The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1855-07-07


it is iustifable to act upon the assumption that
all hope of ever efccting such agreement Is i'm
possible. H4
If we are right in assuming that thc North
and the South can never harmonize on the ab-
stract subject Of slavery, it follows that there
can be no such things rs national parties ex-
cept upon the basis Of an entire exclusion Of the
subject from their political crceds. No math-
ematical proposition is more true than that the
only basis OF party organization is an agreement
amongst those who enter into II upon the sub
jects which they recognize us belonging to its
creed They may differ as widely as is posi-
bic as to all subjects not embraced by their par
ty creed, but to be harmonious inside Of their
organization they must have common sentiments
and stand together on a common platform
These truths will command ready assent, and
they demonstrate the proposition that no par
ty embracing members at the north and the
south can be national or harmonious in its or
ganization, which docs not exclude the ques-
ton Of slavery from its creed II northern
men insist upon migrating upon their party
creed the doctrine that slavery is moral or
political evil, they raise an insuperablc barrier
against harmonious association with southern
men. In like manner, If southern men insist
on making it part Of their party creed that
slavery is morally and politically right, they
thereby cut off northern mon from political as-
sociation with them. The necessary result, is,
that, without federation Of differences OF Opin.
ion, as to the abstract question Of slavery, par
ties are necessarily sectional and cannot posi-
bly, be national.
i The same disagreement between the two
sections as to slavery which exists now has cx.
listed from the beginning Of the government,
and at that time constituted one Of the chief
obstacles to the formation of constitutional
union. 1t resulted in u compromise, which was
intended to be permanent rule for avoiding
future dissensions between the different sections
of the confcdcracy The democratic party ba-
ses its claim to nationality, upon the fact that
whilst it recognizes the validity and obligatory
character of the compromises Of the constitu-
ton, it denies to the federal government any
right to interfere with the question Of slavery
beyond the instances so specified in the consti-
4 tutonal compromises. The action of the dem
ocrats In the adoption Of tho measures Of 1850
was based upon the principle that Congress
could not rightfully intervene as to slavery, cx-
cept in the matters expressly enumerated in the
constitution. The act for the organization of
Kansas and Nebraska was based upon the same
principle of congressional non-intcrvention; and
it is upon this principle alone that any party can
be national, or that the federal Union can bo
pcrpetuated. AS it may not be amiss at the
time to recur to the authentic position OF the
democratic party on the subject Of slavery, we
reproduce so much Of the democratic platform
as embraces that portion. We quote from the
last Baltimore resolutions:
i 80 That Congress has no power under the
constitution to interfere with or control the do
mestic institutions of the several States, and
that such states are the solo and proper judges
Of everything appertaining to their own affairs,
not prohibited by the Constitution; that all ef-
forts of the abolitionists or others made TO in
duce Congress to interfere with questions of
slavery or to take incipient steps in relation
j thereto, are calculated to lead to the most
alarming and dangerous consequences; and that
all such efforts have an inevitable tendency to
diminish the happiness of the people and en-
danger the stability and permanency of the I'm
ion, and ought not to be countenanced hy any
friend Of our political Institutions.
| Resolred, That the foreign proposition COW
ers, and was intended to embrace, the whole
subject Of slavery agitation in Congress- and
therefore the democratic party Of the Union,
standing on this national platform, will abide
by and adhere to faithful execution Of the
acts known as the compromise measures settled
by the late Congress, the act for rcclaiming
fugtiycs from service or labor included; which
act being designed to carry out an express pro-
vision of the Constitution cannot with fidelity,
thereto be repealed or so changed as to destroy
or impair its efficiency.
Resolred, That the Democratic party will
resist all attempts at renewing, in Congress or
out Of it, the agitation Of the slavery question,
under whatever shape or color the attempt may
be made"
Il THE Hon. JonN PERKINS, JR--Ths gentleman ad-
4 dressed the citizens Of Bayou Sara on Wednesday
last In a speech of three hours