Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1851-08-27
THE AGITACORS.

There are two memorable occasions on which the
Consolidation leaders-and especially those of the
South-have agitated upon the Slavery question for
party effect.
Soon after the Mexican Territories had been ac-
qured, Mr.. Clayton, Senator from Delaware, intro
duced bill the object of which was to settle the
whole question by leaving it to be decided by the Su-
preme Court. The Democrats, as party, approved
this bill, and gave their supports and we remember
distinctly, that sustained and pressed upon both
branches of Congress, with marked ability, by the
Washington Union, the organ of the national Demo-
cracy. Ii was opposed by Messrs. Webster, Badger,
and others of the stamp. but it passed the Sem
ate and went to the House, aUhere 1t defeated By
seven Southern Whigs, and among them MI. Donnel,
of this State and Mr. Stevens of Georgia. This threw
the whole question again open for the renewal Of
taton and strife. The object of these unsCrupuous
leaders attained and they went into the pend
ing campaign with the Slavery question as their main
topic of discussion, and they used it to secure
to themselves the political power of the country. That
was all they wanted.
Again, during the last Congress the slavery ques-
ion was compromised settled, to adopt their own
Expression; and the whole country, and especially
the South, had room for ndulging the hope that
the day of strife and agitation had passed away.
But not so. These same leaders came forward, at
the opening of the late camraign in this State, and
not only approved this settlement themselves, but
they demanded the same approval from all others,
under pain of being held up traitors and enemies
to the government of their country. Those who
could not conscientously approve the whole Of this
compromise were silent for time, but they were at
length compelled to speak out 1t was in vain that
they acquiesced in this compromised was in vain
that they declared it ought to stand it was, and
that they would adhere it for the sake Of
the Union, provided the free States would do the
same-hey denounced as agiators and Disun;on-
lists because they avouM not praise it, and were forced
into discussion of its features in sefdefence. Thus
did these unprincpled Consolidation leaders revive,
second time the agitation on this question for par
ty purposes and that, too, over the very measures
which they declared had settled it fairly, justly, and
for all tme Has any country, since civilization had
name, free government 5eing ever been affiic-
ed and tormented by such men?
And yet these agitators-these brazenfaced hypo-
critics, dare TO talk of their devotion to the Union
IHev profess to be devoted Union the extension
of whose limits they have invariably opposed, and
whose quiet they have interrupted, time and again,
by their partizan broils and sectional contentious!
When we speak of Consolidation leaders we mean
the old Fedealists in the Whig party, and not those
patriotic men of that party who have stood forward
so boldly, of late, for Southern rights. But these old
Federaists control that party now, they did in the
days of John Adams and during the war of 1912; and
they will continue to control it, They are the agita-
tors and Disunonists they the enemies of rePose
and of public order they are the men, who, careless
of the prosperity of the country and of the glory and
even existence of the Union, agate for the sPos Of
Office and the qualification of their own unhallowed
ambition. -