The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-10-06

on account of his present position, but MS an
, tecedents. II admits his personal qualihca
3 tons for the mission to France but contend
: that his speeches and votes against the exten
= sion of Slavery, during the agitation of tn
, Territorial question would make his appoint
nent distasteful TO the South. Such reason
: for political prescription would OF course Gu
off the majority of Northern Democrats anC
is directly repugnant to the policy OF the Ad
, ministration. which proposes to ignore the
, past and to make mans present position III
regard to the Compromise and Fugitive Law
a test of Democratic orthodoxy. But the En-
ouirer is a leading paper, and doubtless repre-
s,nts large portion of the Democratic party
of the South From the utilization of this por
ton with Mr.. Dickinson and his friends, the
Administration will find itself subjected to Sc
rious embarrassment We are inclined tc
think its policy of disregarding antecedents
will be somewhat modified by this new ele'
ment of opposition that Mr.. Dix will fail OF
the mission to France; and that hereafter
prominent appointments will not be conferred
on those who in former years sgnalized them
selves by opposition to the schemes of Pro-Sla-
very men. In fact, the President has commit
ted few offences of this kind; the probability
is that he will sin no more. He fears the
power of Slavery, aud will dread to arouse its
distrust or opposition.
But what mean spectacle is here present
ed The Administration of Democratic
Republic, essaying to maintain its power by
filling III Offices with men Of known subser-
yience 10 Slavery The great Democratic
party, laboring to preserve its unity by enfor-
cling as its sole test devotion to miserable
law for catching runaway slaves !! A North
ern section of that party, not satisfied with
this but demanding the utter prescription of
any man who, at any time, has spoken or
acted against Slavery, no matter how submis-
siye now to its requirements J!
Have we not reached, at last, the lowest
depth in political degradation
The Washington Union publishes the cor
respondence between the Governments of Aus
tria and the United States, in relation to the
Koszta affair, prefacing it with semi-oficial
editorial, in which the unusual conduct of
Austria, in making an appeal to the Govern
ments Of Europe against the United States is
alleged as sufficient reason for making pub
lie the reply of the latter to the demands of
the former. By the same editorial we learn
that Prussia and Russia through their Minis
ters at Washington have signitied their gene
raj concurrence in the views of the transaction
taken by Austria. The absurd rumor that
England and France had joined with them in
protest against the conduct of Captain In
graham, receives its quetus. 1t is crafty
ing to state" says the Union, that the Gov
ernments of France and Great Britain, to
which the Austrian circular was equally ad-
dressed, have deemed it proper to proceed in
the premises with a far more praiseworthy Cir
cuwspectioa. II is understood, indeed, that
th6'Cabinet of Paris has not failed to make
known to the Cabinet of Vienna its disappro-
baton Of the proceedings of the Austrian func-
tionaries in regard to Koszta at Smyrna, even
upon the Austrian statement of those proceed
ings and that the view it takes of the pro-
ceedings looks rather to the maintenance Of
the rights and territorial sovereignty of Tur-
key, than to the interests or pretensions Of
Austria. The Government of Great Britain,
though it has made known to that Of the Uni
ted States the fact that its attention has been
drawn to the Subject, has yet given no init
nation that it regards the course of the Amer-
can functionaries in the transaction as open to
| censuren
We regret that we have no room in this
number for the letter of Mr. Hulsemann, the
Austrian Charge dAffaires, to Mr. Marcy, but
it shall appear next week. Meantime we
hasten to lay before our readers the reply OF
MIR. Marcy, the American Secretary of State,
defining the position and views of our Govern.
ment. 1t is one of the most important State
Papers ever issued-the more important, as no
future Administration will venture to yield one
inch of the high ground taken in this letter.
Mr.. Marcy after full statement of the
transaction, proceeds to dispose of the demands
of the Emperor of Austria, which are
That the Government of the United States
should direct koszta to be delivered up t.
HIM
That it shall disavow the conduct of the
American agents, and call them to severe
account;
That it shall tender satisfaction proportion.
ate to the outrage.
To arrive at just conclusions, it is necessary
to ascertain Koszta's political relation with
Austria and with the United States.
The dogma that allegiance is an indcstructi
bic tic or that it is in the nature Of contract
to be dissolved only by mutual consent is de-
MED, and the true doctrine is firmly asserte d
that the citizen or subject having faithfully
performed the past and present duties result
ing from his relation to the Sovereign Power
may Mt any time release himself from the oh
legation Of allegiance, freely quit the land o
his birth or adoption, and seek home wher,
he peases. The right to withdraw from thu
jurisdiction of Power which does not answer
the ends for which it is bestowed, or has be
come oppressive to individuals, is similar il
principle to the right which legitimates resist
snce to tyranny.
These doctrines boldly asserted by Mr.. Mar
cy however unpalstsh|c 10 Despotism, will fnc
a warm response from the People every =
and not the less prompt though they o
apply to the subject Of personal Slavery a
well as to that of political Despotism.
He proceeds The conflicting laws respect
ing allegiance are municipal, and have no ex
tra-territoral forces The parties to this trans
action are two independent nations and neithe
can appeal for aid or direction to its municipal
laws On this suh;oot The ONLY appeal ia d