The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-06-16
THE DEMOCRACY AND THE WILMOT
PROVISO, X

THE DEMOCRACY AND THE wILMOT
| PROVIsO,
We have described the general ground
taken by the Washington Union, under its
new management, upon the subject Of slave
ny in territories, and give below the first re-
Spouse, either affirmative or negative, which
we have had an opportunity Of seeing from
the Democratic journals of New England,
upon the manner in which the Union dispo-
SEES of the e'unfortunate difference" which
prevails among the Democracy in respect
to the Wlmot Proviso. The Age, of Au-
gusta, Me-, paper which has never leaned
toward ant-slavery at all, but as a party
paper has been one of the strictest OF its
sect, after noticing favorably the accession
Of Mr.. Burke to the editorial columns of
the Union, introduces the Introductory adj
dress Of the new editor, as follows:
"The Union proposes to sustain Mr.. CAL
houn and other statesmen Of the slaveholding
States, in maintenance Of the policy thai
Congress shall abstain from all Legislation
in relation to the subject of Slavery in HE
new territories The Union is pleased to
call this a common ground on which the
Democracy can stand in each State and in all
the States'-'the ground assumed by the
Democratic party at the Baltimore conven-
ton in ls40'-that sanctioned by the
Democratic party in ls44,' and inscribed
on its banners in the last presidential
campaign. We are obliged to take an ex-
ception to the remark that the, common
ground adopted by the Union is that
of the Baltimore convention OF 1910 and
1914 for the reason that as we had no new
territories in 1910 and 1914, no such ground
could have been assumed by anybody. We
are obliged also to deny the truth of the
statement that the ground of the Union was
inscribed on the banners Of the Democratic
party in the last presidential campaign, for
the reason that ilasmuch as the convention
of 1S4S adopted, without comment, the iden-
tical language Of the convention of ls40 and
that of 1874, relating to subjects connected
with slavery, it is just to presume that it
adopted also its meaning, and that the sub
ject Of slavery in the neto territories was not
referred to-
eThe ground Of the Union is the Common
ground possibly,s of the politicians of the
slave States, but the persons who take that
ground in the free States are getting to be
more and more nn-common, as the various
evidences Of popular expression unequivocal-
" show. 1t may be one upon which the
democracy Of the South 'can stand : but as
citizens Of free State, who know something
of the influences which operate upon the vo-
tiers, we can assure Mr.. Burke, as we have
before intimated to Mr.. Richie, that it is
not one upon which the Democracy If any
northern State in this vicinity can stand
The Democratic States Of New England
maintained their ascendency in the campaign
of lS4S, but it was with the perfect under
standing, on the part Of the Democratic
masses, that the common ground of the
South, and of the Washington Union, was
repudiated by the great body of their asso-
ciates.
"The great issue is, whether Congress shall
legislate upon the subject Of slavery in the
territories. Those territories are now sub
jects Of the guardianship of the general gov
eminent. 1t belongs to Congress to enact
laws for them. In the discharge of this duty,
the representatives in Congress from the
North desire to provide, among other things,
that there shall be no slavery in the colonies.
The representatives from the South resist
such provision. This, we repeat, is The issue;
and yet the Union, which, in its prospectus
proclaims its purpose mot to interfere, in
stead Of acting the part of an impartial OBJ
server, and acquiescing while the will Of the
majority enlbodies itself in enactment ac-
cording to the constitutional forms throws
the weight Of its power and influence on the
side Of one section exclusively, and demands
that the other shall waive their rights. II
goes farther, and takes to task Democrats
whose lives have been devoted to the great
cause-charging them with hostility to the
spirit on which the constitution is founded,
because they choose to maintainthe position
Of the North. 1t has personal right to do
all this but, we must insist, the work is no
part Of the business Of an sorgan' Of the
Democratic party, least Of all, of that part Of
said party whose habitat is nthis region"
The Age is in no wise backward in ex-
pressing its opinions upon slavery in terrific
RES, and they come att opportune moment.
The Democratic State convention is to be
holden in few weeks, sspatform" is to be
established by resolutions, and the Age sends
forth its voice in advance, leaving its Dem
ocratic compeers to assent Of dissent as they
may choose.-Boston Coulter. r
Ha The Khaisis.
The khasis, from the land Of Syria, are eighteen