The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-07-05
THE OLD POLICY.

ing anu Democrauc fartles, It's language has
been: t. If you wish our support accede to our
demands The history of American polite.
shows the result: constant rivalry in zeal be
tween the Parties for an alliance, so powerful
and conclusive-Slavery, the winner, whoever
may lose.
To the success of such game, it is obvious
that two National Organizations, not antago-
nistic to Slavery, are necessary. The Slsv,
Power never sought to destroy either of tht
Old Parties, but deprecated any movement
threatening the existence of either.
In 1854, what it had deprecated was sudden.
y effected. Under the commissions produced
by the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, th
Democratic Party was Frustrated, the Whis
Party irretrievably disorganized. Slaveholdint
| tacticians were for a moment bewildered. Th
| possession of Federal power held together tht
remains of the Democratic Party, and its South
crn adherents still had something in the shap
| of Nationality to cling to but the Souther
Wing exclaimed, Where shall / go, wher,
| look?" "Come not to us !" his Democrat,
brother imploringly cried; "let us avoid a move
ment which must ALLEVIATE the Northern Demo
Gratis, and lead to general union in the Fre
States against us in a sectional dirisio,a o
Parties, the friends of Slavery, no longer h
balance Of pO,oer; but distinct and separate
organization, will be overwhelmed" In this
| hour of their perplexity and alarm, Know
Nothingism sprung into the political arena. II
ignored the Question which had revolutionized
politics, and was about combining the hosts OF
Freedom in a solid phalanx. 1t partially
diverted public attention to other issues. IL
proposed the organization of a new National
Party, leaving to future consideration the ad
ustment of its policy on the Slave Question.
The Slave Power, exulring at an opportunity
20 resume its old policy, by working out its
own ends, through two National Parties, not
,ntagonistic in their fundamental constitu
lions to its schemes, smiled upon the new Or
der. In every State Of the South, where, it is
notorious, foreigners and Catholics are too few
10 awaken concern, and where, for the sake of
holding the masses to a rigid responsibility,
voting RIGA rocc is generally preferred to the
secret ballot, Council was forthwith organized,
and-the Wing ceased to ask, Where shall
go?" He had found at once local habitation,
and medium for renewing Party relations
with his Northern associate of other days.
Anti-Slavery men at the North, meantime,
were sure that they had the majority-grew in
dignant because we distrusted them-and
when we warned them that in the National
Convention their Order was about to hold to
agree upon plan of National action, the South
would have its own way, we were advised to
mind our business, they would take care of
& matters and things
The National Convention was at last held
every State was representative Anti Slavery
members of the Order were in full force, but
dirided the slaveholding members were in full
force but united. The result is matter now of
history. Some of the Northern delegates were
anxious to keep up the ignoring policy, to ex-
clode all reference to Slavery, among them, ex-
Governor Johnston of Pennsylvania no class
of them went further than to demand the res
toration of the Missouri Compromise. These
tame demands of the North were met by the
imperious requirement of the South, that the
Convention pledge itself to abide BY all the
existing laws in regard to Slavery, embracing
the Nebraska Kansas and the Fugitive Slave
Acts. There was division among them.
Some were less abusive and domineering than
others, but when they came to vote, they all
voted together, carrying with them enough
traitors from the free States, to establish their
own platform, and convert the New Order,
which Messrs. Wilson, Gardner, and Metcaf,
had been laboring so earnestly to build up, into
a National, Pro Siarery Party, to take the
place Of the old Wing organization
Thus, by the tactics OF the Slave Power, and
the treason of some Northern men, have these
gentlemen and their Anti Slavery associates,
been used for the construction of piece of
machinery necessary to the maintenance of
Slavery Supremacy With t,oo National Pro-
Slavery Parties IN the field, the Stare Poscer
tcins let the one the other lose
So, after years mighty efforts, begun glori-
ousy under the auspices Of the Anti Nebraska
movement then, instructed by Know Moth.
ingism, (worthy in all respects of its name,)
We find the lately escaped North, on the point
of being delivered up by two servile National
Parties, as a fugitive from service, to its old
master, the Slave Power.
Shall the lesson be lost on the People? 1t
would be more agreeable to our feelings, to
keep silence, to abstain from any expression
even suggestive of reproach but the exulta-
ton of some Anti Slavery presses over the Sc
cession of General Wilson and others, as
great, unparalleled Northern triumph, betrays
SO low a tone and so short-sighted policy, that
we are constrained to speak out II was a
shame for Northern delegates to go into Ma
tional Convention called to ignore or compro-
mise the Slavery Question it was a shame
that, having entered it, they failed to adopt their
own platform, and impose upon the slavehold-
ing minority the burden of submission or Sc
cession. They were betrayed, it is said Did
they not know beforehand that they would be {?
Have they forgotten that in all such Conven-
tons, the free States are always betrayed
When has it happened otherwise? 1t is a
blunder for Anti Slavery meu to unite with
Shareholders in a Convention, under the i'm
preston, that the latter can be induced to Weld
the slightest concession, to abate one ot or title
of their pretensions that they will divide
among themselves, or fail to find adherents in
the free States.
We hope this last experiment will cure them
of their weakness. Let the honest friends of
Freedom hereafter define their own aims take
their own position, select their own candidates,
apart from Pro Slavery men, not on consuta.
ton with them, and with the declared purpose
Sc l.