Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-02-24

others, testing the complexion Of parties testing
the integrity Of the constitution, the inyioability
of the laws and the continuance Of the Union, Is
this slave question, upon which Know-Nothingism
processes silence and neutrality-as an organi-
zation. II claims to be national party, and yet
has no principles on the leading, absorbing, over
shadowing question of nationality"
In all times past, and down to the present
the South has asked to DO lot alone, but now
her new-hedged orators and politicians de-
mand, that the slave question shall be made
the only national issue in the formation Of
parties Can it be possible that the rejecting
portion of the people of Virginia demand, that
an issue shall be now made with the non-slaye-
holding States on the slave question?
Do those men, whose predecessors have uni
formly claimed that the National Government
had no jurisdiction over slavery, now demand
that slavery shall be national question: Do
they demand that 1t shall absorb all other ques-
tons and become test Of nationality Will
they thus commit the separate and individual
interests of the South, to the uncertain chances
Of protection by majority Of the people Of the
United Statesy II majority of the votes Of
the nation affirm the unlawfulness Of slavery,
would the South surrender her peculiar insti-
tution2 Make slavery national issue-make
it the football Of party--make it "the one
great question absorbing all others" and our
word for it, the resolutions of the administra-
ton party, adopted at Columbus, Ohio, will be
carried out, and slavery will soon be "eradi-
Gated" in virtue Of the power claimed by them,
"under the national compact"
The first moment in which slavery ceases to
belong to the States, as a local question, pro-
tected by locallaws--the first moment in which
the South throw this institution into the whirl-
pool Of national politics, that moment will be
the last, in which the egis Of the constitution
can protect it from immolation. As State
rights advocate, we protest against such an
issue. The State-rights men of the North de-
sire no such ISSUE. Fanaticism would rejoice
at the prospect Of such contest
| The South could gain no laurels in such a
contest. The only ground of safety to the
South on this question, is to withdraw it from
the arena of politics. and entrench it behind
the fortress Of State-rightsl
There, and there only, can it rest secure.
We greatly misapprehend the views of south
ern statesmen, if this be not the sentiment of
the South.
But the Examiner is mistaken in its decla-
ration, that whilst the American party "claims
to be national party, yet it has no principles
on the leading, absorbing, overshadowing ques-
ton of nationality" The all absorbing politi-
cal questions of the day have reference to Ro-
manism, Foreignism, and Demagoguism. But
our party, whilst devoted to the cure of these
evils, and whilst we sink the question of slave
ry, as topic of discussion, and leave it to the
care of those amongst whom 1t exists, we main
tain the rights of the States and of the Union
of the States, as guaranteed by the Federal Con-
stitution.
But, passing over sundry unimportant points
having relation to Senator Hale, (who has as
little to do with our party as the editor of the
Examiner,) Mr.. Burlingame and free-soilism,
we come to the closing position taken by the
Examiner:
That press assumes, that Senator Wilson Of
Massachusetts,, is pledged to the repeal of the
Nebraska bill--to the repeal of the fugitive
slave law--to the abolition Of slavery in the
District, to the prohibition of the interstate
slave trade, and to the exclusion Of any more
slave States into the Unioni
To reach the conclusion, that these measures
WILL " euer brought torDard, receive the sane
ton Of Mr.. Wilson, the Examiner is obliged to
annihilate his avowed sentiments, as set forth
in the Boston Bee, In his letter OF goth of Janu-
airy, and his letter of 10th Of February, now
before the public.
Hear the Examiner. It says:
1T would require higher than Known othing
sophistry, to reconcile the avowal at Boston with
the strained and Enlightened declaration at Wash.
ington."
| II Is true to the letter that the reported
avowal at Boston conflicts with the declare
tons Of Mr.. Wilson here. But the deliberately
written and thrice-repeated declaration Of his
opinions, sanctioned by his signature, are upon
every principle Of right and justice, to be re-
garded as his true opinions, his reported avow-
ais to the contrary notwithstanding These
opinions are before the public for their judg-
ment We do not undertake to say, for we
know not how Senator Wilson might vote on
any future occasion, upon questions hereafter
to arise; but this we say, his letter of the 10th
instant contains distinct ayowal Of State
rights opinions and doctrines, whilst the reso-
lutions Of the Forney and Pierce Democracy
Of Ohio, on the 9Th Of January last, proclaimed
fixed and immovable purpose never to cease
their opposition to slavery, until they should
FINALLY ERADICATE ITS EVILS"
We shall resume this subject
W Since writing our leading editorial of
to-day, we have observed the report of the pro-
ceedings Of the Senate yesterday, in the
Baltimore Sun, in which Senator Wilson is re.
ported to have said as follows, to wit:
"Mr. Wilson said he was ready to carry out
every provision Of the constitution but was oppos-
ed 10 the existence of slavery in the District Of Co
lumbis, or In the Territories Of the United States
and he and those who acted with him, were deter
4