The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-11-28
THE DAILY UNION
POLITICAL.
From the National Intelligeneer Oct Is, lst6.
A BOI ITION AND DEMOCRACY.

tons or would seem TO question, the identity OF
principles, as TO slavery, between Mr. Jefferson and
that misguided party who, in Massachusetts,, just
now seem bent Oh sacrificing every practical good in
our federal politics to their own fury Of an anti
slavery, which they should know can effect nothing
for the bondman except at dreadful cost and must,
meantime fasten on the wrists Of the reemen Of the
country the gives OF locofocoism. The Union 10 a
word, claims that we shall produce any passages out
Of Mr. Jefferson'S writings which contain the opin-
ions upon which the so-csled "liberty party" the
political abooniss Of the north and northwest are
acting or protesting to act
The task upon which the Union thus puts US is
by no means an agreeable, perhaps scarcely safe
one. The fact which we have averred is too widely
known by proof TO need that we should snbstantate
il by citation. Messrs. Birney e. Co. Chose excel
lent friends 10 annexation and Polkism in lS44l
have too constantly made Mr.. Jefterson's doctrines
their chief battIe-hOrse stalking-horse for the
editor Of the Union 10 be ignorant, whether their
friend or their enemy Of the blows they have dealt
or shots they have fired from the shelter Of that
great name. Everybody has long seen ulra-aboli.
tonism psradlHg IN its publications his dieta lis
main authority. To suppose that his words can be
unknown to one Of the earliest fathers Of his church
although battling with heTercs that are constantly
appealing 10 them, il much IL one should assume
that schismatics knew the Scriptures and ST. Chry-
session. did not
Nor is this all the editor Of the Union himself
took a leading part, sarmist and ssitstor, IN
favor Of emancipation in Virginia after the South
ampton instruction of 1891, and in the legislative
debates Of the next winter, in which they with
whom the editor sided not only made large use Of
these doctrines of the plans Of Mr.. Jefferson, bat
spoke Of slavery itself in the very language Of op.
probium and detestatIon which now furnishes 70
"lihery men" dialect Of Teproaeh, and which this
editor denounces others for uslng-when they hap
pen to he wings!
What then, does the Union want with citations
Of abolitonism from Mr.. Jefersonl Why does il
wish to see IN this paper such natter Is IT, per-
chance, that II may then, with the candor which
much distinguishes II, turn around and tell lis read
ers that "the lntellgeneer is publishing incendary
matter" or that we shave falsihed Mr.. Jeferson2n
For what other purpose can the Union wish to see
put into print the decisive passages which il must
so we'll know TO exist
II, then this be Ignorance on the Unions part,
we cannot hope TO instruct an ignorance so inVete-
rate; and, II II be anything else we cannot trust IT,.
Far stronger reasons, however than any that regard
that journal forbid us TO minister to that public in
hammation which is 30 much (no matter by whom
played) the deplOrable and the successful game Of
osm-to minister TO il by reciting those bad
and bitter things which the discussion of slavery
has constantly produced; and which, exciting on
ly public and personal passions have served but
render more hopeless any right or safe solution Of
the question to which they relate.
We shall, then, not cite, either from Mr.. Jefer-
son or from those with whom the editor Of the
Union sided in the legislative debate already refer
red to, their violent language against slavery their
expressions rivaIng not little the opprobrous
style Of the elderly men," and doubt often
suggesting il. Ii is quite sufficient for our present
occasion, to establish that he who is regarded the
"aposlle Of democracy" the apostle also Of
abotonism; that he held its principles and advo-
Gated their application, from the beginning Of his
career TO the close Of his life; that he one OF
its earliest II not its first legislative protector in the
south and that his followers maintained in
1922 the same doctrines and struggled for the
same object in Virginia. We shall prove all this
not for the justification or comfort of those who,
in Massachusetts and elsewhere, trample upon every
other duty in order TO pursue the imaginary OF
compelling distant region to be guided, in a mat
ter most difficult and perilons, by violent, alien, and
ignorant opinion; nor yet to vindicate the declara-
tons of the more moderate people Of Massachusetts
provoked they by the late illegal and las they
think) destructive measures Of annexation and war
With the elderly men" we have no sympathies-
no more than with those who, in France blessed
the guillotine chosen instrument of freedom and
went forth oeJraisrni=s the earth with fire and
sword. On them, in common with other probably
conscientious, but not the less mschevous secs, we
look as only tending to plunge society in disorders
that can establish at last nothing but tyranny. As
little almost do we concur in any other denunca-
tons of slavery and shareholders that may come
from men really Of sound and patriotic purposes
but irrnted out of their customary prudence by
the sight Of those fatal things those aggressions
upon the constitution and our neighbors which the
personal ambition of president making, instigated
by the schemes of few southern men, and aided
by the slaves of party and the mercenaries and
mnions of the spoils, has brought about Denun.
citation has done and will do nothing for the free
dom Of the blacks Slavery is too much inwoven
with the whole social being OF the south-with its
habits opinions, feelings, personal fortunes, and
even personal safety, with ts whole legal and pub
lie state, present and possIblefor to be dealt with
either justly or wisely by reproach, by anything
but time and patience II is not in the po,oer of the
south, we are firmly persuaded at present 10 shape
anything for its srnction and is The less in its po,cer
that hendiong srtsrnal Janaiicisn,, on one part
simulated aud most perfdiouS party fdtery another
and the political ambition of bad apiraniS at home ,pho
strengthen epen make their popularity by ereiing
sectional alarm and hate ieaue 10 that quarter no calm
and temper, such aliop anything TO be SAFELY
derised thought Of for emancipation.
The south, we do not doubt, has acted excessive
y i'll as to all those blind and fatal steps lately ia
ken, subvcrsve of not merely the constitution but
of that which would still chad we money be our pol
cy--justice, and peace, and commerce. not con-
quest, towards neighbors. The south-here-
tofore convinced that its comparative feebleness
made the guarded and strict integrity of the federal
constitution its great refuge-a safety precious to
aEtut triply necessary to ithas allowed iiself to
be trepanned into the idea that it was, of sudden,
to find far more certain and permanent security in
series of acts which amount to nothing less than a
total abandonment Of everything like constitutional
restraints upon Congress anG the Executive. As if
that copous phrase, "To extend the area of free.
dom,' was not omen enough for its institutions; as
to widen our territory were not necessarily to ag-
gravate its own comparative weakness, the south
has turned suggsster of territorial rapine and Of
policy which must either SILVER this confedcracy to
pieces, or sink it in debt, or turn it into agrea mill
tary empire.
These errors, however, deplorabe for all, and
especially deploratle for the south as they are,
have, we must insist, been by no means the peculiar
crime of the south nor Of the shareholders. They
were at least as widely sustained in the free States
New Hampshire, Maine, the great northern States
ofNew York and Pennsy lvania, Michigan, Illinois
Indiana, and much more nearly Ohio than North
Carolina, lent their aid to annexation, as if free
dom itself were at stake The very fanatics of
anti-savery gave their assistance In the south
ITSELF the measure with which it is 80 reproached
won fewer votes than in the free States Of the north
Except Louisiana and Georgia, the wings lost
upon II no southern State which they were accus-
toned to carry. Onr friends of Measac bns,,,,