The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-03-31
The STATE Register.

We have tried, III good earnest, for more
than month, 10 av old getting into quar-.
rel with the Stale Register for we hate quar-
rcls of every kiud-we dislike even TO get
into quarels with our wing contemporaries
and nothing, surely, could be more repug-
na,it TO our inclinations than to quarrel with
democratic contemporary, with whom we
agree on so many points, and with whom
we have fought, and still hope to fight, ma
ny hard battles shoulder to shoulder. But
when a paper, claiming from its locality to
be the organ the party, par srceileHce, sets
iselfup to dictate TO that party, to prescribe
its creed, and 10 denouucc as recreantS and
dsorsanizers all who do not obey its man.
dates, as the State Register has done for the
last three months, we, who claim TO be as old
in the service and about as good judges Of
what constitutes democracy as the editor OF
the State Register, and who claim moreover
in all matters and OH all occasions to think
and act for ourselves, aud to. acknowledge
no dictator save our own sense Of truth and
right, would be wanting in that respect
which is due to independent thought and ac-
ton, if We did no! strike back in self de.
fence.
The last State Register has two articles,
upon which, as they are iairrepresentative
oithe character Of the editorials which have
appeared in that paper for the last three
months, we propose to make some com
ments, and TO show that they are the base
emanations of personal spleen, and charac.
terized by as reck less disregard for truth
as for the welfare Of the democratic party.
The substance Of the articles is briefly this
We are accused of trimming on the Wilmoi
Proviso question, and abandoning sacred
principle to further the ends Of a transferable
.demagogue," John Noteworthy The de-
mocraey of the north, who oppose the INTRO
ducton Of slavery with all its horrors into
Territory now free, are denounced "a few
licksPittles calling themselves democrats y
and then abuse, without decency or stint, is
heapcd upon John Wentworth.
Now so far as our course upon the Wilmo!
proviso is concerned, it is not of the least
consequence TO US, so we are right now,
whether we have been consistent 10 The ut.
mos, punctilio or not; bu. we deny that we
have been guilty Of any inconsistency. To
prove its charge, the Register quotes from
two articles of this paper, three months
part, in one ofwhich we said, "If the slave.
holders of the south have a right, under the
constitution, TO so into any territory that
may be acquired, no law Of congress can
deprive them of that right" and that there.
iore The question was purely constitutional
one, oiwhich the supreme court could alone
take cosnizancc and in the other, that
"lhe crisis is now approaching, the qie,on
must soon come up before congress for dec.
sion, and 1t Is now impossible to avoid the
issue" Now whatever Inconsistency there
may be in these quotations, they express ex.
aet'y our belief at this moment. The ques.
ton is undoubtedly constitutional one, aud
IN the supreme court we believe il will, OF
Should be, ultimately settled. But does be.
, iies'ns this exclude us from the right of ex-
pressing our opinion as to ho,c il shall b,
settled GG' Cass says it is a cons,itu.
tional question, so do the south, aud al
Hunkcrdom ofthe north, bat are they will
ling forest itthere' Iuthe very same brcatl
they argue that the territory is, under tn,
constitution, open 10 the admission Of slave
very, aud they goso far--much further thai
even John Van Buren, and the most ul,r
.batnburner. go--as to declare tina, they vii
support no man for the presidency nor eve,
Recognise him Is domocra, who does nc