The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-11-11
A FEW REFLECTIONS.

In Wnlcn ny temporary departure from IL a
higher principle or a more important object
may be promoted Such a sayish adherence
to principle is confined and impractcable.
We hold firmly t. the principle Of Freedom,
even in regard to the emancipation Of slaves.
Consequently, we cannot agree to anything
which may lie good for shareholders, or pro-
mote their pro- ects-fOr instance, the conquest
of Cuba. Yet We are for this conquest una
voidable to us in the course of our history, be-
cause
/. The corrupt Spanish reactonary element
in America will thereby receive its death-blow
and the republicanizing Of the American Cont
nent will be essentially promoted.
2. European Spain will be shaken and rcvo-
luton carried forward
3 The United States will be brought into
conflict with the European despots, and thus
actually become the allies Of revolution.
/. The difficult question of North American
Slavery will be removed further South an open
ing be made for them, and thereby emancipa-
ton be more necessary to the more northern
! of the slave States.
5. The last stronghold of African slave trade
in America will be DESTROYED
q. The increase of the Slave Power in the
South will sooner lead to separation from
the North, and thus to the beginning of the
End
This separation will hardly carry with it
| Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia, and Maryland
! The Union will therefore in this way be freed
from the raising of slaves without any real
loss But Abolitionists would then be at lib
erty to operate on slave territory, and thus
| finally enable the North, rs allies of the black
/ insurgents, defnittvely TO recOnquer the South
for freedom For, according to all the analo-
| gies Of history and laws of development, the
end of Slavery can by no means be secured
without violent means which in the trammes
of present alliances and parties cannot be
thought of; and the course indicated would
assuredly be the most advantageous and suit
able for this Republic.
So long as the shareholders remain in the
Union, they cannot and will not be combated
with that hostility and those measures which
only are adapted utterly to abolish Slavery
On this account they must first separate from
the Union in order that they may come out rs
declared foes, and be thus treated. This sepa-
ration, with which the Southeruer so often
threatens us, without yet being able to execute
it, and which the Northerner 80 much fears
without regarding it's good results, appears to
M notwithstanding the mouth of the MisSis-
sippi, which, however cannot be clOsed) as the
greatest blessing which North America could
experience, provided that Missouri, Kentucky
Virginia, and Maryland, to which Slavery is
already more or less burden, would remain
in the old Union as free States If any one
thinks of an instruction of the slaves in the
South so long az thew are u part of the Union
he must recollect that the militia of the North
ern States would be called thither, and the
whole Union also would be stained to their
own ruin with the blood of slaughtered Free
dom Let this Republic provide, that when
that eventtul day which must ere long come
the slave territory is no more the territory of
the Union, and therefore the whole Republic
has not to bear the responsibility and the con-
sequences of crime, the particular seat of
which is II small portion of the same Jeifer-
son trcmbled for the future of his country at
the thought that it was the abode of 6O0,O 900
slaves. And this number is already increased to
3,OOOOOO and they may grow to 100000
If the Union continues to protect the oppressor
Will the Union prefer hereafter to be thrown
into the necessity of numbering 10000 900
men, than the possibility of freeing 3 900. 900
From all the reasons in the foregoing in
spite of hatred against Slavery, or rather ON
this very account, we are for the conquest of
Cuba
There is another question on which we also
regard temporary departure from principle
"a polite We mean Free Trade. In princ-
pie we are decidedly for Free Trade and we
shall on some occasion discuss this subject
more atlcngth. But the question arises. whether
on the whole, and regarding the matter in gen
eral, temporary protective or prohibtive sys-
tenn Is not more desirable in North America than
II system of free trade The protective system
would be directed against England But Eng
1.,.,. t,,l.
urcs especially rs to the introduction of North
American cotton; and in this way, though por-
ton of the slaveholding cotton would be con-
sumed in our manufactures, the slave system
would receive terrible blow Besides, the dis
scnsons of North America and England would
probably in time rise to such an unavoidable
height as would lead to an open rupture and the
annexation of Canada. Finally, the exclusion
of European, especially English fabrics, would
contribute much to hasten the revolutionary
crisis, in which the decreased supply of pro-
ducts Of manufacture, bankruptcies, and insur-
rections OF the workmen would take place.
All these results would be of more importance
10 the world than the satisfaction OF having
carried through the system of free trade with
; out amy interruption.
Ii particular events or measures were posi-
bic or probable it ia necessary to bring into
consideration at the time all the results in all
time of the same, in order to decide rs to pro-
noting or pre'e,.ang them. The foregoing
remarks have for their object only such reilec-
tons in respect to two important possibilities
rising on the political horizon-the conquest
Of Cuba and the protective system-and to cx
cite the inquiry whether the promotion of these
objects would in the long run operate for or
against the principle of Freedom.
Whether the Wings or Democrats conquer
true Democrats after the Presidential change
must oppose the one as we'll as the other The
desire of annexation appears to afford less ma
terial for opposition to the Democratic party
and that of the protective system least against
the Wings
JMMY's PRAYER.--Some years ago there
were slaves IN Massachusetts! The old Elec
ton Day of this State, which used to come IN
the month OF May. was their great holytdy.
Many of them were permitted To dress up IN
their 60 TO meeting clothes" and spend the
! day IN amusements.
One election morning, Jimmy, whose master
resided in the eastern part OF the State, was up
with the early dawn. His heart was full OF
Joy in anticipation of the pleasures OF the day.
| He arrayed himself in his new clothes, and
carefully adjusted his new bright shoe buckles,
which were worn in those days, and which he
had just purchased with money his master had
lie, HIM earn by some little extra services, er-
rands, Sc. lie was almost prepared 10 enter
upon the recreaions of that Joyous occasion.
In the fitness OF his delight, there was one
duty he well nigh omitted Jimmy had been
taught, much as many little children are, TO
kneel morning and evening and say has prayers.
And, like the prayers of too many children, it
is TO be- feared, il was lillle more than saying
them. Bur on this glad morning with all hIs
ner clothes and many other blessings for which