Indiana State sentinel., 1849-09-06
slavery and Whisgery.

ing articles are devoted the subject of slavery. 1t
takes the bold ground in these articles, that the
doctrine Of slave emancipation is in every respect to-
tally impraeticabc and visionary, while at the same
time it admits that it has 'held and has endearorsd
10 znai1liain that sarery era POLITICAL, MORAL
and socIAL!"
On the 24tb Of the same month, following up this
subject, the paper devotes leading editorial,
upon the course pursued by the Indiana State Sentl
mel in regard the question of the extension of sa
very. We are condemned, of course, for sup
pert of freedom and because cannot agree to The
extension of ian erH political, moral and social"
We are also condemned because we do not subscribe
to what the Journal afirms was tue doctrine of the
Nicholson Letter, to-wt that the application of the
Jeffcrsonian au,slavery ordinance TO new territory
is unconstiLuiional--for this is what understand
the Journal to mean by the Wilmot proviso.
As to the peculiar form of words constituting the
Wmot proviso, we care nothing about them: they
are mere goats wool ;" one Congress may enact,
another may repeal them But the principle involved
in the question of the extension of slavery to free
territory is very different thing, and something
more than "goats WOOL" 1t involves not only the
mere matter of enslaving negroes, but the matter
also of the representation of capital in the general
government, and of the power Of Congress to legs-
late upon the subject in any way. Still more: it in
wolves what Southern call the "Jaldacs of poll
tical polcer'' between the North and the South
Our course upon this subject during the past can
vass is fully justified by the following resolutions,
passed by the Democratic State Convention, held on
the Slh Of January last, viz:
.'Resolued, That the institution of slavery ought
not to be introduced into any terrury where 1t does
not exist.
.'Resolued, That inasmuch New Mexico and
California are in fact and IN law, free territories. 1t
the duty of Congress to prevent the introduction of
slavery within their limits"
| The doctrine of these resolutions had been prev
ousy acted upon and enforced by the democratic
members of the Legislature, comprising majority
Of wenly-four,-tle whole body numbering $50.
If position be antagonistic to that of General
Cass,-(a point we shall not now argue)-it is in ac-
cordance with that authoriiatively assumed and de-
cared BY the democracy of this State. The Louis
vile Journal admits this and further it says that
"Locofoco orators and Locofoco editors in the free
States generally engaged" in aboring to enforce
the same doctrine.
The Louisville Journal will not deny either, that
so far ourselves and our party are concerned in
this State, the adoption early day, and the ad
| neTence 10 SOunu uOctrlne upon lllS question, was
emnently successful of correct
party pocy,-to say nothing of principle. 1t is to
this, than to any other thing, that we owe
the unprecedented victory which we have just
achieved in this State,-a victory unexcelled by that
gained in any other, in which elections have recently
been held. And we have not only the glory of
great triumph to exult over,-we have something
better! We have peace and harmony within our
borders, which make US inUincible. We stand in
such an attitude of moral strength, that thou
sands of wings, so far from expressing regret that
VIC have triurnphed, admit and affirm, that we have
thus iriumphed because we were right on this great
question. Thus hnvc we gained double victory
The Louisville Journal sneeringly charges the de-
mocracy Of this State with having formed coalition
with the Frce-Soilers, and with having abandoned
what it repeatedly calls the "mOderate ground, pre-.
vously sanctioned by them, that the Wilinot provi-
SO was unconstitutional" These charges only prove
the ignorance or the dishonesty of the Journal. The
democracy Of this State neither entered into pro-
posed any coalition whatever. They issued their
platform, and challenged public scrutiny, and
public approval, upon that basis alone. They
, occupied what the Journal calls the "moderate
ground that law against the extension of slavery
was unconstitutional Nor did any Democratic Nd-
tional Convention enunciate such dogma. The
last expressly refused to do and if it had not,
John Van Buren's recent untrue declaration, would
now be ''tte National democratic party would
be dissolved" and would be in the predicament OF
the party in New York.
The Journal winds up with string of It's charac-
teristic vi,uperu,on, upon the alleged Inconsistency
of tie democrats upon this subject in the free States
and slave States Suppose that all it says this
point be true Are not the Wings in a similar OIL
worse fix No intelligent man will pretend to deny
it. great many of The free State wings profess tc
be not only Wmot proyisoiss, but aboitionists also
e formerly they were little open in their de
caratons, than since the election of ylo-thougf
they profess 10 believe that he would approve of h
Wilmot proyiso. But what is their attitude in thu
slave States Look at them in Kentucky, for exam
s pie, with the Louisville Journal at their head op
II posing with all their might even the prosperity,
emancipation recommended by Mr.. Clay, and which
. . would postpone the consummaton fifty years an,
n opposing the Wimot provisO with equal violence
. Truly the vituperaon of the Journal is ill-applie
IS when it is only visited upon the democracy.
The great object of the Louisville Journal is, if i
be able the difference of opinion and feel
i ing. which il vuperates. II has possessed the pow
a to lessen it persuade Southern of both par
e ties to recede from ultra and untenabe grounds, an
d to resume course more liberal and conciliatory
But this however beneficial it might be TO the country
y would not be profitable to the Journal as whig pal
y tIzan. Hence its present unPatrote and dishones
y course. Southern, as well as Northern. democrats
le we hope will be sensible enough to this.
The Louisville Journal knows, as well Dc
that majority Of the people of the free States 1eve