The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-29
THE END OF THE BEGINNING.


n Thirty-three years ago, the Slave policy
II which had been for many years advancing
IS darby and stealthiE toward its objects, made
e an open demonstration of its political drift by
n securing the organization Of the Arkansas Ter
e ritory and the admission of Missouri into the
e Union, against the clearly declared will of the
e people. Every free State had formally in.
t structed its Senators and requested its Repre-
sentatiyes in Congress to oppose the admission
u of Missouri with Slavery in her Constitution
MIR Clay arrived at Washington about the
fourth week of the session of l820-'2l he
found that ON half dozen test votes, already
taken, there was steady majority of from fit-
teen to twenty against the measure; and, as he
reports in his Georgia speech of 1874, "its
friends were in despair" 1t is needless now
to say by what management he succeeded in
seducing and subduing this resistance. 1t will
never be forgotten that he did succeed in this
first of his Compromises, which made all the
rest of those in which he figured for third of
a century one long-continued necessity to him.
After this first great triumph of the system
in the Legislation Of the nation, it was silent
and secret as before, until its well-matured de-
signs and well-grOwn strength for further ag-
gressiOn discovered themselves again, and
aroused the anti-slavery movement of the North
which bears the name of AbolitiOnism The
detection and exposure came before the mask
was entirely useless and the great fraud plead
ing its inevitableness and bel plessness begged
tor peace and patience, and, Ostensibly stand
ing upon the defensive, asked only that agita-
ton should cease; that the system should be let
alone, but guarded by such Legislative and
Executive protection as might protect the
South from the horrors of servile insurrec-
ton. In those days it was delicate ques-
tiOn" peculiar institution" slumbering
Volcano with no alternative but the extermi-
nation of the white or of the black race ; and
religion, justice, democracy, conscience, must
be suspended, ike the habeas corpus act in the
midst of Il battlefield, while the catastrophe
hung upon the edge of explosion. Men held
their breath in terror humanity, liberty, and
righteousness, might have something in them
in the abstract; but what madness it was to
carry spark Of their truth into the social
magazine! The North was frightened and
fooled effectively The mob compassionated
the endangered gentry Of the South, and did
all that there is in fire and fury tar and feath-
ers, to protect the innocent women and chill
dren from murder and rapine Even Mr.. Clay
saw the ink with which the anti-slavery
womens petitions to the Senate were written
turn to blood the blood Of their Southern Sis
tiers, as he gazed with prophetic insight upon
the incendiary papers
Well, that phase of danger, and fear, and
depreciation, that dspensation of Lynch law
and patriotic and philanthropic remonstrance
passed by and Texas, with perpetual slavery
in her bill of rights, and with territory enough
for seven respectable States, was first wrenched
by violent hands from Mexico, and afterwards
by the strategy OF politics. struggled into the
Union. The halfbegging, half-bullying att.
tude OF dismay and despair was now fairly
changed. Openly the monster, which had
grown into strength through the deceit of fee.
bleness, rose from the crouching to the ram.
pant and demanded war, war by the armv
and navy OF the nation, for the enlargement of
its domain and California. New Mexico and
Utah, were added and the whole power and
policy of the Government were bent to the
yoke OF the Slave interest. Next, the year of
the great Compromises is reached. and new
era OF despotism is inaugurated, with securities
as ample and absolute as the vigilance of ie
rocity and fear combined could invent. Sub
serylency and silence are the terms, and in this
present blessed year of grace, s52, at Balti.
more, both the political parties which have any
chance for the administration of affairs, take
the gag and swear allegiance, to all intents
and purposes, offensive and defensive
This brings us to another epoch in the grand
progress for every new movement of the Slave
policy is such an advancement upon the last as
naturally marks the accelerating velocity of
| crime.
Hitherto, secession has been constantly
threatened for every cause of offence however
trivial or vital to the Southern interest Ii was
impracucable indeed, and therefore contempt.
ible, having nothing of principle to make it
respectable but the sentiment has grown all
the more for the felt distance Of the issue; and
the South has become familiar with the thought
Ii was at first endured, then pitied and what
shall hinder it to be embraced, when condi-
tons shall serve, and some great exigency make
it promising alternative The cry of dis
union has been resorted to, like hard swearing
in quarrel, when words of meaning fail but
let not that boy be trusted who talks crime be-
yond his years and strength to commit absurd.
| ity changes with the possibility into dangerous
wickedness and, when the time comes, he will
be As fully prepared for its folly as for its sin,
and will take the consequences unrestrained by
those considerations which belong to better
habits Of the heart
| Seven years suficed for the annexation Of
Texas, the conquest Of Mexico, and the Com.
promises Of 1850 two more have been occu-
pied with the fnality olinch, which was finished
up at Baltimore Silence and submission is
again the Dry II is the method Of the move
ment to rest long enough to secure the last
foothold attained, before making the next leap.
And what shall that be is the question now
for those who are not in the conspiracy, and