Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-04-17
The Compromise.

The strength Of this government the frmness Of its
foundation in the affections of the people
more thoroughly evidenced than in the history OF the late
excitement the subject Of slavery. Under favor Of
that excitement while every possible sectional preiu
dice aroused and while those who wished
quiet were doubt to the remedy, the hateful spir
1t of disunon erected its front and boldly saked abroad
through the land 1t crisis try the of the
st0utest hearted friend Of the Union, and many there
whose confidence failed them in that hour of trial
AT the extreme north and among the extremists Of the
south the excitement passionate the halls Of
Congress. But the dsunionists and the ''agtators"
made all the noise among the great mass oil the people,
the usual quiet prevailed the great American heart
Pusated steadily and strongly The people
heard that the Union was in danger but they Rev
safe for it in their keeping. The moral sense OF
the country represented in Congress a degree
sufficient to the of the compromise
sures. When the members of that Congress returned
home from the long session. the enemies OF pacihcaton
among them encountered the averted counenance OF
their constituents, while the friends oil the compro
mise every where smiles of satisfaction and greet
ings Of approval. The thunders OF the retiring
OF passion which swept the land still mutter in the
distance, but more and more family. That monstrous
Device the Buffalo Platform has been dashed to pieces
sinking in its fall the aspiring hopes OF many adven
turer, vino thought distinction by this rick
ETY. continuance. One plank only, OF that platform re-
mains namely, opposition to the fugitive slave law.
This the only concession, if concession be
called which the north made the south in the compro
mise. 1t was no concession in reality it was but
recognition of constitutional obligation This real
y the length and the breadth of the matter. The
ground taken in opposition this law, that its proys
ions unnecessarily stringent, is mere Pretext. The
previous law VIGOROUSLY Inefficient but its intent
the same and it received the sanction of President
Washington. That revered man lover of sla
very he proved by the manumssion of his slaves
but he loved this Union, and respected and sought to
enforce the obligations of its constitution. The
pie and advice of that august parsonage have tenod
more weight with the people Of America than the in
flammatory harangues of all the dsunioniss and abo
the land with the aid othat British mis-
sionary, the redoubtable George Thompson. Those
who build their hopes upon what remains of the Buffalo
platform trusting to a broken plank Any question
regard to the undue strngency of any features of the
fugitive slave BILL is matter TO be tested by expert
ment and judicial Interpretation and, if the bill should
be found faulty the correction of the specific fault is
matter of detail to be effected by legislation. Measur
es Of philanthropy in regard to the black population, Of
far higher import and far greater practical utility than
any Of the schemes of the aboltonsts occupy
ing the attention Of the people and of their Congress
1t is absurd to imagine that they will pause in their
bic career become again embroiled about trifng
Pretext that presented by the enemies of the
promise.
With a single exception the democratic party have
kept aoof from all alliance with abolitionsm The free
soil experiment issued in defeat and added another adj
montion the unstable minded that time-serving ex-
pedients are not only wrong but impolitic We have
but to retain old position of national party, to en-
sure the complete triumph due to the intrinsic merit of
our princples.-Terre Haute Journal