The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-05-03

"a. SEWARD, the f0st and the 1fi6uae, agreed
with us as to all we said of the evils of Slavery
and the Slave Power, and the necessity of de-
stroying their influence in the politics of the
North and in the Federal Governments; but
they held that by retaining their places in theil
respective parties, they could Just as well, il
not better, work for this object, and at the
same time pay due attention to other i'm
portant matters. This was their policy it was
not ours. We had no right to dcnounce them
their own convictions of duty decided theil
acts. Eut we did insist that, so long as free
dom-loving citizens continued that course o.
action, the Slave Interest would govern them
govern the country, and go ON unchecked in
its career of usurpation and violence.
Did not the result confirm the correctness Of
this view? Had they and the bodies of voters
in the North and West, whose feelings and
opinions they represented, united with the In
dependent Democracy in a distinct, open line
of policy against Slavery, would Franklin
Pierce have been elected, or, if elected, would
he have dreamed of repeating the Missouri
Compromise, and offering two hundred millions
for Cuba? The repeal of that Compromise
with the consequent border war now com
menced in Kansas, is the logical result of the
policy of IGNORING the Slavery question" the
policy of " nationality" or, in the language o.
the Post; federation and "Neutrality."
So thought the masses of the People of the
free States after that outrage had been per
petrated-for down went the old servile Par
ties, with their mischievous and lying catch
words of Nationality" and Compromise,
and up went the People, meeting, for the first
time in our history, at the ballot-box, the Issues
forced by Slavery, meeting them directly, ex
clusively, openly--and the revolutions resulting
were achieved by the very policy the lndepend
ent Democracy had been for so many years
importuning them to adopt. In this grand
movement of the People, we had the vigorous
aid of the Tribune, but not that of w. H
SEWARD, of PRESTON KING, but not that Of
the Post.
1t was encouraging to see the Tribune and its
elias D. Wings, PRESTON KING and his class Of
Democrats, boldly discarding old parties, old
policies, old issues, and enforcing the true
policy of distinct, independent political action
against Slavery. Would that the Post and w.
II. SEWARD, with the classes of Democrats and
Wings they represent, had pursued the same
line Of action! But neither seemed willing to
separate from the remains of old parties the
Post hoped to find in the Democratic organi-
cation, Mr.. SEWARD, in the Wing, the true agen.
cy for the solution of all questions. The posi-
ton held by them and the classes of politicians
to which they belong, prevented the consum-
nation of the Fusion Movement at the North.
Know Nothingism followed, checking it still
more, and also perverting it. Since then, the
true policy Of Independent, distinct action on
the issues between Slavery and Freedom, which
bid fair for time to command the support of
the People Of the free States, has been gradu-
ally losing ground, until at last we find the Old
Line Democracy in strong force, large por-
ton of Wings, the Know Nothing Grand Coun-
Gil, and even the Nc,C York Ereaing Post, once
more preparing the way for ignoring these
issues in the Presidential canvass of 1856.
We have now reviewed the Past, surveyed
the Present, and can hardly be deceived as to
the Future. The masses in 1856 are not to be
suffered to vote directly on the Question of Free
dom or Slavery. The contest will be a triangu-
lar one. The Old Democracy, resuscitated by
the new issue raised by Know Nothingism, viii
be in the field upon some such platform as that
defined by Tammany Hall, ignoring the great
Question, but pronounced satisfactory by the
Ecening Post. The Know Nothings will have
their candidate, occupying the same position in
relation to Slavery, but bearing the new stand
ard, american Reform"
Upon the voters who, in 1910, 1914, 1948,
and 1852, insisted that Slavery is the paramount
Question, and shall not be subordinated or
will devolve the duty of reorgani-
zing on their own platform, and under their
own standard-bearer, illustrating and enforcing
in act, the true theory of political action.
They will re-alirm the Pittsburgh Platform,
and select, for their Presidential and Vice
Presidential candidates, men whose acts have
been in accordance with all its Principles,
bearing upon the Rights of Man, without dis.
tinction as to color, race, or sect. Their
watchwords will be, Freedom, Free Labor, No
Sectarian Test, No Prescription on account of
Birth. They will wage war against both the
so-called "National" Parties, as the allies of
the Slave Power, finding nothing in the profes,
sions of iberality towards foreigners by the
Democracy, to compensate for its
pro-slavery position, and nothing in the Anti
policy of Compromise Know
Nothingism, to compensate for its Anti-Repub-
lican purposes and mode of operation. They will
denounce both, for acquiescing in the usurpa-
tons of Slavery, while pretending to ignore the
Question, and preventing the People of the North
from redeemins the Federal Government from
its thrall. They will turn deaf ear, as they
have always done, to the appeal of shallow
"choose the less of two evils" be-
lieving that it is better to fail in right course,
than succeed in a wrong one-or rather, that a
policy rooted in sound principle and far
reaching calculation Of consequences, although
slow in its developments, must produce eventu-
ally the desired results.
Their views were generally sanctioned by the
People last year. If the People have fallen
back, there is the more reason why they should
stand steadfast. Their position on the Slavery
Question is the true one, and, soon or late, it
must be assumed by the free States, if we are
ever to have peaceful solution of that CUES
ton. Temporarily, some of them have been
bewildered by an Organization that does not
embrace that Question. Let them come out of
it, and reuinte with their old associates, under