Franklin Repository

One after another the leading politicians of every section of the land, especially that portion in which the Nigger Democracy have their chief strength, the South, are falling into the Breckinridge and Lane ranks, and are turning their backs upon the "little giant." Different causes have united in producing this result. It is seen that Douglas and Breckinridge are contending for the same thing,--the unlimited spread of slavery--but by very different means. The one openly declares that the Supreme Court has already decided that Slavery is the normal condition of the poor man, and that his rich neighbor may justly reduce him to bondage for their mutual benefit; and that, such being the proper condition of poor men, slavery is the highest type of civilization, and rightfully enters into every portion of our domain; and where it does not now exit, Congress should speedily send it . The other says that the highest judicial tribunal has not yet disposed of this question, but when it does, if in the way the other indicates, (and he knows that a majority of all Judges are slave-owners) we are all bound to obey its inhuman, its unnatural decree. The one is openly fighting for oppression; the other is covertly seeking to accomplish the very same object. All, therefore, who desire to see the fair surface of our beautiful Territories blasted, as with mill-dew, by the withering blight of slavery, and who have the courage to advocate their principles, are losing no time in joining the Breckinridge wing of the distracted, rent party. Those who desire the overthrow of Freedom, and the crushing of poor white laboring men, but who are ashamed to declare their purpose openly, are seeking to accomplish their wishes in a sneaking, underhanded way by voting for Douglas.

Both branches of the Nigger Democracy are sufficiently inimical to the happiness of the working classes, and to the prosperity of the whole country; but, what that of Breckinridge is openly proclaiming its poisonous sentiments, the advocates of Douglasism are endeavoring to accomplish all that the other seeks for, only they fight behind a masked battery; they refuse to permit the people to see what they wish to accomplish.

The Douglasites have sought to cover up the bane to Freedom--the oppression of free laborers by the spreading of slavery, which destroys all demand for free labor--by sugar- coating the pill with the peculiar covering of Squatter Sovereignty, which appears to be the right of the people to decide, but which, as explained by its father, Stephen Arnold Douglas, means that if the people are not willing to have slavery, and if the Supreme Court says they must, then as loyal subjects of this kid-glove, black-gown aristocracy, they have nothing to do but submit.

The slavery propagandists of the South greatly prefer the Breckinridge doctrine--that the question has been settled by the Supreme Court--to that of Douglas, which leaves the matter for future decision. The dough-faces of the North, who have long been accustomed to obey Southern dictation, seeing what is most likely to give satisfaction to their masters, are has tening [sic] to array themselves on the side of Breckinridge. Thus the Douglas ranks are steadily becoming weaker and weaker. So it will go on, until that wing of the party becomes so weak in the knees that it will be utterly unable to stand upon its feet.

The vaulting ambition of Douglas which led him, in his eager pursuit of presidential honors, to dash a flaming fire-brand into the political magazine of the nation, resulted as would a similar act, by any other madman--literally speaking--in an awful explosion. His political hopes and aspirations have received a shock from which they will never recover. It is utter madness for him to see to be President of the United States, by the votes of the People.

While Douglas was fighting the administration of James Buchanan, the time he was seeking his re-election to the Senate, he drew around him many admirers in the North; but when he so meanly succumbed to the leaders of the slavery-expansion dogma, who also control the administration, as he did on his return to the Senate, they found out the extent of his sympathy for the masses of society, and in their indignation at his insincerity, will now do everything in their power to expose to public gaze the band of infamy which his perfidy has fastened upon his brow. He is, of all the candidates in the field, the least likely to win, and the least worthy of the confidence of the great, indusrious [sic] American people. That his cause is waning, is becoming more and more apparent every day. If something is not soon done to create a reaction, there will scarcely be enough votes cast for him to swear by.

The Republicans of this Congressional district will soon be called upon to place in nomination a candidate for Representative to the national Legislature. It is every way important that all districts in the North which are now represented by able champions of Free Speech, Free Labor, Free Homes for free men, Freedom of the Press, and proper Protection to American industry should continue in the same hands. We have as eloquent, as talented and as worthy a member of Congress--in the Hon. EDWARD McPHERSON--as is to be found in the country. Every dictate of prudence and patriotism teachers us that where we are faithfully represented, and can again procure the services of honest, reliable men, we should never hesitate for a moment about our course.

Let us then nominate the gifted young advocate of our cause, who has won for himself so enviable a reputation during the one term he has served in Congress, without a dissenting voice. This district is entirely too doubtful for us to run any risks about carrying it. Mr. McPHERSON has carried it once, and his name is surrounded with the prestige of success which will add materially to his prospects again. Let us have, then, the gifted McPHERSON for our candidate, and there will be no doubt of his election.

Several times, recently, the Spirit has harped upon the subject of negroes voting The sap-heads are to dumb to know that a few years since negroes had the right to vote in Pennsylvania; that they exercised the right, and that they voted the Locofoco ticket. We remember having seen, upon more than one occasion, in this county, certain Locofoco township politicians leading up their "culled brethren" to the polls and voting them for Jackson, for Van Buren and, generally having them to go "the whole hog" for the D-e-m-o-c- r-a-c-y.

The right of suffrage was never denied to negroes in this State till after the adoption of the present constitution, when they were deprived the privilege of assisting to fasten locofocoism upon the people. The Legislature which provided for the revision of the Constitution was composed of a majority opposed to the heresie of locofocoism. The Governor who approved the law--honest old Joseph Ritner--will scarcely be claimed by the locofocos as belonging to their party. The Convention which framed the present Constitution, depriving the SPIRIT'S friends of their former privilege, was composed of a majority of Whigs. After giving the whiners of the Spirit, who lounge around the street corners in idleness, no person appreciating their professional worth, all this "light" upon their favorite theme, we shall not be surprised to see them wearing crape in their distress over the loss of their sable coadjutors.

The demoralization of the Democratic party caused by the recent serious division into opposing and bitterly relentless factions, is likely to do more damage, says the Philadelphia City Journal, than the original engineers of the movement ever calculated upon. The split, however easily effected, and however unavoidable under the pressing contingencies of the case, was an undoubted surprise to the great mass of Democratic voters. Outside of the immediate leaders and the mercenary camp followers, whose only watchword is, "To the victor belong the spoils!" and whose only principles are the traditional "loaves and fishes," there is a large element of the party which really is imbued with true patriotism, and whose devotion to the Democratic standard is based upon an earnest conviction that the aims of the organization are elevated and beneficent. IF they have adhered to candidates, becase [sic] regularly indorsed by the conventions of the party, this adhesion has not been through any servile attachment to men, considered apart from certain well-recognized principles. If they have rejoiced over well-won victories, it has not been from personal satisfaction at the elevation of particular leaders, but only because the successful candidates have been identified, by a consistent record, with the cardinal ideas of true Democracy.

We make no account of an equally large fraction of the Democratic forces who have no fervent, but who, through ignorance or indifference, have been content to go to the ballot-box and blindly vote any ticket, the names on which are sanctified by the aroma of "regular nominations." This floating element in the present embarrassment of two Democratic Presidantial [sic] candidates, will be about equally divided between Breckinridge and Douglas. This supposition is based on the fact that, not knowing the essential difference of principle between the two candidates, they will select either side which promises the surest success. As the result is doubtful between the two chiefs, so far as the numerical show of votes is involved, the prospect is certain that the inert mass of the substratum of the Democracy will be severely exactly in two.

But of the intelligent element--the truly conservative portion, to which we have already made allusion--the future disposition in the canvass is by no means certain. The ties of traditional harmony, which have bound the party into a powerful and constantly victorious unit, have ceased to have any longer the power of cohesion.

The party obligations of fealty to party nominations cease as a matter of course, and all the members of the organization are free as air to vote for any candidate they may please to choose. Their minds are equally free to study and examine the patriotic platform of the Republican candidates, and to recognize there the ancient cardinal principles of old-fashioned democratic faith. The conservative record of Mr. Lincoln, the moderation of the Republican leaders in their political views, and the universal devotion of all Republicans to the Constitution and the Union must, as a matter of necessity, draw off to the Republican standard a very large portion of those who have hitherto been affiliated with the Democracy. Once the doors of the Democratic fold are wide open, the freed flock are ready to go at once to "fields and pastures new." The stampede has begun already and in all parts of the country, old-line Democrats are coming out by thousands in favor of Lincoln and Hamlin. The indications are abundant that the campaign of 1860 will resemble the tornado of 1840. The probabilities are, that the Republican ticket will carry in November a larger popular vote than was ever accorded before to any national candidates. The cause is onward and upward, and every day and hour the political skies grow brighter and brighter.