Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-12-07
MEMPHIS APPEAL
THURSDAY, DECEMBER Z, 1882
REsURRECTING THE WING Party.

RESURRECTING THE WING PARTY.
1t seems to be generally conceded that the
Republican party, like Napoleon, has fought
its last battle, and that no sound can awake
it to glory again. The friendly earth has
been patted upon its grave. Doodles can be
called from the dry soil which protects them
from the sorrow, the sin, the murder and the
noise of a wicked world; bat neither the
waving of the bloody shirt nor the lust for
Office can ever resurrect the Republican
party. The chronic haters OF Democracy
are trying 10 construct new party on the
ruins OF the great defunct. 1t is impos-
sible for anything sweet 10 grow from soil
30 impure; the most fragrant and beautiful
flowers sprout from The debris of the barn
yard, but there can be neither fragrance nor
beauty in the party which springs from
the compost heap OF decayins Republican
ism. When the Wing party expired by the
ignominous defeat OF Gen. Winfield Scott,
in 1852, the Northern Wings were gradu-
ally absorbed BY the Repu blicsn party, and
now that this organization has died of its own
corruptions, these Old Line Wings of the
North return TO their first love and propose TO
resurrect the old Wing party. Prone upon
their huge abdomens they are tickling the
earth with their hard and pe!rided fingers
and mournfully calling for Wing doodIes;
but the grand old party, sancti6ed by the
memory of Clay, cannot be desecrated for
purposes 80 vile. The tall magnolia derives
its perfume and its stately growth from the
winding weeds, the filthy moss and the
slimy serpents at its roots, but no political
party which rises upon the ruins of a cor
rHpt organization, repudiated by the peo-
pie. can live. The Wing party YVES
always a conservative organization, and
were Henry Clay sill alive his sympsthies
would be with the Democratic party.
He was called the great compromiser, be-
cause he preferred to compromise all issues
between the sections TO war or a dissolution
OF the Union, and this desire for justice and
compromise would make him an ardent and
intense Democrat were he still dweller of
the earth. The Democratic party as now
organized is much more satisfactory to Old
Line Wings than the Republican party.
Here in the South the Wing party can never
be resurrected as the successor OF the Re-
publican organization, as the old Wing
leaders are the leaders of the Democratic
party, occupy high positions of trust
and in the confidence of the peo-
pie, and they will not be deluded by an
honored name invoked TO perpetuate the
power of corrupt men. The Wing party for
d few years was an organization of great re-
spectability. II was honest in its purposes
It claimed "the talent, the wealth and de-
cancy of the country" 1t was said that the
Wings were in the banks, the stores, steam
boat cabins and in the fine cars; that the
Democrats were in the field, on deck and on
the gravel train. But the Wing party was
never a power as political organization.
It's victories were few and its use of power
disastrous. On account of the respect paid to |
tae memory OF the old Wing party, the ris- |
ing generation are impressed with the belief |
that it existed cotemporsneeus with |
the Democratic party as organized |
b. Jefferson. But the truth is, the
Wing party was ephemeral in its |
existence. 1t did not figure long in n1-
tional politics. The Boston Advertiser, in
opposing the proposition TO resurrect the
Wing party on the ruins of the Republican
party, shows that the Wings first ASSUMED |
the name of Wing in a general contest in
1886. The last presidential election in which
their candidate was voted for was in 1852.
The practical end Of the party came with the
or American, movement of
1S54-55. In 1856 Willard Fillmore, who
had been vice-president through Wing votes,
was the American candidate for the presi-
lees than twenty years. The Republicans
first had candidate for the chief M agistracy
10 1856. In their first campaign, in 1886,
the Wings chiefly voted for William Henry
and Van Buren,, the Democratic
candidate, had only $4,000 majority
ia the popular vote. The Wing
vote was divided between Harrison,
who received seventy-three electoral
votes; Webster, who had the fourteen elect
,ral votes Of Massachusetts,; Hugh L. White,
If Tennessee, for whom Georgia and his own
State voted in the electoral college, and w.
?. Mangum, of North Carolina, who h: d
ne electoral vote of South Carolina. In
he previous year Harrison was nominated
y Wing State convention of Pennsylv:-
ia, and several other States also put him in
ominatioD. The Wing National Conven-
ion of 1889, representing twenty-one States,
snominated Harrison, and Van Buren, WAS :
gain his Democratic antagonis: in the cleo
ion of 1910. Harrison's popular majority /
'as 140,0 900, and he had 234 electoral votes 3
, Van Buren's sixty. Then came Harri- i
ms death, and Tyler's administration. G
hen the total vote of 2,69S,61I was q
most evenly divided between Clay &
Id Polk, gave the Wings severe h
ow. The votes of the Liberty party men /,
New York, who supported James g. I,
irney, turned the scale; for the slight pIu. c
.llty for Polk, only 5000 in an aggregate OF g
Early 100000, carried the electoral .
,te of New York, and defeated Clay. Gen. !,
aylor's election over Lewis Cass in 1S4S N
as the last national triumph of the Wings, Il
no, in fact, were victorious in but two Of >;
e five presidential campaigns in which IT
ey engaged. Nevertheless, in 1852, Gen. II
otf, the Wing nominee, received $4,000 n
Ore votes in the country than Gen. Taylor re
ar years before, and though the Wing ii
.ctoral votes were only foriy-two against M
: 254 Democratic vote, Pierce's popular al
ljority over all was but $4,000. In this of
al national canvass of the Wings, mis- o;
tune followed them, the loss of several 90
ltes occurring by a narrow margin. az
cree carried Delaware by twenty-five sd
les, Iowa by 3OS, Michigan by TAG, N
nth Carolina by 627, Rhode island fe
465, New York by 1872, Maine by m,
IS, Louisiana by 1892 and Florida by 1143. liz
at is to say seventy-nine electoral votes ab
-e turned to Pierce by the distribution ke
Ough the nine States, of only 1909 votes. mr.
IL tha -Rannhlican- partY- with iis record DIR
tx successive presidential election suc- fo,
es, can hardly be compared to the Wing ior
y which carried the country but twice evi
he five national elections in which the an,
ig standard was raised, the popular vote 40,
Teen the two principal parties was as be,
,ws: CON
Wing. Democratic. -
736 656 con