Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-09-29

dise-a modern Ell Dorado, where gold and pre-
cious stones can be gathered at pleasurei or an
Arcadia, where nature is bountltul as not TO
need the aid Of man, and fruits and vegetables OF
every desirable description spontaneously spring
upi
There can be but one answer to these ques-
tons, and that answer shoe conclusively the
spirit and intent Of this miscalled and pretended
emigration Ii is an anti-slavery movement. As
such, it was organized and put in motion by an
:. anti-slavery Legislature; such, the organized
army was equipped in Massachusetts and trans
ported to Kansas; and such il met there
and defeated.
If further illustration were needed of the lille
gality Of these movements upon Kansas, we might
extend our observations to the probable reception
Of similar movements upon State. III the Mas
sachusetts legislature, that OF any other stale,
have the right TO send an army oil abohtionsts
into Kansas, they have the same right to trans
port them TO Missouri. We not apprised of
any provisions in the constitutions or laws of the
States which, in this respect, distinguish their
condition from that Of Territory. We have
no laws, and we presume no slaveholdlng State
has, which forbid the emigration Of non-slaye-
holders Such laws, if passed, would clearly
conflict with the Federal Constitution. The
southern and southwestern slavehoding States
are as open to emigration from non-slaveholding
States as Kansas. They differ only in the price
suppose, then, that Massachusetts, should turn
her attention to Texas, and should ascertain that
the population of that State was nearly divided
between those who favored and those who opposed
slavery, and that one thousand votes would turn
the scale in favor of emancipation, and, acting III
accordance with her worldwide philanthropy,
she should resolve to transport the thousand
voters necessary to abolish slavery in Texas;
how would such movement be received there?
Or, toreverse the proposition, let it be supposed
that South Carolina, with her large slaveholding
population, should undertake to transport thou
sand shareholders to Delaware, with the view TO
turn the scale in that State, now understood to
be rapidly passing to the list of free States,
would the gallant sons Of that ancient State,
small she Intentionally, submit to such inter-
ference' Now, the institutions of Kansas
much fixed, and solemnly guaranteed by stat
ute, as those Of Delaware or Texas. The laws
of Kansas Territory may be abrogated by sue
ceeding legislatures but so, also, may the laws,
and even the constitutions, of Texas and Della
ware Kansas only differs from their condition
in her limited resources, her small population,
and her large amount of marketable lands. There
is no difference in principle between the cases
supposed if justifable and legal in the one, it is
equally so in the otner. They differ only in
point Of practcability and expediency; the one
would be an outrage, easily perceived, promptly
met, and speedily repealed; the other is disguised
under the forms of emigration, and meets with
no populous and organized community to resent
it, We are appraised that it is said that the Kan
sas legislature were elected by fraud, and const-
tute no fair representation of the opinions of the
people of the Territory. This is evidently the
excuse of the losing party, to stimulate renewed
efforts among their friends at home; but even this
is refnted by the record. The territorial govern
or of Kansas, a gentleman not suspected of
charged with partiality to slavery or 10 its advo-
Gates, has solemnly certified, under his official
seal, that the statement is false; that large
iorty of the legislature were duly and legally
elected. Even in the districts where Governor
Reeder set aside the elections for illegality the
subsequent returns of the special elections order
ed by him produced the same result, except in
single district. There is, then, no pretext left;
and it is apparent that, to send an army of abo-
litionsts to Kansas to destroy slavery existing
there, and recognized by her laws, is no more to
be justified on the part Of the Massachusetts leg
stature than it would be to send like force to
Missouri with the like purpose. The object
might be more easily and safely accomplished in
the one case than in the other, but in both cases
il is equally repugnant to every principle of in
ternatonal comfy, and likely to prove equally
fatal to the harmony and peace of the Union.
We conclude, then, that this Eruption upon
Kansas by Emgrant Aid Societies and Kansas
Leagues, under the patronage of the Massachu-
sets legislature, is to be regarded in other
light then a new phase of abotionsm, more
practical in its aims, and therefore more danger
Gus, than any form il has yet assumed. We have
shown it to be at variance with the true intent of
the act of Congress, by which the Territory was
opened to settlement; at variance with the spirit
Of the constitution Of the United States, and with
the institutions of the Territory, already recog
missed by law; totally destructive of that fellow
ship and good feeling which should exist among
citizens of confederuted States; runous to the
security, peace, and prosperity of n neighboring
State; unprecedented in political annals up
TO this date, and pregnant with the most disas-
trous consequences TO the harmony and stability
Of the Union. Thus far its purposes have been
defeated; but renewed efforts are threatened.
Political conventions at the North and North
west have declared for the repeal Of the Kansas
Nebraska law, and, anticipating failure in this
direction, stimulating the anti-slavery senti
ment to fresh exertions for abolitionizing Kansas
after the Massachusetts, fashion We have dis
charged our duty in declaring the light in which
such demonstrations viewed here, and our
firm belief of the spirit by which they will be met.
If civil war and ultimate dsunion are desired, a
renewal of these efforts will be admirably adapted
TO such purposes. Missouri has taken her posi-
ton in the resolutions adopted by the Lexington
convention, and from that position she will not be
likely to recede 1t is based upon the constitu-
ton--upon justice and equality of rights among
the States. What she has done, and what she is
still prepared TO do, is in sefdeence and for self
preservation; and from these duties she will
hardly be expected to shrink With her every
thing is at stake; the security of large slave
property the prosperity of her citizens and their
exemption from perpetual agitation and border
feuds; whilst the emissaries Of abolition are pur-
suing phantom-an abstraction which, if realiz-
ed, could add nothing TO their possession or hap
piness, and would be productive Of decided injury
to the race for whose benefit they profess to labor.
II slavery is an evil and it is conceded that
Congress cannot interfere with it in the States it
is most manifest that its diffusion through new
Territory, where land is valueless and labor pro-
ductive, tends greatly TO ameliorate the condition
of the slaves. Opposition to the extension Of
slavery is not, then, founded upon any philan-
thropic views, or upon any love for the slave. II
is mere grasp for political power beyond what
the constitution of the United States comedies;
and IL is so understood by the leaders of the move
ment And this additional power is not desired
for constitutional purposes, for the advancement
of the general welfare the national reputation.
For such purposes the majority in the North is
already sufficient, and no future events are likely
TO diminish il. The slaveholding States are in a
minority, but, SO far, minority which has com
manded respect in the national councils. II has
answered. and we hope will continue to subserve,