The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-02-28
THE NATIONAL ERA, WASHINGTON D. c. FEBRUARY 28 1850

stincts Of Democracy little liberty TO enjoy, and
some room To avow its love Of liberty II was
rather too much, even for MIR Brown, to denounce
Free Soil plumpiy, without argument or explana-
ton Indeed, he and all the spectators who fol-
lowed him were taught, by the applause which
greeted every fine sentiment accidently uttered,
that liberty is great word, and Free Soil great
fact, in the estimation Of Democracy
Another speaker was Colonel Page, ex-Post-
master, and ex-Collector of the Port, and by all
the tender "reminiscences Of past favors and all
the hopes Of future ones, bound 10 "the Party y
From him we had the democracy of patri-
otto speech done up brown. He was born Dem
ocrat-was brought up Democrat-had Rovr.
ishedn as Democrat, and didn't want to be any,
thing else but Democrat. The magic word had
from him its full force and virtue. In this
respect his exordium reminded me of the pro-
ceedings of the meeting in Lancaster city, some
thing more than twenty years ago, at which the
Hon. James Buchanan was made n Democrat
They began thus Il quote from memory "At a
Democratic meeting Of the Democratic citizens
of the truly Democratic county of Lancaster.
held at the Democratic Gardens, the following
Democratic resolutions were unanimously adopted
by the Democracy then present. One hundred
and forty -four times the words Democratic. De-
mocracy, and Democrat occurred in that cere-
mony Of Democratizmg James Buchanan. A
rather liberal allowance of the article, you will
allow, but tn en- 1t was hard case, and il took
good deal to do it, you know.
Colonel Page was bountiful and brave as usual
in avowing his own democracy, and he told us he
would be the same thing if he stood alone against
thousands and then he proceeded to explain the
enormity of the Wilmot Proviso on the pattern
thought of co-partnership in business where all
the stock is put in in common, and entitled to
equal advantages in the mutual trade He spoke
OF four partners Himself-yes, hmself-stood
in the illustration for the owner of slaves an
other man, not named, put in horses another,
cows; and a fourth, musty law books. Well with
the profits of the trade upon the original invest
ment, a farm is purchased The owner Of the
horses and the owner of the cattle turn in their
cattle to Craze, and they fatten we'll. The law
yer finds a shade tree, and comfortably pursues
his studies under it; but, horrible to relate when
he, Colonel Page, the Democratic partner, comes
to turn in his negroes the other partners tell
him, No you don't" The Colonel did not very
fully elaborate the analogy; he did not argue the
property question in humanity; he did not take
pains to fasten attention upon that poiut but the
way the audience received the story, notwith-
standing the funny turn given to it, plainly indi-
Gated that the question of property in human
flesh. is question not well enough settled to
bring it, for all possible purposes, within the
laws of trade.
The Colonel showed some more Of the courage
of audacity in one point. He denounced the
Democratic State Convention held at Pittsburgh,
last year, as demagogues and unauthorized inter-
medders in the question of the Proviso. That
Convention used this language /" Esteeming IL a
violation Of State rights to carry IL slavery be-
You'd State limits, we deny the power Of any cti-
L. : a l.
present domain, nor do we consider il part OF
the compromise Of the Constitution, that slavery
should forever travel with the advancing column
of our territorial progress This was unani-
mously declared, and the candidate named by that
Convention, Mr. Gamble, unequivocally gave his
assent to the Wilmot Proviso, and was elected by
a majority Of near twenty thousand votes. The
Democratic precedents crowd the statute books,
and the political history of Pennsylvania is one
long chain of testimony to the principles of free
dom in general, and the Proviso in particular
Colonel Page had the hardihood to pronounce
one, the latest instance, piece of demsgoguery
Mr. Tyler lson of the Ex-Presiient) followed
Mr. Tyler is an orator, poet, and gentleman
admired his style and his elocution, and ad
mired the fitness of his Anti-Slavery sentiments
! He spoke of the @men who with honorable feel
ings are strongly opposed to the introduction Of
slavery into the Pacific Territories and said dis
tinctly and emphatically, that he, for one did
sincerely hope that no slave, white or black, will
ever be theren He spoke respectfully of I" mer
who, either in our Legislatures or elsewhere
either by speech or otherwise made bold and
manly declarations of such sentiments but who
nevertheless, through all, are faithful to their
country and their party He pressed the avow.
ed doctrines of the Northern disunionists upon
the Free-Soilers unwsrrautably; for without ex.
ct1y of Of vi md Ms
ciples, he made use of such odium as might attach
to the Disunion party, in his general attack upon
! the Proviso men.
His representative assault upon the Ordinance
| was with all respect for the gentleman, a very
decided failure. 1t was undemocratic, it wa.
Brit;sh, it was Federalist, 1t was consolidation, i
was violation of the right of self-government i
maintains the right Of Congress to legisate fol-
| Territories not represented in its councils-and
| in word, he declared that the question is jus
that one upon which the war Of our Revolution
turned 1t seemed strange to me that man o.
| Tylers fine sense could not see the difference be
tween legislating for Territories before their or
ganizaton as States, before they possess legal OF
| physical capacity for self-government, and over
and against their will after they have acquired
the conditions which nature and Constitutions
alike require A child's liberty is certainly not
violated by parental authority so long as in fact
! he needs direction and authority. IL was still
more astonishing that he should denounce that
provision in the Territorial organizations which
has been sanctioned in regular succession by eve
ry Democratic President of the Union, b. ginning
with Washington and ending with Mr.. Polk
That British, Federal undemocratic principle
which Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson and
Polk, adopted and endorsed MIR Tyler overshot
himself
left the meeting before its adjournment The
thing was getting heavy; from the beginning it
wanted spirit; there was no element of power in
it. Democrats on their marrow bones, trying to
propitiate their masters, are not in the attitude
for vigorous action
During all that night, heard not one word for
labor not word for man against capital not
one live word for the oppressed Of any color or
condition The assemblage was held to conciliate
power capital, and aristocracy. IL was based upon
an Acknowledged FEAR its svowed purpose was
COMPROMISE The proud spirit Of Democracy was
bowed into the attitude Of begging, and its ag-
gressive reforming spirit sunk to the tone of its
degradation.
Ny own opinion is, that the movement thus
made will only induce more decided resistance to
Slavery within the Democratic party North, and
that the discussion which II must awaken will
tend to the final establishment Of the right.
w. l..