The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-09-29
THE SLAVERY QUESTION.

The friends of Slavery insist upon it that
the Anti. Slavery agitation has been finally
sdenced by the election Of General Pierce to
the Presidency. The assertion is made very
confidently; but it's constant rcteraton indu.
oes the suspicion that those who make it are
like the boy who whistled to keep his courage
up How can the election of General Pierce,
or General any body else, prevent the freedom
Of thought or of speech Did the enemies Of
Liberty ever ask themselves this question We
are aware that they would, if they could, con.
fer ON the President the despotic power over
the press and the rostrum which we have re-
Gently seen exercised by the usurping tyrant
Of the French nation But tho genius of the
American People will tolerate no such en-
croachment on natural right. In particular
localities or sections, where some deeply rooted
prejudice exists, the mob may interpose, to
prevent FREQ discussion but the mob is grow
ing every day moro enlightened, and, conso.
quently, prejudice, passion, and bigotry, are
continually losing their influence over it.
There was perhaps, never greater liberty of
speech enjoyed in the United States than az
the present momcnt-certainly not since the
earlier days of the Republic. The days of
martyrdom in the cause of Anti-Slavery are
past
Fifteen or twenty years ago it was danger
ons to discuss Slavery in New England and
in Pennsylvania, Ohio and the free States far
Their West, it was common to pull down Anti
Slavery printing. Offices, pclt Anti Slavery edi.
tors and lecturers with rotten eggs and burn
down Anti-Slavcry lecture rooms Now. New
York, Massachusetts, and Ohio, are represent
ed in the Senate by avowed Aboltionists and
all the free States have at one time or another
sent Anti-Slavery men to the House of Repre-.
scntativcs
Abolition newspapers are scattered al over
the North and West, and one has been estab-
lished ut the seat of Government, having
circulation equal to that of any three journals
IN the city devoted to the support of Slavery
An Anti-Slavery party numbering some thou
sands has arisen in Kentucky and perhaps a
majority of the people Of Missouri are looking
forward to the adoption Of measures for the
abolition of Slavery Their greatest states
men, and conle,oedly the greatest statesman
of the South at the present day, is of this
party and has openly avowed his opposition
to Slavery and its extension in the face of his
constituents prior to the election which re-
turned him to the House of Representatives
by majority Of one thousand over his com
petitors.
The question of Slavery is paramount every
where. In the political meeting, in the rcli.
gious assembly in the social circle, the first
point to be decided, as the basis and platform
of future operations, is the subject of Slavery
" Is he sound on the Slavery question ~ is the
issue ON which every candidate for place. in
every corner Of the Union, from the lowest
municipal officer to the Chief Magistrate Of
the Nation has to face hiS constituents. And
what does this fact prove? That Ant.Slaver,
is dead Or that it is alive and rampant, pre-
senting an undaunted aspect ut every election
precinct, and looking into every ballot-bO
which il opened from Maine to California
This was not tho case fifteen, nor even te
years ago. The onnipresence and tho paramount
Importance Of the question was less felt fiv
years ago than at the present moment Ye
we are grayely told that the abolition agi
taton has been put to rest by the election Q
General Pierce.
Mr.. Calhoun announced, in 1899, that Nh
Clay had put down the monster by singl
speech in the Senate. AT that time the Abe
lition movement was only as II speok in tn
political horizon, compared with the glganti
proportions which il has since presented