Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-02-09
WASHINGTON, D. C.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1854.
THE PEOPLE AND THEIR woRsHIPpERs.

We have more than once alluded to the
gross Inconsistency between the professions
and practices Of the 30 called Democrats, who
are seeking to overthrow the Missouri Com
promise. They affect profound regard for the
principle Of self government; they reverence
g the People \ the voice of the People to them
is the voice Of God. To arraign their wisdom
is blasphemy; to question their will is treason
Oh! how they IRE shocked that Congress
should dream Of imposing any kind Of restric-
tions upon the few thousand inhabitants Of q
Territory! What fragrant violation Of the
doctrine Of popular sovereignty! The People! !
Why they are the only Soveregns in this Re-
public! Government is but the expression of
their views. We, President Senators, Repre-
sentatyes are only the humble ministers Of
their will. They have but to say go" and
we GO 'comeO and we come; :" do THU" and
we do il. The breath Of our life is in their
nostrils we speak and act only as we are
moved by them.
What mockery Under this mask of rev
erence for the People, these so-called Demo
Gratis hide the most nnmitigated contempt for
the subject Of their adulation. They under
rate Popular Intelligence, and are forever
seeking to battle the Popular Will. When did
the People, or any portion Of them, ever init
mate to Mr.. Douglas and his associates, that
they desired the Missouri Compromise repealed
When did they or any portion Of them ever
complain Of it or hint that it was distasteful
to them When was the subject deemed even
matter for consideration, in q Convention,
or Primary Meeting, Of their own Party
But they are the men who never run without
being sent who think it presumptuous to act
without the word being given by their august
Sovereign, the People
And now, that they have brought forward .
proposition which the Sovereign never
dreamed Of, Of course they will await with ex-
emplary patience some expression Of his will.
Act without consulting him. Never. See,
how slowly and cautiously they move What
pains they take to get the proposition fairly
and fully before the People How Indignantly
they reject every motion that looks like FORE
stalling public opinion How studious they
are Of the convenience of those Representatives
of the People who desire time to mature their
views on the question
Seriously, never was more fragrant outrage
attempted by any set Of Legislators upon .
People, than is attempted by these pretended
devotees to the doctrine Of Popular Sovereign
y They propose measure which the People
never concsived-which, if they could vote
upon il, they would reject by an overwhelming
majority; they ask for no indications of the
opinions of the People; lett their voice should
be heard against it they are determined to use
every Parliamentary device to restrict debate,
to cut short deliberation, and force the bill in
hot haste through Congress
That the People will be displeased, they are
aware; but their calculation is, that the deed
once done will be acquiesced in, and excite
ment die away under the general conviction
that the deed is irrevocablc. They say that the
agitation in 1850 was more general than it is
now, and yet the moment the Compromise
Acts were passed, it began to lull, aud in the
course of few menths the great deep of the
public mind gave no indications Of the storm
that had convulsed it.
The Northern People, they say, are shop
keepers and merchants, and farmers and
manufacturers intent on the acquisition Of
wealth. They may be ruffled for time, by
Questions concerning Slavery, but as these do
not necessarily involve their personal interests,
any disposition that may be made Of them by
the Legislative authority will soon be scqui-
esced in. They are more practical than spec
ulative-or, If speculative their speculations
run not ON abstract rights but on stocks and
railroads Mammon is the god they worship;
and 50 long as you do not interfere with their
devotions in that line, you need not apprehsnd
any deep or dangerous excitement among
them. Once indeed, they did attach much
Importance to abstract right and went to the
battlefield and to death, rather than pay
paltry tar imposed upon them without their
consent; but that was before the era Of rail
roads and stock -jobbing Such Quixotim has
gradually disappeared under the highly civil
izing influences Of material prosperity. The
People Of the North are too prosperous to be
long unhappy, and too practical to remain agi-
tated and restless about what cannot be help
ed. Repeal the Missouri Compromise, and you
viii soon see them as quiet as if nothing but
the most commonplace event had happened
one going to his farm, another to his merchan-
disc, another to his Workshop all deprecating
agitation, and trusting to Providence to repair
damages!
Besides, they say, our Party Machinery is
50 perfect, that ii can easily crush outn any
lingering spirit Of discontent Thus we man
aged in 1850. What had been forced through
Congress against the wishes Of o majority Of
the People and their Representatives only
BY peculiar combination Of Influences extort-
ing their reluctant assent we adopted a. the
creed Of the Party, and required adherence to
as test Of Democracy. We will repeal the