Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-03-08
WAsu1scroS, Jan. 20, 1913.

Thoro are some indications OF areturn-
;no sense of responsibility on the part OF
tho New York Democracy. 1t is, howe
yer, very plain to perceive that New
Work can only be secured to democratic
a,nd;Jate for President in the event that
sncb candidate is frank and decided IN the
.xDression OF his opinions concerning sla'
very in Mexico. The whole democracy
Of New York will unite upon man who
helieyes, anddeclares boldly his belief, that
slavery does not now exist in Mexicr,an
that it cannot exist there except by the as
sen, of the people thereof.
The strong adherence given to The VIII
mot Proviso, has bsen owing 10 the belief
,eat the South would press the position
Mr.. Calhoun has assumed, that there is all
implied right existing by virtue OF the con.
s,ilu,ion, which enables The stakeholder to
take his slaves into any territory OF the
United States, aud hold item there as pro
perty, against the will of said territory.-G
This .allacy is repugnant to the consltu-
ton itself. and has been exploded by nu-
merous decisions of the Supreme Court Of
the United States, and OF the southern
States A slave is only property In the
state where he is held 10 ser,ilude; he is
not property out of that state, unless made
80 by the local laws of some other state;
and if a slave is found in free state, he
can only again be held in seryltude by the
fact Of his escape from the person 10 WHOM
he was bound. Just SO far, and no further,
will the constitution of the United States
give any power over slaves tothe citizens
Of slave state, when said slaves are with
on. the Jurisdiction OF such state.
The fear that MIR. Calhoun's doctrine
can get any respectable support, even in
the South, is without foundation, and seems
to be rapidly and permanently disappear
ing in New York. Southern men know
that Mr.. Calhoun is regarded as only play
ing game of batiledoor and sh,fticeock
with the northern abohiionists, and has al
ready been endeavoring to gst up an ex-
citement on the slave question:, and he las
doubtless done us much injury. He has
given an importance TO the aboitionisls
which they really do not possess at the
North. There The very name Of abolition
is! is hooted at, and has been too odioas
for men Of station TO espouse. Bu;,through
Mr.. Calhoun and two or three kindred
spirits, the TRADES agains. slavery thrown
at the South by these northern abolition
lists, have been seaulously taken up and
thrown back again at the North This
game of battledoor and shut,lecocl has had
the effect Of making the subjec: eff aboli-
ton more Interesting, more respectable,
and induced men OF standing to enter ii,
and political parties to give this party at
,ention and consideration, which other
wise it could never have commanded.
The absurd and dangerous policy of Mr..
Calhoun will be efectuaIly broken up
First: II will be settled that slavery can
only be established by the people Of our
states and territories. Second: Tia, free
territory, conquered or peacabiy acquir-
ed, remains free until slavery is establish
cd by conventional act of said territory.
Third and lastly: No dispute can arise
hereafter on the subject Of slavery in any
territory where it exists, whether in the
District of Columbia or Cuba, if acquired,
because the local law Of such territory re-
garding slavery, considered as vested in
the people thereof, must be changed by
them, before any alteration in the coadi-
ticn OF the slave can take place.
The democracy Of New York cannot be
shaken from this position. Nor should
desire to see our party assume any other.
live set up governments in Mexico, they
must be republican. Territories held by
US in vassalage, would be contrary to the
spirit of our institutions.
The true ground to hold on this CUES.
tion is, to allow all slave territory hereaf.
ter annexed to continue slavery until pro-
hlbited by the people Of the territory; and
all free territory hereafter annexed, to
Continue free until changed in similar
way. Thus we will preserve that great
political equilibrium which allows major.
tiles to govern; and by doing 50, preserve
our country against the derner appeal to
arms and bloodshed, which must always
ensue when this conservative principle OF
free institutions is violated
While we behold the gro wing union Of
our party in New York as one of the
good omens Of victory in 1913, we see,
on the other hand, a deadly, hostile fsud
spslng'ng up I'm the federal party, between
Inc Clay and the Taylor men. 1t is SO
bitter in the State of New York that there |
can be no reconciliation. But it exists |
also over all the northern States. The call
Tor Taylor meeting in New York CITY.
Is hootsd at as Col. Webb's meeting, and
the federalists say that he has spent two
weeks in Obtaining some two or three b,r.
ared names; twenty seven of which saws
The N. Y. Tribune, are all the men If STAN y
ding in the list. The Express, saws tha,
Inc awhigs" will not support TAYLOR for
Inc =, Presidency, under any circumstances
! ne result must be, third candidate for
lie Presidency. ~
:. Two things are very apparent at this
me' First; that the federaiists who seaL
ne plumber Of office as their first cons;d.
'latlon, are not satisfied that TAYLOR will
0ake a general sweep Of the present Of.