The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-09-30
CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION.


CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION
WHAT THE SLAVE-HUNTING LAW Is.
In the 9th resolution of the Democratic Plat
form it is said:
That Congress has no power under the
Constitution to interfere with or control the
domestic institutions Of the several States. and
that such States are the sole and proper Judges
OF everything appertaining to their own affairs
not prohibited by the Constitution that all
efforts of the Abolitionists and Others, made Il
induce Congress to interfere with questions Of
slavery, or to take incipient steps in relation
thereto, are calculated to lead to the most
alarming and dangerous consequences and
that all such efforts have an inevitable ten
dency to diminish the happiness of the people
and endanger the stability and permanence O
the Union, and ought not to be countenanceC
by any friend of our political Institutions"
1t was afterwards resolved that the Dem
Ocrdt'c party mil resist every attempt, an Con
greSs or out Of 1t, 10 renep the slavery agitation
IN phateUer form or color The attempt mav b,
made"
We might here in all seriousness, inquire Of
our German fellow-citizens who belong to the
Democratic party and who in the incorrupti.
bility of their hearts glow with honest fervor
for Pierce and Democracy, whether they can
exhibit themselves in Germany before their
friends and enemies, with the above articles of
the Democratic confession of faith in their
button-hole, without sinking, for shame, into
the earth Can they bear the anger of their
friends or the scorn of their enemies upon such
Democracy What would they reply, were il
told them that their duties in their fatherland
were far less disgusting and degrading than
these duties of republicans, who, at the COM
mand of some sheriff. must run to slave-catch-
ing! And the duties of Democrats bind them
never to repeal such law. Never can he
make the people comprehend that he lives in
free country, when the party to which he
belongs will not tolerate agitation against
slavery
The crimes of slavery avenge themselves
The Goddess of Vengeance is upon us Our
own freedom is sacrificed to slavery. 1t is
long since there has been any freedom of the
press or of speech in the Southern States
The whites in South Carolina, Georgia, Mis-
sissippi, &c, dare not speak or write as they
think; they dare not let such newspapers az
they prefer to read approach them; and 4
traveller from the North must, in respect t.
the peculiar institutions of the South, express
himself with the same reserve az traveller If
Russia, respecting the peculiar, but far les,
horrible, institutions Of the Cars empire. :.
The detrment to freedom, in consequence
of slavery, is nothing new Ever since the
passage of this law for hunting human beings
new barriers, new expressions become needful
This grossest barbarity against the colored is
revenged by the grossest mutilation of our own
| freedom; and it is the Democratic party that
has volunteered itself first to this hangman-
service.
Every law may be repealed. This is prin-
ciple Of the republican atmosphere we breathe
The conviction that the people can abolish ev-
cry law that is dctestable and iniquitous is
identical with the consciousness of our free
dom. Every law that is in its nature repeala-
BILE but is declared irrepeaable, is n shaft in
the vitals of freedom-s an humiliation of the
first principles of freedom But the Demo-
cratic Platform compels the Democratic party
to annihilate this PosTULATE of freedom in ia
vor of this one lava law that limits the peo-
pes will, and deprives US of national legisla-
ton This JEWEL to which we must sacrifice
our own freedom is the law for catching the
fleeing slaves
TNtu tiis IN NV tiouHh.
radical and not content with claiming its
hands, its mouth must be gagged and even its
tongue must be tied The Democrats bind
themselves, as they say in their platform, to
resist every attempt to renew the slavery ques-
ton, in Congress and out Of it
This is but an innate devout wish, only
further perfecting Of Democracy, which can
not be realized without importing the censor
4. -.
commissioners from Germany, and leather
from Russia. But we see Of what spirit the
banting thus called Democracy is, and to
what daring intents IL is inclined. u promises
to us, not the propagation of freedom, but of
despotism; an attack upon the peoples own
soyereignty--an attack upon free discussion
And all ths-for WHAT Because the slave.
holder 80 wills.
Slavery is calamity, to which really no
limit can now be set but before We throw our
political influence into the scale Of a party that
offers such sacrifice to shareholders, let us re-
fleet that slavery is a lawless monster; that
the slaves, like cattle, are articles Of trade
that slavery, like the horrible mark upon Cain,
sticks upon the hopeful countcnance Of this
Republic; that the shareholders have deter.
mined to give slavery extension an everlast-
ing duration; that for these purposes they en-
deavor to realize the control of the politics Of
the whole Union. Let us reflect that the slave
law scandalizes our name, inasmuch az it inn
poses on w the duty of chasing slaves; that
this law lays the freedom OF human beings, and
Of all their posterity in the hands of corrupt
let us remember that loyalty
10 this law, a. a touchstonc, constitutes good
Democrats and then finally ask ourselves
whether we can answer to our own coDsccnces
for giving such party our support.
The foregoing is from yesterdays "Freie
Presse" A continuation Of it is promised, but
has not appeared today. In the same paper,
o-day, is the report Of committee Of mass
meeting Of Working men," held in the North
ern Liberties on the both July last, from which
we transcrbe the following extract:
1.-TWO principal obstacles oppose us--Slayery
lgithin the United States This must, there
fore, through general cooperation thro ,out
the whole Union, be removed in q way toera-
Bile 10 the STAKEHOLDER. Meanwhile every slave
State should, within itself, operate so that this
stain on our Republic be exterminated'
The other principal obstacle" is the Pub
ic Land Law the report Of the committee on
hat point comedies with that Of the late Pitts
burgh Free Soil Convention that nominated
Hale and Julian.
Another resolution Of the same people, at a '