Secession Era Editorials Project

The Crisis.

New Haven, Connecticut, Register [Democratic]

(21 February 1854)

We see it stated in newspaper letters from Washington, that the Whig Members of Congress from the Southern States have had a meeting, in which they voted to withdraw their support from the National Intelligencer, (Whig) of Washington, and no longer consider it the organ at the seat of government, on account of its opposition to the Nebraska bill. The Intelligencer has hitherto sided more with the Abolition Whigs of the North, than the National Whigs of the South -- and hence the split. However this may be, it must be apparent to every one who looks upon the Congressional proceedings, that the whig organization, as a National party is ended; its history already written. Hereafter, the whigs, or what is left of them, will be merged in the Abolition party -- and the whole will be organized and directed by William Henry Seward as thorough an abolitionist as William Lloyd Garrison. Their platforms are side by side, and the occupants of each mingle freely together, and act together; presenting sectional issues, instead of national, and squaring their movements by one geographical front. The Democratic, is at present, the only party organized on national principles, with national views, and national objects; and on it now, as in the days of its former trials, through wars, panics, pressures, and wild fanaticism, the hopes of the Union rest. Again and again has it been coaxed, flattered, and cajoled, to drop its national character -- to become sectional, and unite with those different factions that are ever ready to push forward in a geographical crusade.-- Sometimes threats have been resorted to, and sometimes ridicule; dough faces, submission men, white slaves, jacobins, locofocos, and the like epithets, have been bandied about as familiar as household words. Timid men have sometimes quailed under the attacks, and other men have deserted - but the steady democratic masses have held together through good report and through evil report, persevering in the right, till the danger disappeared, and then those who were frightened from them, have re-united themselves to the main body, and been the first to acknowledge the patriotism, stability and good sense of those they had left. The present crisis is like the first. Whether it could have been avoided or not, is not now the question - it is upon us - and we may as well face the realities of it, first as last. If the party flinches under its present trial, and like the whigs, becomes sectionalized, what will hinder an immediate fusion of the three northern parties - the abolition, the whig, and the democratic? -- and then how long can the Union of these States survive such a result? Differences of opinion there may be, and always will be, among us, but is it not better to tolerate those differences, than to split into fragments, or to accept the invitation of the whigs, and build a platform by the side of theirs? The father of his country, cautioned us, above all things, against sectional divisions. His far-seeing wisdom, predicted the overthrow of the Union, whenever, if ever, his countrymen should become separated into geographical parties -- and his farewell warning was, to "frown upon the first dawning" of such a division."