The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-10-28

We alluded yesterday 10 Two very prom
uent instances in the latter day history
of POLITICAL parties 10 the United States,
in which Democratic Presidents had
made pledges to the people OF this eOun-
try, after The fashion of the pledge just
made by samuel J. Tildeu, and which they
had at last been compelled by the pres
snre Of the 4solid South" (then as now,
the butt end Of the Democratic party TO
abandon. We in.taneed for ont, the solemn
pledge made by the Democratic party at
Baltimore in 1852, in the shape Of the
following resolution, or plank, ia their
platform:
Rssotred, That the Democratic party
will resist all attempts at renewing 10
Congress or out Of it, the agitation OF the
slavery question, Inder tchGterT aAape or
color he attempt Hsay b made.
To this solemn pledge OF the Democratic
party, Franklin Pierce, its nominee. stood
committed not only by his letter Of accep-
tance, but by his first annual message to
Congress on the 9th Of December 1858.
Any readers OF the IsTELlGEscER who
feel curious in this mater can turn to that
message and find for themselves the SOL
emn pledge Of Mr.. Pierce. Referring to
the great excitement through which Con.
gress and the country had passed over
the slavery question, growing out of the
admission of California a. free
State and the adoption of the "COnprO-
missed Measures" he said {:
are uoE endsavOring 10 meet the obliEEtionI Of
duty, the year 1850 win Be required 10 n period
nlltd with anxious Epprehenbon. A suecess!uI
war with Mexieol had iu1i tsTmlnlted. Peace
brought With u 4 vast Aaemtnt1iiOn o. ter
riiOry. Dt.turbins questions arose. bearing
oi the Coniedency, and Involving the COZ.
stItutIonAl TiEhts q the St1teA But, notWith-
,tapdlng the differences q opinion and senn.
ment which then existed In relation % details AID
specific provision, the aeqGiescenee o. distinguish
"a cirEsns, whose devotion 70 The uiOn can never
Be do1bted, has given renewed vigor 70 our tn1ttu'
tIons and re,tofed sense Of epose and security 10
ihe public mind Throughout the Coniedersey.
TAat LA1 rSpo8s q 10 Jg9n 10 Lhoek dHriRy ny
oIeial tsrm v IkEpe As pOEer 70 sPaf Il, tASse EA0
pIsetd NJ here EGy b GiSE'ed."
Into the very same Congress to which
this solemn assurance was sent the bill
for the repeal Of the historic Missouri
compromise was introduced, and after one
Of the most protrActed, exhaustive and
bitter struggles ever known 10 this eoun.
try the great dividing line between slave
and free territory was abrOgated BY the
Democratic party. franklin Pierce ap.
proved the bill and it became law IN.
der his signature.
By that repeal the whole question Of
slavery in this country was rs-Opensd. 1t
is really the first chapter in the history
Of the late war. The Democratic party
we're the authors OF its repeal. The "solid
South" demanded that Frank Pierce sign
the repeal bill and be did sign it. And
thus we see what the pledge OF Demo.
cratic President was worth with such 5
pressure behind him, and can judge wha.
it would be worth noS with the
same pressure e.ertsd upon him for the
payment Of Southern. claims. Frank
Pierce was perhaps in every respect, per-
.onally and politically, 3 much better
man than Samuel J. Tildsn. His political
associations were never with New York
shoulder hitters and gamblers, like John
Morrisey, nor with public plunderers
like wm. N. Tweed. The trouble with
Pierce, was, as it was afterwards with
Buchanan, and as it will be with Tilden,
be was the creaturs Of the South