Democratic banner., 1847-09-13
opINJoN OF TIE HON. LANES BUG
uANAN OF TIE WILMOT PROilS0.
WASHINGTON, 18th August, 1871

l.
.oceipt of your kind invitation to unite with
.ho Democracy of Old Bcrks III their tiar-
vest Home celebration, to be held at Read
inc. on Saturday, the 2Sth inst. should
esteem it both a pleasure and a privileged
70 he present on that interesting OCCASION;
+ is. therefore, with great regret have to
inform YOU, that my public duties during the
nresent week will render this impossible.
rejoice 10 observe that the glorious
democracy Of cold Bcrks' arc buckling on
their armur aud preparing fer the approach
inr contest. ii is cong since any State cl-
ection has involved such important consc-.
qucnce for the democracy of the Union, as
the approaching election for Governor of
Pennsylvania. On this result may proba-
bly depend the asccndancy of the democra-
CIV of the Union for years to come. Hence
our democratic brethren of other States are
Witnessing the contest with intense anxiety.
The field is a fair one; IL candidate we'll
tried, able and honest; and he has been reg
uIarly nominated by the party. Should lie
be defeated, the attempt will be in vain TO
explain the decision of the ballot boxes, III
any other manner than by admitting that the
Wings have the majority. Our candidate
for Canal Commissioner is also, above all
reproach both personally and politically,
and is eminently qualified for the duties OF
that important office. If, under such cir
cumstanccs, the democratic keystone should
give away, there is great danger that the
arch may tumble into pieces. In this con-
test. cmphatically, he that is not for lis is
against us. | do not apprchend defeat.
unless our willy foe should fist hull us into
security by making no extraordinary pub
lie efforts; and then, at tie eleventh hour,
quietly steal 4 march upon us, as they have
done in some other States. Our vigilance
ought to be constantly OIL the alert, uhtllthe
moment of victory.
The question of slavery, in one Gifts ancient
aspects, has been recently revived, and
threatens TO convulse the country. Tie
democratic party OF the | mon ought to pre-
pare themselves in time for the approaching
storm. Their best security in the hour OF
danger, is TO cling fast 10 their timc-honor-
ed principles. Asacrcdr regard for the Fed
eral Constitution. and for tie reserved rights
of the States, is the immOvable basis on
which the party can alone safely rest. This
has saved us from the inroads Of abolition.
Northern democrats are not expected TO APP
prove slavery in the abstract; but they owe
il TO themselves, as they value the Union.
and all the political blessings Which bounti-
fully flow from it, to abide by the ccmpro-
misses of the constitution, and leave the
question, where that instrument has left it.
20 the States wherein slavery exists.
Our fathers have made this agreement
viii! their brctlicrn Of the South; and it i:
not for the descendants of either party, il
the present generation, to cancclt this solemn
Compact. The abulilioniStS, by their efforts
TO annul il. have arrested the natural pro
greSS OF emanci patton, and done great MUIR
10 ia" slaves themselves.
After Louisiana was acquired from
FRANCE by Mr.. jefferson, and wien the
Sat" nf Missouri, which constituted 4 par
81 il, WAS about to be admitted into the
Union, tic Missouri question arose, and il
lis progress threatened the dissolution ofth'
Union. THIS was settled 10y the men of tI'
last generation. as other important anC
dangerous questions lave been settled, il
d Spirit Of mutual concession. Under th'
Missouri compromise, slavery was '%'iorcvc'
prohibited north of Sc deg. 30 min; ant
south Of this parallel the question was LEI
to be decided by the people. Congress il
the admission Of Texas, following in TIM
footsteps Of their predecessors, adopted th'
same rule; and in my opinion, the harmon.
of the States, and even the security of thu
Union itself, require that the line of the Mis-
souri compromise should be extended to an,
new territory which we may acquire from
Mexico.
should entertain the same opinion, ever
if it were certain this would become a seri
Gus practical question; but that it never cal
be thus considered, must be evident TO al
who have attentively examined the subject
Neither the soil, the climate, nor the pro
auctions of that portion of California soutI
of &c deg. 80 min, nor indeed of any por
ton Of it, north or south, is adopted to slav,
labor; and, besides, every facility would b.
there afforded 10 the slaves TO escape fron
his master. Such property would be utter
ly insecure in any part of California. II i
morally impossible, therefore, that a major
ity of the cmigrants to that portion of tn
territory south Of 36 deg. 30 min., whicI
will be chiefly composed of our f~eIlow-citi
zens from the Eastern, Middle and Western
- .