Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-05-03
From he Neo York Hsrdld
! SPLIT IN THE CHARLESTON ONNENTION-CY

Giles OF POLITICAL PAKTlES.
The old Democratic party has breahed its last, aud
to-day we enter upon era IN national politics. The
Convention Charleston has split oudi whether it be
men or on measures the practical resut is the same.
The late proceedings Charleston prove that the Dem
ocratc organization has itself OUT and that party
divisions in the country have to be raged hereafter
other issues than those which the political battles OF
the past have been fought The Democratic party has
fulfilled its allotted time Like its great predecessor it
has its cycle and buried the entire generation OF
men who founded ana led it. \ complete generation
has grown up since, aud the new men who are now on
the field, find circumstances around them and new
necessities meet The political history of the Repub-
lie exhibits two complete political cycles, which have
long ago been cassed in the popular innd The times
OF the founders and the eIpounders OF the Constitution.
Each OF these cycles through period OF thry'sx
years, being equivalent to the passing away OF an entire
generation Ui men.
The irst political cycle, thai Of thg founders Of the
constitution, began in IS and ended in 1924, with the
Presidency OF Monroe lie the last OF the Reyou-
iouary list Of Presidents The party divisions OF the
first cycle were mainly the questonoi sympathy with
one other OF the forms aud spirit OF government then
existing in Europe The republican PARTY, with Ar. JEFF
rsou its head aucl towards thc dew order Of things
then epiugng up in France while the 'edcriists led by
hamilton, inclined TO the form aud spirit OF the English
government The contest was intensity bitter, and cul-
minated in the Of 1872, aud the Hartford Conyen-
tion which gave the last blow to derIism. The tri
umphant party, losing its great ANTAGONIST and with it
IT'S cohesive power -ercl On through "the era Of
good feeling with particular obiec. or policy in view,
and mIclled in its action by new circumstances which
did not exist at the time offs organization. Among its
acts were the creation OF tie National Bank and the in
cpieut considerations of the free trade theories that
then beginning to agtlte the public world In 1924
five candidates for the Presidency aud the three
which obtained the largest popular vote went before the
House Of Rapr senatiyes for election prescribed by
the constitution
Here began the second political cyce in which parties
ranged themselves on domestic questions, under the
leadership of almost exclusively from the ranks Of
the old republican Jeiersonian party. The tariff in
ali its bearings on revenue aud industry, the national
bank with It's relations currency aid exchange, and
the quest on whether internal Improvements should be
made bv ne federal government or by local and ndiy
dual exeron, called for frequent and constant interpre
2tious Of the constitution. The founders of the Union
had pase away and the greatness of tLc eSistency call
ed forth the highest poSer among the young leaders,
Jackson developed vast political Saggcty and admins
tltye ability Calhoun uusupa-sedin analysis Web
ser, argumentative power unequaled, and Clay
the peerless orator Of his time. The struggle high
and the intensity OF popular feeling for q while equaed
in bitterness that Of the early history of the republican
and federal parties Point By point the democratic
gauizltion carried its struggle with is antagonist, which
changed rs name and tactics with each great defeat
The internal improvements the cuueIcy and last of ALL
the tariff policies established on the democratic
theories and since then that party has been diving
The men which had fought its battles gradually passed
away with the leaders that had given life to the contest
and their cid slogans have meaning for the present
generation Mr.. Buchanan is the last of the Presidents
Of the OF expOunders, as Mr.. Monroe the last
of that of the founders Of the constitution.
A new tissue has come up with the rev generation
issue which involves higher PRINCIPLES than internal
improvements bank tariff for 1t involves the very
istence Of the Union itself. An aggressive and de-
sUctiy5 maud which insists upon measuring all things
by its own standard up by natcsr aims to impose
Ditv If lprtc
respective Of differences Of climate races aud the exist
ing circumstances of social develOpcmcnt It's theories
reyolut onary in every of the word and it is
excited organized and led GU by corrupt politicians and
broken down leaders from the dejris pf old party or
CARNATIONS. Radical in all It's tendencies ts advent is
rousng the conservative elements everywhere against it,
and prepar ng them for the coming party organizations
and new popular leaders Its cries alreidv LAND
for the andles which germnies in the Homestead bill
now before Congress; Down with the arstocrats,"
which breahes in every utterince agans the social
giniz4on Of the Southern States; and tie equality Of all
the which uuderes the black Republican agitation
These real impracucabies which have failed, and al
will sil whenever an attempt is made TO admins
ter the State upon them ranging the conServa
tive and destructive parties against each other, and our
republican institutions be subjected to the test OF
the same social conflict which agates tile communities
of Europe.
Had the politicians who are gathered at Charleston
possessed the bredh Of view necessary u perceive what
Is paSsSa around lHen, they WOuu nave seen lhs ana
the exgeuces OF the day. The attempt to patch up
political platforms not cOnsonant with tile active ideas
Of the time merely to sui particular candidates is fol-
w that reaIs its own harvest platforms ud candidates
swept away together If the Convention at Charles
ton had adopted few simple resolutions, recognizing
the existing condition of affairs and nominated
yaye candidate he could have been elected by the pop
uar vote As il has not done this, we shall have this
year repetition of the struggle Of 1924 preliminary to
the construction OF parties the conservative and
destructive platforms.
Miss Sallie Mercer The young lady who fgured in the