The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-07-02

That Congress ought to make due appropria-
tons for improvements demanded by the interests
of commerce with foreign nations, or among the
States, provided they be not purely local in their
benefits, and be not proper subjects for State
or individual enterprise.
And we further maintain, in view of recent
events in Europe, that il is the duty of the fed
eral government, in all its relations to foreign
powers, to be true to the Democratic principle,
and by every peaceful means to throw its infu-
ence in favor of the Democratic cause through
out the world.
Finally, as it regards the principles of the
Era, we cannot present them more clearly than
in the following summary, which we prepared a
few months since:
We believe
In the unity and common origin of the human
race:
In the doctrine that God made of one blood
all the nations of men, to dwell upon all the
face of the earth
In the golden rule" DO unto others as ye
would that others should do unto you:
In the higher law--"l 1t is better to obey God
than man."
In liberty, as the fundamental condition of
human progress and perfection
In law, as the defence, not destroyer, OF lib
erty:
In order, as the result of liberty established
and protected, not subverted, by law:
In the American Union, not as an end, but rs
means-a means to the establishment of lib.
erty and justice, worthy of support only so long
as it shall answer these great ends.
We hold these truths to be selfevident:
"That all men are created equal;
aThat they are endowed by their Creator
with certain inalienable rights
"That among these are life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness;
"That to secure these rights governments
are established among men, deriving their just
powers from the consent of the governed;
That whenever any form of government be-
comes destructive of these ends, it is the right
of the people to alter or to abolish it and to in
stitute new Cover nment, laying its foundation
on such principles and organizing its powers in
such form as to them shall seem most likely to
effect their safety and happiness"
We hold these truths to be applicable at all
times, to all men, of whatever cline or com
plexion, and are therefore the Incorporating
foe of all forms of slavery, personal, political
spiritual, whether at home or abroad; and thu
advocate of all laws and usa2es having tenden
cyto equalze the conditions of all men, to &C.
cure to all equal opportunities for the enjoy.
ment of liberty, acquisition of property, and
pursuit of happiness.
These are the principles that have controlled
and will continue to control us in conducting
the National Era, which is responsible for nc
party, as no party is responsible for it, owing
allegiance alone to God and humanity
AS to the Independent individual attitude as
sumed by the editor when he says his paper
"was founded by no party" it is at variance with
statement in late address of the Massachusetts
AntiSlavery society, that the Era was founded
by funds originally contributed, and afterwards
repaid by the profits of the establishment
leaving the inference very clear that those funds
were furnished directly or indirectly by that very
society. That, however, is not very material
The same address informs us that the presen
subscription list of the Era is over eightee
3 thousand, and all pay in Advance. This is fac
|, of considerable consequence, which we commen
; to the serious consideration of the South. 1
\ paper is established here in slaveholding Dis
trict to dvest the federal government of the sill
of slavery, and to advocate emancipation in thu
South, and it is sustained by private subscrip
tons, paid in advance, in greater numbers thar
either or all the great national party organs pu
together The control of the newspaper press
is the control of the federal government sooner
or later, and sooner rather than later
The National Era advocates the abolition o
slavery in this District, the prohibition of tn,
slave trade between the States, and the repeal o
the Fugitive slave law and in general prohi
biiion of slavery every where under the fedora
governmental dock yards, arsenals, territories
&c. If this were done the next step Of course
would be a refusal of supplies produced b,
slave labor, for the army or navy or any branch o
the public service. We don't suppose the con
sistent advocates of abolition would refuse t.
receive taxes or duties from shareholders, al
though we don't see how the federal govern
ment can be redeemed from the contamination
of slavery without that is done also. Blu
the devout and pious Abolitionists have neye
suggested such thing. On the contrary the,
have always manifested the utmost fortitude, il
voting to tax and to rob shareholders of as mucl
of the fruits of slave labor, as they could lay
hands on. IT. however, they preserve a grail
of consistency they will refuse the aid of fedora
troops to suppress servie insurrection. Anc
if any foreign nation at war with us were to Fl
out an expedition for the liberation of the South
ern slaves, the Aboltionists could not vote any
| federal means to repel it.
Another principal object ofthe Era is the abo
lition Of slavery in the South. Now, when we
consider that this Era and almost all its sub
scribers are from the North, we cannot but be
deeply impressed with the modesty and amty
and magnanimity of this scheme. This editor, il
will be seen, processes great faith in the rights Of
the States. If ''the rights of the States means
any thing we suppose it means that in relation
to their domestic concerns, the States have the
same rights as TO each other that they have as
to foreign States. Now, what would be thought
if an Englishman were to come to the United