The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-03-24
THE PRESENT DUTY

A friend, writing to us from the West is in
censed against the Fugitive Law, and thinks
that, if it be constitutional, we ought to seek
an amendment of the Constitution. d" No alter.
native he says, short Of revision of the
Constitution, should in my Judgment be thought
of. Let the people call a Convention to amend
the Constitution, and let the next Presidential
election and all the elections turn on this uues-
ton alone He adds
This niscalled Compromise outrages ,,,,
own Declaration OF lndependence-sr on,
boasts Of liberty--our open treaty TO-. tho srr.
preston of the slave trade-the aw Of nation
and the law of God MAN. Lnow ouo .,
this opinion; the late Pr .idont;aI oloot;o, IS
iorded no adequate ''est of the extent of tbi,
lcellng' mere - no preparation in this vi
clnl'y LOT inc election. When went to tn,
poils 10 a''posit my vote for Hale, could not
with0Ht considerable delay and search, find q
list OF the electors IL had not been published
IN our paper We had no hope of electing our
candidate. Many did not vote at all. They
took no interest in the candidates, and remained
ut hOme'
Our friend will remember the story of Naa-
man-how he became a leper, visited the
prophet Elisha in grand pomp, expecting him to
propose for his cure some great work, and how
mortified he was when directed merely to 90
and battle seven times in the river Jordan. "Are
not Arbana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus
better than all the waters of Israel? He left
in a great rage. But his servants came near
and expostulated: " If the prophet had bid thee
do some great thing, wouldst thou not have
done it! How much rather, then, when he
saith unto thee, Wash and be clean 2"
Our correspondent seems to think that the
People, if bid to do some great thing, such
as to hold National Convention and reform
the Constitution, would do it; but, US to voting
for Hale that IN too trifiing an operation
Suppose we first attend to the duty that lies
at our door. Ii we elect n Free Democratic
President we shall need no amendment of the
Constitution and we certainly cannot amend
the Constitution, if We cannot do that No
Convention for amending the Constitution can
be held, unless by the consent Of three nurths
of the States, and no amendment be adopted
without the consent of the same number but
bare majority Of the votes in tho Electoral
College il sufficient for the election of Presi.
dent. Let US try to accomplish the easier task
first
Why were not electoral tickets circulated nj
the polls where our correspondent voted Why
was there "uo preparatonl" Why shoulC
conscientious voters have been deferred from
voting, by the impression that they could no
elect their candidate Why did 30 many fee
Indifferent about the election From Anti
Slavery voters too careless or Indifferent to vot,
for the Presidential candidate of the Free De
mocracy, little could be hoped in struggl,
still less promising than were his prospects
1t seems to MS that there was inexcusable re
mssness on the part Of many Anti-Savery
voters az the last Presidential election. In
Massachusetts, for example they gave Hale
twenty.eght thousand votes, and, in few DAYS
after, Mann thirty five thousand-an increase OF
seven thousand. Where were the seven thou
sand men who cast these votes, on the Cd o
November At home, of course They die
not think it worth while to 60 to the polls, be
cause they knew they could not elect their can
didate Suppose all had acted in the SAM
way not a vote would have been recorded fo
Freedom throughout the whole country. IL
political organization to be built up in thi
way How is palace to be reared, unles
you first lay the foundation Everything ha
beginning and it is in tho beginning that tn
demand for energetic action and self devotion
is most imperative. Had thirty-fve thousan
voters recorded their names for Hale, Nam
would have received forty thousand. Had ever
man who approved of the principles of tn
Pittsburgh Platform, and repudiated those @
the Baltimore Platforms, and who believed tina
the Government would DO no less safe for N
general interests of the country, and safer fc
the cause Of Human Rights, in the hands
Hale than in those of Scott or Pierce voted e
the former, his chances for an election woul
have been ~ good as those Of either Tru
men, conscientious men, consistent men, d.
termined to give effect to their principles
the Government of the country should b
ashamed 10 determine their acts by ca
culation Of chances their plain duty is I
vote for their principles, no matter thong
there be no prospect of immediate success f.
unless they do 50, they have no right to expeC
success at any time.
The total number of votes cast at the la,
Presidential election was less than three mi
lions The number Of free white voters owe
twenty-one years, in 1880, was $500 900
1882 1t must have been near 5000, 900. d.
Quoting 400 600 for foreigners not naturalize,
aud for persons too aged to 20 to the polls, {
detained by sickness or other causes it woul
seem that some sixteen hundred thousan
voters declined 10 exercise the right of suarag
probably from apathy. That men who has
not yet got their eyes open to the necessity
redeeming the Government from thraldom I
the Slave Power should take no part in cor
test between Parties struggling for no prime
ciple, but chiefly for the power Of dspensin
patronage, is not remarkable; but that mel
believing in the duty OF voting, and pr
tossing opposition TO Slavery add the Sla