The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-09-21

too hard for honest men. AS the Nebraska
Bill was the great measure of the Administra-
ton, that upon which it had staked its very
existence, to denounce it was treason against
Its authority; but. as the came measure was
| odious to the Northern People, to endorse il
was to ALLEVIATE popular support.
ln New Hampshire, the Administration men
having lost the day, by paltering with the ques-
ton, it was said, held Convention, and boldly
adopted the measure as truly Democratic
The effect will be shown next spring, in more
disgraceful defeat than they sustained few
months ago.
In Vermont, the same Party, with similar
contempt for public opinion, took the same
ground, and at the late election was utterly
overwhelmed by the popular indignation it had
provoked
In Maine and Pennsylvania, mean attempt
was made to dodge the question in the former,
by passing no resolves at all, upon any sub
jecs; in the latter, by passing resolves upon
every subject but that of Nebraska The Peo-
pie of Maine have just shown their sense of
this dastardly and hypocritical policy, by
eIectipg Morrill,, the anti. Nebraska candidate
for Governor, and reducing the Administration
Party to corporaPs guard; and similar re-
buke, we doubt not will be administered in
October to the political dodgers by tho People
of Pennsylvania.
The New York politicians though. they
would deal more expertly with the subject.
They would not dOdge-not they. They would
not disgrace themselves by non committalsm-
not they. They would astcnish and carry cap
tive the People by the boldness of their accom-
plishments they would blow hot and cold with
the same breath; they would ride two horses
travelling in opposite directions; they would
enact contradictions, serve God and the Devil,
please the People and Franklin Pierce. So
the Soft u Convention met - q softer one
never assembled - and the game of double
dealing began. Read the revelation Of Abijah
Mann, on our fourth page. The upshot was,
the adoption of this two-fsced monster:
"Resolued, That we consider the introduc-
ton of the clause in the Nebraska Kansas bill
repeating the Missouri Compromise as mex
pedient and unnecessary but we are opposed
to any agitation having in view the restoration
of that line, or tending to promote any section
al controversy in relation thereto and we con-
graduate the country that the results to grow
out of that measure are likely to prove benet.
cial to the people of the Territories and that
while we maintain our position, that opinions
in regard to the power of Congress in this
matter are not tests of Democracy, we regard
this act of remuneration by Congress of the
power Il has heretofore exercised over this sub
iect as the practical surrender of a formidable
function on the part of the Federal Govern
ment and as the accession of a right on the
part Of the incipient sovereignties that are to
constitute the States of the Union, the exercise
of which can, in all probability, result only
auspiciously to the people of the Territories
and the peace of the Union.o
The tricksters knew the use that would be
made of this. They knew that certain papers
in New York would break forth into hallclu-
jahs calling upon the good People to take
notice that this Soft Convention, warm as it
was in support of the Administration, was
Obliged to do homage to popular opinion, by
conforming tho Nebraska Bill Yes-it was
forced to pronounce it inexpedient and un-
necessary "-let US thank God and take cour-
age, and, meantime, don't forget to support the
ticket!
That was one use. But, hear the Admins
tration All, that was nicely donc. You DO
not say that the Bin is inexpedient and un-
necessary but that the introduction of the
clause in it repeating the Missouri Compro-
mise was inexpedient and unnecessary SO we
thought; but when the thing was introduced,
there was no alternative-and now, we are
delighted to hear you say that the operation of
the Bill is beneficial, and the principle and
policy of it sound and good. Well done, good
and faithful servants-your double dealing
hath wisdom in it that quito commOnds it to
our virtuous mind"
That is the other use of this notable resolu-
ton.
Such political scOundrelism deserves to be
pilloried and cropped.
This Soft" Convention intended in reality
TO endorse the repeal of the Missouri Compro-
mise and it did endorse it, The resolution docs
not declare the Nebraska Bill inexpedient
and unnecessary" as the New York Evening
Post and the Albany 1Rtas constantly repre-
sent. Its language on this point is" We con-
slider the introduction of the clause in the Ne
brasks and Kansas Bill repeating the Missouri
Compromise as inexpedient and unnecessary
So did General Cass-so did General Pierce
so did the Washington Union-and we are
quite sure, that by the time the free States
have got through with the Administration, that
will be settled opinion with them all But the
Convention, having expressed its opinion on this
immaterial point, proceeds at once to commend
the measure, by "congratulating the country %
that its results are likely to prove beneficial
to the people of the Territories" and to en-
dorse its policy, by predicting suspicious results
to the People of the Territories and to the
peace of the Union, from the surrender it makes
to the Territories of the formidable function of
government over them heretofore exercised by
the Federal Government And yet in view of
this sneaking, double-tongued endorsement of
the most odious measure of an odious Admin
istration, the New York Evening Post coolly
assumes that the Convention condemned this
measure, and seems to calculate that the ticket
nominated by such Convention should receive
the support of the united Democratic Party!
By the way, the Convention adopted two
other resolutions fifty associated with the one
| just noticed:
"Resotued That the Democrats of New York
repeat the expression of their unchanged devo-
ton TO the principles of the National Democ-
racy, as laid down at the Baltimore Convention
of 1852, and as approved by the United De-
mOcracy of the State in its Conventions since