The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-10-04

THE THIRD DUTY.
During the revelation which secured such
results, old party ties gave way the Wing
party was disorganized, the so-called Demo
cratic abandoned by its liberal adherents, the
Free Democracy, merged in the general move
ment against Slavery and the Administration.
Many Conservatives and Quietists, who had al
ways shrunk from the agitation of the Slavery
Question, were impelled BY stern sense of duty
to forego their scruples, and abandon their neu-
trail position. Everything seemed favorable to
the accomplishment of the third great object or
duty.
3. The OUertarow Of the Pro-Slacery Admin
istration, and the installation Of an Anti-Sld-
rery one.-Never were the indications of q
union of the masses of the People for Liberty,
SO encouraging; but at this juncture a new
disturbing force was sprung upon the country.
We do not intend to revive the discussion OF
Know Nothingism. By no paper in the Union
has it been so thoroughly dissected and ex-
posed, as by the Era, or more steadfastly re-
sisted. We merely glance at it now, in this
rapid survey of the field of battle. In its pride,
it claimed large portion of the results gen.
orally attributed to the Anti-Nebraska move
ment, and sought to make them all tributary to
its secret organization and its proscriptive
issues. For time, many honest men were
misled many more found themselves con-
strained to adopt questionable modes of policy
and it seemed doubtful whether the narrow
ideas of the new Order might not supersede
the grand issue of Freedom or Slavery. The
work of uniting the People of the Free States
was checked, and, even after the wreck OF the
q" Nationality of the Order on the rock of Sla-
very, the stubborn adherence of the Know
Nothings to their organization threatened hope
less division in the Free States. Our readers
our infexible position Union on one
issue-union for Li6erty-union IN one more
ment-union Of tie People, in disregard Of all
sristiag organizations, not coalitions betceen
parties-no prescription on account Of race,
color, birthplace, or religion. Only in this way
could the opponents of Slavery be united, and an
Anti Slavery Federal Administration be secured.
Upon this we insisted, in season and out of sea-
son, wearying our readers by the incessant repe-
tition. We knew that this was the real sentiment
Of theFree States-the thing to be done was, to
extricate Anti-Slavery people from unfortu-
nate committals and entanglements, to elimi-
nate that sentiment, and give it form and eff
cheney through powerful organization. In a
few States this had been done; and just before
we left our post last summer, all that was really
AntiSlavery in the Democratic, Wing. Know
Nothing, and Free Soil Parties, in Ohio, had
been fused in the Republican movement, Or
ganized at Columbus. Since then, the work
has been going on with accumulating moment
UNI. A Peoples Party, called Republican, en-
bodying in its ranks all the liberal members of
the former parties, has taken the field in Mas
with julius ROCKWELL as its stand
and when we find it sustained by
such names as ELIOT, GOODRICH, WILSON,
FOSTER, HoAR, WALKER, PHILLIPS, and ADAMS,
we can entertain no doubt of its success.
In another column will be found a report of
recent proceedings in Syracuse, New York,
where, through imposing State Conventions, a
union of Wings, Democrats, Free-Soilers, and
Know Something's, on the single issue of
Slavery, was most happily effected, so that in
the Empire State the Republican Party is now
fairly inaugurated.
A similar party has just been organized in
exists in full force in Wisconsin,
Michigan, and Maine, and not long since
achieved a triumphant victory in Vermont.
1t remains for the friends of Freedom in the
other States, to rid themselves of embarrass-
ments as soon as possible, and put themselves
in line with the great Party of the People,
which is marshalling its forces for the struggle
of 1856.
We see, then, that the third duty mentioned,
is the present and paramount duty, the non-ful
ilment of which will render all else that we have
done, a miserable mockery. Let National
Wing, Baltimore platform Democrat, or
National Know Nothing, be elected President
in 1856, and the Free States will be but con.
luered provinces of Slavery. Senator Atchi-
son will be endorsed, and Kansas dragged
into the Union rs slave State. Intrigues
against Cuba and Hayti, and the propagandist
plottings in California will be revived; and
there will be nothing too audacious or wicked
for the Slave Power to attempt. Already, in
the heart of New Hampshire, the freemen of
that State are haughtily menaced by one of its
most moderate supporters, with force bill in
aid of the execution of the odious Fugitive
Act
10 save Kansas, to cOunteract effectually the
scheme of aggression intended to be initiated
by the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, and
to prevent the Anti Nebraska majority in Con-
gress from being brokea and defeated, ace must
hare a Republican President. Failing of this,
we fail of all. To secure this result, we must
not leave the Slavery Party single plank to
stand upon. In Maine, the Republican Party,
as the returns show, numbers fifty-one thousand
voters, decided plurality. 1t lost the State,
from combination of causes, which will not
exist in the Presidential election. Its tempo
rary reverse will teach it to adhere to the one
issue, which now demands union of the mass
es of the People, and should admonish our
friends in other States to do one thing at a
time.
"Straight-out Wings" and "National u
Know Nothings are laboring to defeat the Re
publican ParAy in Ohio, New York, and Mas
sachusetts-in other words, to divide the power
of the Free States, so that they may not be able
to concentrate their votes for the election of a
President in 1856. What do they expect
They know they are but factions, and that the
tendency of their action is, to re-establish the
ascendency of the Pierce Administration
Should they prevent the union of the masses
for Freedom, they may themselves form a mis-