The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-08-12
AmeSbmB 5h month, 1852.
FALSE ISSUES.

AmeJwg 5h month, 1852.
FALSE ISSUES.
Opposition to the system Of American chatte
Slavery is dstingushable into as many kind
as the principles and interests are various
which the system violates The sentiments anC
methods of action of Anti-Savery people ar
in many instances so much unlike that the,
are even repugnant to each other. One Sc
rests its opposition ON the ground of philan
thropy, another on the obligations of religion
another on public policy, another on the sent
ment Of human equality, another on the inter
ests of labor injuriously affected by it, anothe
hates it for the limitations which it impose
upon the rights of free speech and for the con
scious dshonOr of aifordng it constrained
support and there are still others who embrac,
several of these points rejecting the rest, anC
some who feel them all in one comprehensive
detestation of the monster crime of our cOun
try-cach in proportion to his breadth of view
and according rs his soul was made to sink
or climb
The policy of these several styles of oppos
ton is conlormably varied Some persons are
satisfied with such opportunities Of action as the
regular political parties are capable of, some
look to Independent party organization as the
only consistent and promising form of political
efficiency: Il considerable class relies exclusive
ly upon moral suasion, condemning even that
constructive support of the system which Office.
| holding under the Government implies; and
not few maintain silence and inactivity in
their uncertainty of plans and despair Of sue
cess and they all have excellent good reasons
for their respective peculiarities of method.
This diversity of opinion and drift occasions
not little conflict among Ant-Slayery people,
and an embarrassing confusion in the conduct
of the great controversy with the common
enemy Wrong is often apparent by its evil
workings, where the right is not quite clear,
and the remedy, therefore unknown. Disorder
may be apparent enough to those who have no
guess at the true order, or the means of reach
ing it. A battle may be lost for WANT of skill
in the array, though every soldier be a hero
and all equally intent upon victory, Tn,
mischief of disagreement is especially conspicu
Gus in those strifes in which the appeal is +,
reason, and the force relied upon is public
opinion would not call any man Pro. Sla
very except those who think the system RICH
or inevitable, or both and that class alone
Aholtionists, who oppose it for all the reason
which bear against it, and in every interes
and incident, and would end it by instan
emancipation without pausing for municipal
laws, constitutions, or consequences None o
the parties, for or against, understand eacl
other perfectly, except these ultras of the op
posite sides; and they alone may be right.
held answerable for all that can be fairly fast
cned upon the respective sides of the question
whether in principle or practice. They mr.
respectively responsible for all error in prcmi
SEES and all evil in results which can attach t
the conditions which they would give to thu
colored race among us in all time to come, anC
they may be fairly called upon to obviatc every
objection that arises within the sweep of tn,
broadcast principle of freedom to the slave on
the one side, and to his perpetual bondage OF
the other This is not 80 with any set or see
who take less general ground within the wild,
limits of the subject.
1t is, for instance, no good answer to tn,
Wmot Proviso man, to deny the black man.
capdbility of the highest civilization in tn,
presence of the white race, or to urge the insu
pcrable repugnance of the white man to tn,
black mans equality. The extension of Sla
very into the Territories, and the competition
of slave labor against free labor there is no
in the least affected by questions of race anC
color
\ naturalzcd Irishman, or the American
born son of Irish parents, migh4 oppose iurthe
immigration from ireland, on grounds who'll,
free from any question of the lrishman's fitness
for citizenship among us just rs the miners il
California are opposed to the introduction o
Chinese Coolies artcled to work at the rate o
four dollars per month for a long term of years
A patriot may desire to check the progress O
the slave system, for reasons which concern tn,
national honor and prosperity whether thu
black man is capable Of social and poitica
equality with the whites or not and withOu
being at all responsible for the decision of tina
question here, any more than for the feasibilit,
of II Republic in interior Africa
| III a ta tln hat
ought to be abolished in the District of Colum
bia, and that the Federal Government shoult
withhold all support and countcnance from tn,
slave system, he is no more bound to marry
black woman, or admit black man to his tabl,
for the sake of consistency, than he is bounC
to avoid fashionable society because he advo
Gates the freedom of the public lands to actua
settlers. And, the tariff policy may be correct
though it, advocates wear white kid gloves
for it may he policy and an interest Of tn,
professional classes, though it also concerns til,
artisans who are to be immediately affected b,
it. The free laborer Of the North and South
in like manner, is deeply and dearly concerne,
to abolish the system of work without wages
that his own compensation for toll may not b.
dragged down to Slavery rates; and the demo
crat or demagogue who turns from the poin
rs question of dignity to labor and interest b
the industrial classes and presses the mprac
Iticability of malgamation and social and pa
kical equality, only lodges the question a
- Some millions of white men in tn
United States and all the white women VIII