The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-12-20

The fundamental error under which many
of our most eminent statesmen appear to la
Dor, in regard to the character Of the Union
Of, these States, is, that it is a nation, one
and indivisihle, and not confederacy OF
united sovereignties, retaining, each one, all
its sovereign rights which it has not parted
with, in the articles of the compact. Pro-
ceeding upon the assumption that we are
nation, one and indivisible, they fall into
IDEAS, in respect to public questions, utterly
irreconcilable with the true relation Of the
several States, and hence the merited oppo-
sition which the IDEAS and opinions Of these
statesmen encounter
There is no question, upon which the effect
of this erroneous idea OF nationality and its
attributes is more decidedly exemplifed, than.
upon that Of negro-slavery and its abolish
ment. A political party has sprung up upon
this question, and its object is 10 bring, about
the abolition Of negro-slavery in States Of
which the members Of the party are not citi-
zens. II is plain that this party could not
exist a. moment, if it were not based and con-
structed upon the mistaken principle, that we
are one and indivisibe nation, whose gen
eral Legislature has supreme power over the
subject Of negro-slavery.
The slow progress which this party has
made, and beyond which il can never go,
does not seem to open its eyes to the false
position which It occupies, but it continues
to persevere, day by day, and wonders that
its efforts are not attended by results The
recent exhibition Of its disposition, IN the
choice Of Speaker Of the House of Repre-
sentatives, brings the subject of negro-sla-
very and its adjustment nearer home to the
public Judgment, than it has ever been brot
on any previous occasion. 1t is an attempt
to reduce to practice a theory dramatically
opposed to the theory Of our institutions
The sentiment against negro-slavery, tho
strong in the Northern and Western States
has never at any time been strong enough
to defeat existing party organizations in any
Congressional district Of the Union, and TO
choose a Representative exclusively Of that
sentiment to take his seat upon the floor of
Congress. Indeed, ,until very recently, it
has never even been countenanced by politi-
clans as an element in the electioneering
canvass. But at the elections for the pres
ert Congress, this anti-negro-slavery senti-
:
some five or six instances, and its advocates
were returned-not, however, as negro-lib-
erty men, but as Wings None of these gen
tlemen could have reached their present seats
except as Wings. This is bold declara-
ton, butt isamply borne out by the facts. In
deed, most Of them now boast that they are
Wings, and that no power can ever separate
them from the Wing party!
That these Representatives would attempt
to give form to Negro-L Liberty doctrines in
the Congress of the United States, il was
not even suspected, before the party nom-
nations for officers of the House of Repre-
sentatives. made. They kept their own
treacherous counsels, If they had any But
Immediately after Mr.. Winthrop had been
selected by the party for the honorable post,
which he now so honorably fills, one of his
colleagues approached him with transcript
Of Negro-Liberty principles and demanded
Of him an unconditional subscription to those
principles, as the price Of his (Mr. Palfrey's)
vote and the votes Of Mr. Palfrey's brethren,
in this treason to their party and to the very
cornerstone Of the American Union Mr..
Winthrop answered with the voice Of free
man who understands the basis Of American
Constitutional Liberty and knows how to re-
spect the rights Of the parties to our glo-
rious confederacy. He rebuked the treason
and the traitors in every word Of his reply,
and they sought to destroy him for his puri-
ty,--but they persisted themselves, having
first thrown themselves out Of the respect and
good opinion Of all men.
The Constitution Of the United States re-
cognizes the existence Of human slavery.
At the formation Of that instrument, it exist
ed in nearly every one Of the States. Since
that event, many Of them without let or him
ORANGE from the others. have abolished the