhOts democrats thatitglve rise 10th mod
ern republican organization; that brought the two dvi
sous Of the country into angry opposition, upon sec
ona issue; that it caused ciy, and threaeud servie
war that it relieved the agtators from their paralysis,
and nyigorated their strength that sweed the ranks
Of the disiected and impered the Union, are facts of
present existing history the evils and dangers OF which,
are vet 10 have their solution.
Had the repeal been demanded by some great public
exg,ucy in the affairs of the country, the evils encoun-