New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-12-01
Tho Coming Congress.

The First Session Of toe XXXlst Congress
opens on Monday. Already most Of the Member
are st Washington, and when the hour arrives mo-
a seat will be Onocc0pied, eAcep; from soroe
cause i'm possible 20 0bviste. Never has the a.
ssmbiing Of the National Legislature been await
ed with more serious expectation BY the people
never were more important iEsses referred % Il
Tor set,lsment; never have more ~ei6bty conse'
quence. Depended upon its action.
The great a1os;ion now - come up Is Vi oou re
that between Slavery aud Free SJii Viewed
sco1n little distance aud in the ght Of positive
PRINCIPLES, one ia sstOnished that such question
sboyId ever be raised. IL seems bo;h absurd and
melancholy that ffesmen should come 10 dispute
sbou. the rights Of Slavery, a. il it bad any night
except 20 disappear sad be forgotten along with
other crime. aud mo strosities in that original
Nigh. whence it came. Did we not know ii, we
could not believe tbst great Republic oSed on
liberty and eqaslity could be sgits:ed and threat
eaed with subverson because certain Of tie Cit
zsns we're bent upon strengthening the instito'
ticn Of Slavery, establishing 1t IN new regions and
Increasing the number Of Slaves. Bat common
.enss and eonsstency have u learn come tough
lessons Ia this world. There are seris snd sono'
men In other countries, bot nowhere n the &C.
cursed Institution 80 tenacious. violent aud eg-
gressive as in tho Uated States.
The isrus now raised is not one oil our seeking
The free North did not raise il, the Wing party
did not raise IL. j. was forced upon us by ths'
party which annexed Texas aud made the NeHi-
can War; il was forced upon Us by the mad el-
fort Of Slavery to enlarge its ows power, and
secure the domination OF the Uoion. We should
greatly prefer not to have lad it to meet IN ia
present form. hut since IL II there II cannot be
shruok fcom. Tho North, the Wing party cannot
90 fslsify their fundamental convictions. They
mast stand up to the crisis.
There 10 tax " new compromises, which shsl
give par, OF the Terrtorie. in question 70 Slavery
Were the dispute one Of more eXpedioncy, me;-
ser nf money, or Of mster,Al advantage, a comprc.
mise would be- a laudsbe thing. Not 80 10 . INST
Ter Of principle there can be no safe compromise
between truth and fslsshoo1, between light and
darkness. The man who bargains away spd0oiple
sows evil Tor the future he who consents 20 the
establishment OF negro slavery on an inch OF that
Territory, because such seems the easier policy,
may possibly have tho head and the heart Of
but he pursues q course We osnno, envy.
AZ 70 the dissslation OF the Union we are not
alarmed. The North does not threaten to dissolve
it, and has no thought Of such an experiment. All
that tak comes from another quarter. and frothier
words would be a d,ttcplt invention. suppose
Freedom 10 triumphant, and South Carolina die.
solves the Union What will she do then How
will she gain thereby that addition TO the Slave
power for which shs now so loudly contends
VIII she attempt TO conquer California in order to
extend there tho blessings Of Bondage Win she
even preach a crusade against New Mexico Or
Desereil Or will she great mass OF Sensible
s,athern people find her banner better one 10
march under than the Starr aud Stripes OF the
UniOni We shall sec.
No. there is nothing frisb,ful 10 those outgiv-
inss, and we suppose no general terror 10 caused
by them. The people hereAbouts seem 70 expect
the resuls with serenity Of mind for their oonvic.
tons arc thorough and immovable
Though the territorial question stands hr.t ia its
sbrorsins Importance, and in the excitement
which prevails respecting It, IL 10 not alone M.
merous mssures OF vsst moment arc to acted mp
os beside, such a. Cheap Pos,Ase, Reform Of the
Tariff. The Pacific Railroad, Mileage Reform and
oseers. Here 10 work which dez.Ssis At least the
utmoss i0dss,ry Of our Representatives. We ss p.
asve that the people generally are disposed 10
observe the dolngs ef Congress. with less nesl'
gent eye than formerly. Shortcomings heretofore
overlooked, viii not now pass muster. Let u.
hope that the &c sian now opening will have lever
OF tsom 20 record than its predecessors
sfr. Maxn's Lecture before the Mercantile