Year: 1859




From the Washington States, Jan. &c.
Have we a Democratic Party


Among Us!


The doubt implied in the above lnterro
gatory, however startling at first sight, ap
pears anything but absurd on examination
Nav, at the hazard of contradicting the
vulgar prejudice and shocking our sense o.
security, we are obliged to announce the
deliberate conclusion that there is now nc
democratic party in existence. And We
will venture the assertion, that the para
doxieal opinion will be embraced By all OBJ
serving and rejecting persons.


OF individual democrats, dispersed ovei
the country, each with his peculiar profes
sion of faith and object of persuit, there is
unquestionably a very abundant supply
But they no more constitute party in the
philosophical sense of the word, than
heap of unhewn and unadjusted stone
constitutes a palace. For the realization
of that idea, there must be primarily a
common foundation, then due subordina-
ton and fitness among the parts, and final
ly complete unity of organization. We
doubt if my one of thess conditions can
be predicated of the democracy.


In the first place, will any man pretend
TO affm that democrats are agreed upon a
basis of principle? In respect of which
one among the political issues before the
country is there so much even as an ap-
proach to unanilnity in the 'sparty." Not
surely in regard to popular sovereignty
The disagreement between the President
and his Secretary of State on this subject,
Is the symbol of an equivalent difference
among the democracy. Not in regard to
the Pacific Railroad, for here again the
chief of the administration is at points
with the Secretary of War, and the class
of strict construction Democrats dissent
from the faith of their less scrupulous as
sociaies. Not in regard to Federal appro-
priations for the improvement of rivers and
harbors; since the division of the Cabinet
on this issue IS likewise responsive to a
similar division among the mass of the de-
mocracy. Not yet is there anything like
unanimity in the ''party'' in regard to that
most important matter of all-the tariff
question, in respect of which Mr.. Buchanan
affirms one belief, while Mr.. Cobb main
tains directly the opposite.


We need not recapitulate all the points
of divergent doctrine among the Democra-
cv. 1t is sufficient to say that upon no
single issue is there adequate agreement
| for n common basis of action.


In the matter of organization we discor-
er an equal absence of control and unity
in the ''party." We have Lecompton
and an anti Lecompton faction; there are
the followers of Douglas and here the ad-
herents of Buchanan; in short, as many as
are the aspiran,s for the Presidency, so
many are the cliques and cabals among
the Democracy.


Heretofore the administration has af-
forded a ralying point for the individuals
of the sparty;" but, instead, it is become
an original occasion of dispute and dssen-
sion. In these latter days, the recon-
mendation of Democratic Executive i'm
plies little more authority with Demo
cratic representative than with member
of the Opposition. --


In one particular the democracy are
thought to be very generally agreed in
opinion and concurrent in action, and that
is in pursuit of the spoils. But even in
this most important matter they exhibit
the same diversity of interest and policy
observable in every other regard. The
course of the present Democratic Execu-
tive has been signalized by the indiscrimi-
nate ostracisrn of the office-hoIders of its
democratic predecessor. And in respect
of future promotion, the rival factions in the
'sparty" are more intent each on the de-
feat of its rival than on the overflow of
the common enemy. Unless these domes-
tic dissensions be harmonized by the pre-
valence of more fraternal eounsels or sup
pressed by the pressure of an overshadow-
ing peril, we are not warranted IN an
ticipating the cordial cooperation of the
various factions among the "party' in the
struggle of 1860. Even the potent spell
of the spoils will not now avail to subdue
the demon of discord among the democra-
cy.


1t is no absurd speculation, therefore, to
iquire whether there be democratic party
among US? In fact, on elaborate investi-
CATION, we are constrained to return neg
ative response to the question. There is
no such entity as democratic party
Greater confusion of tongues and opposi-
ton of interests did not prevail among
! the children of men after their ambitious
but abortive attempt in the plain of Shinah
than are now visible in the broken ranks
and mutulated animosities Of the once
harmonious and triumphant democracy.