The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-07-13

pOAASJ, ~ 40 DcttcI b0dt IL 6QOulQ nave q
Wing President till it learns the folly of that
preference. lift prefer the Democratic policy,
let it have Democratic President till it learns
the folly Of that; but any amalgamation Of the
two policies or parties, for the sake of directing
public indignation against particular abuse,
is unnecessary and unwise. There are enough
in the country qualified for the duties Of the
Presidency In both the great parties, who rep
resent the sentiments Of all political sects with
In that party. There are enough Pro-Slavery
and Anti-Slavery Wings, and Pro-Slayery and
Anh-Slavery Democrats; and there are enough
free trade and protection Wings and free
trade and protection Democrats, to furnish the
country with Presidents for the rest OF the
century. There is 10 necessity, therefore, for
Anti Slavery Wings to vote for a free trade
Democrat, nor for an Anti-Slavery Democrat
to vote for a Wing protectionist. Both parties
abound in great men, and the way to get
good President is for both to nominate good
candidates. The people will take good care of
the rest"
The practical operation Of this policy Of the
Post was to give us Van Buren,, the Pro-Siavery
veto and the gag in 1886, Tyler and Texas in
1910, Polk and the Mexican war in 1874,
Fillmore and the Slave-cstching Act in 1S48,
Pierce and the notification Of the Missouri
Compromise in 1852. Let US not be misunder
stood Territorial expansion is the law of our
being as a nation. With such free institutions
and energies as We have and with popula-
ton so rapidly augmenting every year from
foreign accessioDs, territorial growth is a ne
cessity. But it should have been gradual and
peaceful, in harmony with natural laws and
1ha of bo ne
the whole People, and never made tributary to
the special aggrandizement Of sectional, ex-
ceptional, and odious Interest. And thus it
might have been, had it not been for the prev
alence of political philosophy and policy that
have divided the non-slaveholderS, and, through
their division, given ascendency to that Sectional
Interest. Not of Territorial extension, but OF
the manner in which it has been conducted,
and of one base purpose to which it has been
perverted do VIC complain.
"There are enough free trade and protection |
Wings and free trade and protection Democrats
to furnish the country with Presidents for the
rest of the century," says the Post. Certainly,
but tia! paper knows that, Wing or Democrat
free trader or pTotectionist, no man goes into
the Presidential chair, unless committed to the
support of Slavery-and why! Precisely be-
cause the great majority of the voters Of the
free States have said, with the Post, " there is
no necessity for Anti-Slsvery Wings to vote
for free trade Democrat, nor for an Anti-Sla-
very Democratic vote for q Wing prOtectionist"
This would be true, if the slave States did
not a!l1ays unite in requiring every candidate
for the Presidency to concur in their views of
policy in regard to Slavery, or, If the question
Of Slavery were no more important than that
of free trade and protection. We know that
the Post will admit that the slave States al
ways unite in such o requistion. We are
therefore left to infer that in its sober judg-
mont the Slavery question is a subordinate one.
Only on this ground can we explain its advocacy
Of the election of General Pierce 1t knew that
he was pledged to a Pro-Slavery policy, and
yet supported him because he entertained
" sound views in relation to q Tariff, to Banks,
and the administration of Government.
Was not this subordinating the question of
Slavery? And what has the cause of Denoc-
racy gained, in the judgment of the Post, from
the policy it and Its associates Pursuedl Has
the Tariff been reduced or is it likely to be
reduced? Has the President vetoed any of the
Land Bills giving away immense portions of
tho public domain, to railroad monopoles
Did he show a scrupulous economy in offering
Santa AIMS twenty millions of dollars for
slice Of Sonora, and some other items of sec
tional value Did ne signalize his regard for
strict construction and his jealousy of Gen.
tralism, By making a Treaty involving an ap-
preparation Of ten millions OF dollars, without
previous notice to the Popular branch Of Con-
gress, in which alone money bills can origin
ate and without fayoring it with any in
formation, even after the formation of the
Treaty? Did be prove his regard for pop
ular interests by the attempt to raise the
tax on the Peoples correspondence? Did he
show his respect for State Rights, by caus-
ing his Attorney General to issue an edict
for the government of his supporters in Mas
eachusetts, and to crush out" sentiments en-
tertained by the People repugnant to his own ?
And DOVE sec in his determination, announ-
ced by his Attorney General, to pay out of the
United States treasury, whatever miscreants
may be found IN the States base enough to
hire themselves cut as slave-catchcrs, and to
pay them, cost what it may, very brilliant
evidence of pure economical Democracy?
For this Democratic President, the Post
was willing to subordinate the Slavery Cues
tion-to ignore his pledges of loyalty to the
Slave Interest: and now, instead of having
learned by the things it has suffered, it stands
by the very policy that has been illustrated
by results so benefceDt!
The question is not, whether Party "can
be durable, which is based upon single ques-
ton Of public policy" but whether a political
evil may not at times become 30 intolerable
and dangerous, that ordinary parties, growing
out Of differences of opinions in relation to ord-
nary public questions, ought not to give place,
and the masses belonging to them, unite in
an extraordinary movement for the repression
or removal of such en- evil2
To state the question, is to answer it.
We hold that the aggressive policy of the
Slave Interest has como to be intolerable and
dangerous-that, until fairly and boldly met
and repressed, the country will be continually
disturbed by dissensior, dishonored by usurpa-
ton, imperilled by sinister and sectional ambi-
ton, its highest interests exposed every mo-
ment to the hazards of war, and all wise legis-
lstion INSTRUCTED, if not arrested While that
Interest shall govern the Government we may
prattle as we please about Democracy or Wing
gerry, there will be no clear, defined, fixed
narnncratin nnlinz or Nhir nolicu The die