The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-09-13
MIR. Stewards Anne nd ment.

Mr.. SEWARD, III the Senate, u the bill for the
abolition of the slave trade il the District of
Columbia, which amendment vas in the form
of bill for abolishng slavery in the District,
was defeated by vote of 4G to s. Mr.. Up
HAM, of Vermont, and Mr. SEWARD, of New
York, voted in the affirmative; all the other
Wing Senators voted in the negative. The
other three affirmative votes were those of Mr.
CHASE Of Ohio, Mr.. HALE of New Hamp-
shire, Free soilers, and Mr.. DODGE of Wis
| consin, Free-soil Democrat This almost
unanimous vote of the Wines in the Senate
demonstrates the truth of what we said yes
terday, that though the amendment was of
iered by VINO Senattr, the agitation which
it contemplates is not WING agitation.
We congratulate the country upon this most
marked and decided retuke of proposition
introduced under such extraordinary circum-
| stances, and contemplating a renewal of the
| agitation which has infaned and irritated the
| public mind for the last nine months The
most important interests have been entirely
neglected; the bills for the support of the Gov
eminent itself have been unable to secure the at
cupied and harassed with sectional discus
sions that have threatened the peace and
the very existence of the Union And at the
| moment when all these troubles had been hap
PLY adjusted-when, with the almost universal
| concurrence of those who voted against the
| Compromise bills, as well of those who voted
| in their favor, these bills had been passed. and
there was reasonable prospect of tranquil
| legislation on subjects of vast interest TO the
whole country VINO Senator undertook to
resuscitate the allayed excitement, and TO re-
open the discussion upon point which, in his
own judgment, was ultimately to triumph or to
rend the Union in twain
We do not Overstae the case. We fur
nished yesterday the evidence which proves
this to have been the Judgment Of the honorable
Senator from New York. His proposition was
offered evidently without consultation with
any of his party irends-for, with single ex
ception, they all voted against it. The propo-
sition was Of character so important that no
man of any party fidelity, or recognising the
| force of any party obligations, ought to have
| embarked in it without the concurrence of
Senators with whom he has been in the habit
of acting, and of the party friends who ele-
waited him to the position which he occupies.
So far was this from being the case, that the
movement took every Wing member Of the
Senate by surprise, and excited an universal
sentiment of Indignation. To some extent, in
deed, this Indignation was necessarily waged
in different sentiment, when it was ascer.
tanned that the proposition Of the honorable Sen
ator could secure him but single ally among
his WING associates.
At the present moment, an important duty
rests upon the WINGS of the Union. Now is
10 be settled the question whether they shall be
organized as great national party-with nation
al aims and ends-or repudate all other than
! local and sectional relations. and pander TO the
nauowest prejudices and passions. This topic
addresses itself to the South as well as to the
| North. Ii is not TO be denied that faction and
| fanatcism have, within the last six months,
threatened serious evils in both sections, and it
is difficult TO say which is the most mischiev-
Gus and ncorrigible agitator-the man who will
divide California on 800 80 or resist" or he
who will commence political agitation on the
subject Of slavery in the District, believing that
it may. in any alternative. result in "rending
| the Union in twain"
We desire that the Wines of New York
should not be misunderstood or misrepresented.
| They have no more authorized OF encouraged
| Vine leaders in the Senate Of the United
States. 1t is no part Of their creed that this
agitation of slavery is to be kept up forever,
for party purposes or any other purposes. The
| Wines Of New York are national and con
servative. They are not Abolitionsts or Dis
unionists. To some extent-to too great an
extent-both parties in that State have played
| for the Abolition vote, they have played IN
| the other Northern States But we believe
that the time has come, when prudent and pa
triotic and honest men Of all parties are per
suadcd that there is too much hazard in this
kind Of play, and that political or party as
tendency is too dearly purchased at the expense
of all the objects and advantages of Govern
mont, and Of all the fraternal feelings and
sentiments without which the Union is MOI
worth preserving.
Nine months Of dscord, confusion, i'll blood
menaces, and opprobrious languagc-during
which all the great interests Of the country
have been suspended-havo wrought a great
change in the public mind in all sections
and we affirm that not one out of an hundred
citizens OF the North--as far as our knowledge
extends-believes that this is the time, or that
there is any time, propitious to the commence
ment Of an agitation, in which there is an even
chance that the Union rW be rent in train. y
The Abolitionsts differ from us. GARRISON
and his associates believe that there is no time
like the present for attempting the overthrow
of the Union and the Constitution. But the
mass Of the Northern people, in our judgment
believe with Mr. WEBSTER, that it is the
greatest calamity that government should bc
Paralyzed, hung up, dependent on one idea
as IL there was no object in government. no
use in government, no desirable protection
from government, and no desirable Legislation
by government, except what relates TO The
single topic Of slavery"