The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-09-12
HE REPUBLIC.

hold and tune 10 sirtke, he would patiently walt
| until the sentiment OF the American people be-
sufficiently rpened, under the increasing
light and nberality Of the age, TO permit slavery
TO be lawfully and peaceably removed, while the
| = Union should remain unweakened and untouched
| the pride Of our hearts, the admiration of the
world. Hence. in his early career, he no
| propitous moment for such work. While dis
charging the duties of U. S. Senator Secretary of
State, and President an attempt in that direction
would have resulted in an aggravation OF the evils
OF slavery, and strengthening OF the institution.
Nor on first entering Congress did he conceive
the time to be fully come to engage In that agita
ton of the momentous subject, tohich tphen once
commenced in earnest ,could until either
sarery rould be abolished, as far as Congress pos
| sessed constitutional po,cer, he Union become
rent in t,cain! But he evidently saw that time
! was at hand-even at the door-and he prepared
| himself for the contest"
| From the course that has been pursued by
| Mr.. SEWARD in the Senate, viewed in the
| light thrown upon II by these burning para
graphs, we are led TO the inevitable conclusion
that he regards the present as slime TO strike"
| In his judgment the agitation of slavery is no
longer "prcmatue." The harves, is ripe for
the husbandman, who is TO reap, not with the
sickle but with the sword. Now--at the very
present--when the country is still bleeding
under the wounds that have been inflicted upon
It's peace and its ppsperty-w in the judg
ment of wise and prudent men, the Union and
| Constitution of these States have barely es-
| ca ped destruction-Mr. SEWARD volunteers to
| recoInmence the agitation of that momentous
question:" though he is persuaded that the
| agitation once commenced in earnest would
| never cease until either slavery would be
| abolished, as far as Congress possessed con-
stitutional po,eer, or The Union become rent
| : IN tuaiRn'
| This is the entertainment to which Mr.
| CHASE and Mr.. SEWARD now invite the coun-
| try. Mr.. CHASE says that when proposition
comes before him g involving a principle which
he avowed, he would vote for it at any time
and under any circumstances" With him,
therefore, no time is PREMATURE and all
times are the :" times to strike" He does not
shrink from Mr.. SEwARD's alternative at any
moment. He is always g in earnest" Union
or no Union, he is reckless of consequences
| From obvious Indications, we cannot escape
from lHe cOnNlCiloii lIldt MI tcEN AKD dso coH-
siders the agitation commenced g in earnest, ;"
which is in one of It's alternatives to g rcnd the
| Union IN t,Uain." The mission with which he
deems himself changed by the people Of the
| Empire State is to act as the pioneer in the
march Of ianaticism, and to apply the torch to
the temple of the Union. His book and his
measures reveal the consequences which he
contemplates and we leave TO all thinking
patriotic, and honest men to say, in the light of
recent events, what would be the probable, the
inevitable result of the agitation which is now
. commenced and " in earnest" under his
auspices.
This is no WIG agitation. The WING
party have entered into no such covenants.
| The State of New York has not coispired thus
to leopard and destroy the peace and perpetuity
Of the Union. Her people desire the commence
ment of no controversy, either in Jest or Gin
earnest" that points to its inevitable conclu-
sions in the dismemberment of this vast repub
lie. They dc not desire that the day when
| first New York and California embrace as mem
bers of the same family of commonwealth
when their great metropolis from the banks Of
the Hudson first halls on the shore of the Pa
cifc a rival as a sister city-should be selected
by any representative Of theirs as the appointed
and propiiious time TO "strke''-over, or I'M
der, or through the Constitutional the Ameri-
can Unionl