New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-03
sRCTIONALIsm OF TMK DRM0CRATIC
PATTY.

sRCTIONALlsm OF THK DRMOCRATIC
PATTY.
As the Democratic party, so called, is-to judge
from what is going on at Charl,ston-very near ito
fpal dissolution it may not be unreasonable to take
q slight retrospect of some points in its history
which have bearing upon the causes of its present
extremity.
Notwithstanding the horror of sectonalism which
for several years past has been the chief sso.k IN
trade of the Democratic politicians, and the proies-
siors Of nationasm in which those politicians have
so freely INDUCED, it is nevertheless an undeniabe
historical fact that, in the original formation Of tie
low expiring Democratic party, and during its first
struggle for power, it was upon spPeals to sectional
prejudice that tbs same party mainly relied for
rallyiDg its partsans.
With the Administration Of the Federal Govern
meut by President John Quincy Adams, digni6ed,
economical, and uncOrrpt as It was, very little
fault could be found Just az little could objection
be made to the political principles which he and bis
supporters professed, since they the principles
Of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe, OF the two
latter Of whom John Quincy Adams had enjoyed
the fullest confidence. IA to the matter Of nation
slity, the supporters Of Adams and Clay signalzed
their feelings or that score by taking the namo Of
National Republicans name at which their op'
ponents used to sneer, especially the epithet na-
| tiopsl, as locking to assumptions by the Federal
Government ofpOTer not granted to it by the Con.
stitution.
| The supporters Of the various defeated candidates
who united to form what they called the Democratic
party, net being able to fed any solid grounds on
| which to base their confederation against Adams
and Clay, appealed to the strong prejudice against
New England to which the course of its inhabitants
during the lopg controversy with Great Britain had
| given rise. Mr.. Adams was New England man.
the New England States had unanimously rallied 70
| his supports Dir Clay in confederatng with New
| England, had forfeited all claim to Southern and
| Western confidence: such were the sectional ap
peals constantly in the mouths Of, those who called
themselves Democrats, and which went great way
| toward the election of the candidate on whom they
had concentrated.
| 1t is neItto be observed that not only did this
,iosy thus take sectional prejudice as stopping.
Il. succesIwer, but that from the very moment of
a sectional struiaBlmmenced within its own ranks
time TO this. till at last ch has gone on from that
into Northern and Southsrihe party splitting
neither stand on the same platform, nwnien can
fully constructed, nor run the same ca1didHsert
the Presidency. Scarcely had Gen. jackson formed
bis Cabinet before a desperate struggle arose
between Mr.. Calhoun and Mr. Van Buren,, as to
which of the two should control the policy Of the
Government. In this struggle, which, personal con.
sderstiops apart turned mainly On tho tariff ones.
ton, Dir Van Buren,, who Represented the then
prevailing sentiment Of the Free-Labor States in
favor of protection to domestic industry, carried
the day over Calhoun, who had been induced TO
forego his former opinions on this subject and to fall
in with the prevailing current at the South in opPo-
sition to any such protection.
Mr. Van Buren, having been proposed as the
Democratic candidate to succeed Gen. Jackson a.
President the Southern wing Of the party attempted
the same maneuver against him which had been
successful against John Quincy Adams. Advantage
was taken f the agitation Of the Slavery question,
then beginning and principally carried onin Con-
gress by Calhoun and other Southern members, to
denounce Van Buren, as Northern man. lnfavor.
able to the interests of the South; and on this
OCCASION, ana on tnb sectOnai GROUND, auotutr
Southern secession, in addition to that ledb CAL
houn, took place from the Democratic party. But
these seceders, or their representatives, haze most
or all Of them since gone back into tho Democratic
ranks and it is they principally who are Ito lead
en In tho disorganzation now going on ut
Charleston.
Down to the time when, under the arPices of
Tyler and Calhoun, the annexation OF Tcx,s became
leading question in our politics, the Northern sec
ton Of the Democratic party had pretty well held
their OVID. On the question Of the rjgt of peti.
ton they had made some disgraceful Concessions,
but on most other points they had upheldhe claim
Of NOrthern IDEAS interests and sentiments to have
their fair share Of influence on the policy of tho
nation. They experienced their first gret humili.
alton when, through the treaohery and ambition of
Gen. Cans and the operation of the two-tlrds rule,
they found themselves obliged in the Conention of
1914 to drop Mr.. Van Buren, as Presidatisl can
ddate. This was the beginning Of aueGsctual
sectional pressure brought to bear upon 10 Demo-
cratic party BY the La1eholdiDg interd, acting