New-York daily tribune., 1854-05-24

Wellington and Jay, 10 accept such terms az Grei;
Britain chose to offer But while the name anl
authority Of Washington brought forward to
ten ihe total change Of policy which Gen. Jacksons
Cabinet introduced upon this point Mr. Benton ought
not completely to have kept out Of sight be has
done that the policy thus abandoned and reversed
iavorite and cherished policy Of the old Republican
party and that those bred up in the principles OF that
party and pledged to their support, might naturally
have felt some annoyance at this sudden departure
from il.
it is true enough. as Mr. Benton alleges by way Of
apology for Gen. Jackson and Mr. Van Barren that
Washington in his negotiations with the British Gov
eminent On the subject Of the West India trade,
willing TO waive the American claim Of right, and to
accept limited participation in ii as matter of favor
and concession But it is less true, however Mr.
Benton may choose TO keep i. out Of sight that the
Republican party with Madison at It's head always
Insisted that in return for the free admission Of British
vesels into all Of ports. entitled, in the
sIirt OF reciprocity to an equal sdmssion for
sells into all Of her ports those Of the colonies no less
than those of the British isles. And indeed, the
cent legislation of Great Britain. in doing away with
her whole system of colonial restrictions and in giving
10 foreign ships tie same with her own to her
colonial ports must be regarded fall concession
OF the justice OF this view.
As the Republican party had always held to this
ground, 30 it continued 10 be insisted upon in the
g0tations the subject of commerce which tOoh
place after the peace; and it would have been great
deal more candid in Nr Benton if be had fairly stated
that fact As Great Britain refused to yield upon this
point the old policy Of the Republican party and the
spirit of Madson's commercial resolutions led to the
act of Ic- refusing admission into the harbOrs of the
United States of British vessels coming from British
colonial ports into which American vessels were not
admitted In l-22 an act of Parliament made
ccssons TO the admission OF into BrshcO
lOnial ports in consequence Of which the trade
opened; but as the act Of Congress passed to confirm
this arrange ment did not choose TO accept it
cesion. but stll insisted upon matter of right,
and the same ground taken by the Cabinets Of
Mr.. Monroe and Mr.. Adams in their instructions 70
their ministers at London and the British Govern
ment would not yield upon this point the result
a new interruption to the trade. Monroe and Adams
had strictly carried out the doctrines and policy Of the
Republican party. The method taken by Jackson's
Cabinet 10 the trade was to abandon all the
Old American prctensons this subject and to solicit
terms. Commercially the arrangement might have
been good one but politically and diplomatcdly it
does not appear to afford any great ground for exuta-
tion especially 10 having the honor and credit of
the old Republican party in view.
We pass now to the consideration of topic of more
immediate interest connected as it is with the exist
ing position of the Democratic party and intimately
related to great eycnts present and to The in
PRODUCTION of the Ant-Slayery agitation into politics
which took place about the time of Mr. Van Buren's
nomination TO the Presidency, marks the commence
ment Of new era in our history 1t is customary to
refer to the AntSlaSery Societies and to their move
ments publications and efforts to attract public aten-
tion as the Of this agitation. The occasions of
it no doubt they wCre-aDd when political necessity
needs occasion, very slight one will answer-but
cannot regard them n any true sense the causes
Of it. The triumph of the northern over the south
wing Of the Democratic party which had first
shown itself in the disgrace of Mr.. Calhoun and his
friends and in ihe decisive ground taken by Gen Jack
so against the South Carolina Nullfcrs had been fol-
lowed up by the nomination OF Mr.. Van Buren,,
northern man, az the successor Of Gen. Jackson IN
the Presidential chair. This nomination had caused
tie splitting off of second southern fragment from
the Democratic party consisting of those VINO gathered
about Hugh L. White their Presidential candidate
and it can hardly be doubted that the very great ag
tation on the subject Of Slavery and its abolition, com
mcncng in theyo I-35 grew mainly out OF the Efforts
Of politicians to avail themselves for IN the Pres
idcntial canvass of the cetding senstiveness of
II c Shareholders Mr.. Benton has described the ag-
taton which took place throughout the North on the
occasion of the Missouri controversy, as III great
measure potical-an agitation got up by the pohti-
ciansa struggle for the balance of power, asbetween
tie North and the South. He might had he seen fit
have referred the agitation of 1880 to similar cause,
or rather to struggle for the possession OF the Pres
identia chair. 1t quite as much the hope OF
placing Mr. Van Buren, in Il dilemma, of obliglng him
to take ground offensive either to the North to the
South, any actual apprehensions of what the Abo
itionsts might intend might do, that prompted so
on tie other hand, it great deal more the de-
ee to counterwork this maneuvcr, and to allay the
alarm or to attract the favor of the shareholders by
great show of zeal in their behalf than any real sym
patty for slave holding that led many pr0slavery
demonstrations at the North.
1t does not fall in with the plan or the policy OF Mr.
Bentons work TO take this view of the origin of the
Slavery agitation in direct terms; yet the ground upon
which lie attempts to justify Mr.. Van Burens vote on
the ncendiary publication bill. implies all this In
truth. as to this matter, Mr. Benton stands upon
rather tcklish ground 1t would suit him very well,
and would fall in with the tenor of other parts of his
work to charge Mr. Calhoun and his friends with get