The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-05-06
THE QUESTION OF THE DAY. \

There was time when Mr. Stephens of
Georgia was singular among Southern men,
for his liberality Oh the question of Slavery
He was classcd with those who, while Offering
no defence for Slavery on abstract grounds,
plead in excuse for its federation an inexorable
necessity. The Southern Herald, of Athens
Georgia, in its issue of September 25th, 1851,
quotes the following language which, it says
was held by Mr.. Stephens in Congress, in the
year ls45, in speech advocating the anncxa-
ton of Texas:
"This acquisition will give additional power
to the Southwestern section in the National
Councils, and for this purpose want it. Not
that am dearOus TO SEQ an extension OF the
Area of Slavery as some gentlemen have said
its effect would be- am no defender of Sld-
uery in the abstract Liberty altcays had charms
for me, and would rejoice to see all of Adams
family, in every land and cline, in the enjoy
ment of those rights which are set forth in our
Declaration of Independence as natural and
inalienable, if stern necessity, bearing the
mark and impress of the Creator himself did
not. in some cases nterpose and prevent. Such
is the case with the States where Slavery now
exists But haze no irish TO see 1t extended TO
other countries, and # the annexation Of Teras
,raS for the sole purpose Of extending Slavery
utere ii does not nor and uould not otherwise
erist l rcould oppose it !"
The liberal views of Mr.. Stephens, we pre-
sumo, endangered his political standing. Mems
circumstances and interests modify their senti-
ments insensibly A few years later, like MI.
Clingman of North Carolina, once remarkable
for his liberation, he was transformed into an
extreme pro-slavery man, and allied himself
with those who considered the claim and poll
cy of extending Slavery to countries in which
it had no existence, of far more Importance
than the preservation of the Union. And now
We find him holding all party EXAMINATIONS, and
the Union ITSELF as less vital than the perpetu-
alton of law for catching runaway slaves,
whose provisions are disgrace to the country.
In a speech in the House on the 9th, he
assumed the ground that the Wing and De-
mocratic parties represented no principles, no
questions-that an organization aspiring to the
title of a National Party, must be organized
on the questions of the day But he asked,
What is the prominent question of the day."
We commend his answer to the consideration
of men who have any ideas beyond a cotton
plantation.
"The great, leading controlling prominent
question: he says (which is likely to enter
into the contest, is the right, the constitutional
right, Of one section of the country to reclaim
their slaves"
On this question he demands that parties
shall be organized he will support no party,
no candidate, that does not make it promi-
nent question. All other subjects are dismissed
as insignificant Millions of money and thou
sands of lives have been sacrificed through the
inattention of Congress to the subject of River
and Harbor improvements; but what is this
to the recapture of a few miserable runaways?
How shall the public lands be disposed of!
Shall VIC in the modification Of our revenue
system that may become necessary, act with
an ultimate view to Free Trade, or on the prr-
cple of Protection How far shall the aid of
Government be given to monopoies, for the sake
of encouraging competition in steam naviga-
ton with foreign Powers; or can it be given at
all, without serious detriment to individual en-
terprise, which has hitherto been found sufi-
Gent basis for our maritime greatness What
shall be the policy of the country in the great
conflicts between Despotism and Republican
ism which threaten the stability Of the Old
Worlda These, if we may believe Mr.. Stephens,
arc not "the questions Of the day" They
are not to be named in comparison with the
" great, leading controlling, prominent ques-
ton p--shall we have the precious right recog-
Missed, of catching a few runaways who from
time 10 time make an exodus from the land of
bondage in search Of a Northern Canaan
Question of Questions What sublime princi-
pies it involves! Every nation has its mis-.
son-and what American will not glory in the
thought, that the mission of our Model Re-
public IL, to provide for catching runaways
This is the grand question on which Parties
are to be organized, and candidates are to
plant themselves! Who can hereafter doubt
the breadth and nationality of the statesman
ship of MIR. Stephens?
But this gentleman does not state the ques-
ton fairly. The Wing and Democratic par
ties at the North have never denied the consti-
tu,$oual right of the South to reclaim its fugi-
tive slaves The People of that section gene
rally have never contested the right: there is
not Free Soil Member of Congress who has
ever denied or attempted to explain away the
constitutional provision on the subject. Not
against the Constitution, but against an un-
constitutional law, law outraging every SEN
timent Of frcemen, every guaranty of personal
rights, have the Northern People protested and
struggled. This law, framed by slaveholding
politicians, in the spirit of slaveholding institu-
tons. has been imposed on People to whose
sentiments and institutions it is abhorrent, and
the demand is that they shall submit without
a murmur to its recognition, or be deemed and
denounced traitors to the Constitution
The great question, then, as it respects the
reclamation of fugitives, is not whether the
Constitution shall be obeyed, whether con-
stitutional right shall be recognised and pro-
vided for, but whether it shall be provided for
in the barbarous, revolving form prescribed
by the Slave Power. The Constitute" /"
one thing, construction is another. Slavchold-
ers are not divinely authorised expounders
Northern notions of constitutional law are en-
titled to as much respect as Southern, The