Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-01-01


opinions and In believing that the community will adopt
them, and soohingy tells him that is small matter that
divides nem the only difficulty being whether they shall go
aeans. slavery under the constitution IT, The
ce however being thrown into confusion by the discussions
oil ls leaders, and at stand from doubt to which Of these
roads shall travel seemed the last perish
ing condition.
Notwithstanding all the efforts Of the abolition societies for
number OF years they have SUCH able to effect very
mie Hiscnei iheir schemes always either absurd
ana OF so reckless the Of
society," at they have been successfully combaed by the good
sense and proper feeling OF the North SO that at most they
have but served for the use Of popular eca-
ers The question Of slavery has however, assumed grave
and momcntous cast from the attempt TO connect Il with The
party politics Of the day. In country like this political par
ties VIII always exist it. perhaps desirable that they
snouiu DO eadcated even il were practicable which every
man OF ieecon sees TO be impossible As to the successful
OF our system however, every thing depends
on the manner IN which those parties constituted I'm
the safest and best parties those based upon
efences OF opinion as TO the mode of administering the Co
Vernment and as to the il should carry not
only because such parties having direct reference to the &C
tion OF The Government generally, have tendency duse
correct political information among the people at large whose
Will must IN the end govern every thing but especially because
such the nature OF the human mind that such parties will
have members in every class of society and every section of
,he country States countless neghborhoods, and fam
lies are divided and the mnoties well the majorties
IN the zeal 10 defend their views and make
opponents dluse in every section notions as to their
respective opinions that by this interchange Of sentiment
produced by collision ramying itself into every portion Of
and both parties are satisfied the honesty and patriotism
OF their opponents classes and rendered tolerant and
liberal IN their intercourse with each other. When an
election has terminated the minority acquiesce quietly be-
cause that result to have been produced honest
difference OF opinion to the of the Government,
u however, the division should be social one, or one
Of Of society," as for example of the poor against the
rich, then the results are somewhat different.
In the first place. the appeal in such being the
reaso but only to the feelings omen their passions are easily
excited to high pitch and they prone to violent
extremes Those too who disappointed, feel that they
have been beaten not because of their eme bnt because of
the class to which they belong that instead Of having equal
share Of what is in theory property they have been
unusty excludes and they thus rendered Desperate
determine to break system which Expresses them But
Of all parties which exist republic perhaps in any
country the most dangerous to the webeing the State
sectional those founded geographical dis.inc-
ons natural Tor men to feel strongly attached the
land in which they live. Hence they prompted to take
the side OF their own country in all collisions between naon
and the same equally true when the contest between diff
erent sections OF the country Every
ne most values the world is connected with the section ocoun
try in which he lives; and hence when that section as
whole aayed against any other is but natural that his
strongest and deepest feelings should be aroused injustice
and injury done to that section he regards done himself
and all that he most values In party contests too of
hona character each section driven greater extremes
feeling from not understanding properly the views of oppo
nents few violent lead and represent the views Of
he set OF men equally violent like themselves of the opposite
party, however, constituting the views of that party as
whole, and each faction is thus excited by the supposed
ence OF the other Rejecting moderate shrink
from expressing different views lest they should be charged
with hostility their section Of country and by conse
quence the most rash and worthless demagogues Of each
ton have the guidance of affairs. Hence has invariably
happened that when considerable sections of country have
been arayed against each other upon questions giving to
much excitement such divisions have invariably broken
pieces all such political systems the human intellect has been
able 10 devise These views not overlooked by the
founders OF Government and Gen. Washington warned
the American people, in emphatic language "bewae
OF parties founded geographical distinctions" In the de-
bates too, OF the convention which made the constitutions
apprehension was felt and expressed from this quarter
feared by that the three large States might combine
against the smaller that the Western States when they be-
came popuous and strong might be aayed against the At
antic States and that there might be found too great diver
sy OF interest between the planting States Of the South and
the commercial Of the North Though attempts have
been made from time to time by demagogues get up parties
upon OF these questions the good Of people
has successfully resisted them Our party divisions on the
contrary have been Of different character and every great
party has numbered among members men Of all classes
and pursuits, well Of all sections of country
This Is eminently true witness them there
being in almost every State and district Of the Union large
and powerful minores Of the other party embracing
Of every variety Of occupation and standing socially And
in looking back for than dozen years the excited
elections which the country has gone through will be found
that in the national contests the candidate who tumphed
received maotes in both Of the great sections Of the Union
Owing these circumstances the country has experienced
no serious evils from the political excitement has
times undergone Neighbours friends and relatives being
divided thus they have been tolerant towards each other
But if the contrary the parties Of 1910 orls44 had been
identified with particular geographical lines il may well be
doubted institutions would have stood shock and whe-
Their the minority would I'M each have submitted quietly
More than serious attempt has been made Mr. Chairman
to connect the question Of slavery with the party politics Of
the country That which had its origin when Missouri APP
Piled for admission into the Union well known That State
had made for herself just such republican constitution
isted in twelve Of the original thirteen States the time they
entered into the Union under the constituo-ius such
form Of government then existed in half the States Con-
gess therefore, have shown, had no authority whatever
to refuse her admission Nor there even founded
petext for the opposition raed the slaves which she
held had been taken from the other States In which thew had
previously been counted and represented Nor was their num-
Der great the time her adoption into the Union had
existed in Louisiana another State territory
which had been obtained from France There was obviously
no usabe ground on which TO exclude her. Some Of the
politicians however, tired Of being in minority and seeing
that the free States had majority the electoral colleges and
in the House Of Representatives. and that they could be
induced all TO act together they would be able control the
national elections seized upon that endeavor
promote sectional division between the North and the South
and thereby build up political party in the North strong
enough carry the Presidential election The fearful agta-
ton which the country then underwent caused many appre
bend that the days Of united existence numbered
There was, however, settlement made LENGTH upon
which, though unequal the South variance with
the spirit of the constitution.
The next effort connect this question with party politics,
am Southern man, Mr. Chairman sorry be compelled
TO say, from the Souh In speaking Of this some
subsequent events regret feel obliged aude matters