The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-03-24
AGITATION AND ExAcTION.

The Compromise Democrats of New York
seem determined TO subject their associates,
once called Barnburners, to new humiliation.
Not satisfied with the silence of the latter or
even with their general assent to the Compro-
mise and Fugitive Slave Law they demand
specific and emphatic appreciation.
In the Assembly of New York, Mr.. d. B.
Taylor, acting in their behalf, lately submitted
resolutions endorsing the Inaugural of General
Pierce, especially that portion of it relating to
the Compromise and to Anti-Slavery A citation.
The albany atlas, (Barnburner1 referring to
them, said
awe trust that the recognition of the Demo-
cratic doctrines of the message and of the po-
sition of the President in regard to national
and internal affairs, will be frank, full, and ex-
plicit. A scant reluctant, and partial appro-
val would not represent either the sentiment
of the Democracy of the State, or of the Peo-
pie generally; and the subject should be ap-
preached by the representatives in a spirit
worthy Of them and of this great State"
This certainly was saying great deal for
a paper which in ls48 kept standing at the
utdu VI lbS COluIuho huO iOllONluR
designed to indicate its settled principles and
policy:
&" RESOLVED, That the proyiso Of Thomas JEFF
ierson to prohibit the existence of slavery, after
1900, in all the Territories of the United
States, Southern and Northern &c, clearly
shows that it was the settled policy of the ma
ton not to extend Nationalist or encourage
but to iHit, loodlize, and discourage slarery
and to this policy, which never shop. d have
been departed from, the Governmer''s ought to
return.
RESOLVED, That there m1', be no more COM
promises made with SLAYER, and, if made, they
must be repealed"
On Tuesday, tho 18th instant Mr.. Gale, in
oehai OF the y OeraI Democrats, moved sub
sttute Tor lr Taylor's resolutions not singing
out 'h' Compromise portion of the Inaugural
tOT special admiration, but endorsing the whole
" in its entirety We suppose this was the
frank, full and explicit recognition Of the
position of the President in regard to national
and internal affairs" recorded by the atlas.
One would think this enough to satisfy any
moderate Hunker, but "rule or ruin" is the
maxim Of the Compromise Democracy. The
Compromise il the idol which it has set up,
and at the sound of the trumpet every man
must fall down and worship, or be cast into the
fiery furnace.
Tokens of general assent and respect are
not accepted-absolute prostration is the thing
required-your Liberal Democrat must not
only knee in the dirt, but he must " eat dirt"
The Argus and its clique scorn the lp-wor-
ship of Mr.. Gale and his friends his resolu-
tions are denounced as insincere and unmean-
ing the demand is, for specific endorsement
Of the Compromise and Fugitive Law by those
who declared, four years ago, not only against
all Compromise but for the repeal of any Com
promise that might be made
Well-thc politicians of New York have
their own way of fighting; but, as a distant
locker on, with pleasant recolectons of many |
Of the Liberal Democrats of that State, and |
much sympathy with them, even now, how we
should rejoice to see them boldly confronting
the Hunkers, meeting with fiat negative
every proposition to endorse the Compromise,
steadily refusing to disclaim or ignore their
principles on the Slavery Question, and coura-
geously affirming that true Democracy is me-
oessarily and cternally irreconcilable with
Human Slavery! Are they not capable of
such @ position