New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-04-28
THE QUESTION.

THE QUESTION.
The Developments Of Know. nottingham in the
South are worthy of the attention Of oil members
Of the Order In the North, who are opposed to
TIE extt nticn Of Slavery throughout the fees ter
iitories Of the Union. In Virginia, where tue
capvass is nov progressing for the election to
tale place Cd the Oath Of next mouth, the various
candidates are bu,y setting forth their pr'nci pies
and objects. TIE Know Nothings are defending
themselves on the ground th 1t i'm mig alton must
be checked, for it is rapidly filing up the Free
ststes. ard thereby seriously affecting tbs rel.-
tive position of the North aud South. Bs.ides,
il - flowing into the territories, where the votes
of the new power will be given to exclude
Slavery. Such is the specific objection to imui-
ersiicn TAKEN by the Virgins Knox-Ncrhiug can
oidstes. The creed of this psrsy 10 that State,
AID II deed throughout the South Is, that its SUI,
cess will check the advance of Freedom and ex-
psDd Slavery So true is it, tbi. whaeysr
psriy sii,es in the present state Of affairs, it
10 frat compelled to deSoe itself on the question
Of Slavery The Know Nothtpgs cannot escape
the necessity. l. lie so At tho South, aud it
csppot be otherwise st the North Taus
they must be for or against the spread OF
Slavery. TIE party cannot avoid this. 10 tas
South we therefore fad them, In their first
State election, boldly syowiDg themselves IN favor
Of the unrestraiDe6 extension of Slavery into the
territories, and making il part Of their creed.
Nothirg 10 there said about sinking this question:
or cessipg agitation. The ground taken 10 bold,
open, and unequivocd, tina. Slavery Oh, al be ex-
tended wherever the territory of the Union ex-
tends
We ask attention to this feature of the Know
Nothing creed In the South. II that parts is TO
succeed there, it must be on tits ground. 10
deed, there 10 no other condition Of success, as
every public man and every party in the Soath
has to be ou'spoien and rampant on ths Slavery
question, in order to cue ceed. Ii members Of the
Know Nothing fraternity in the North believe
otherwise, we pity their verdan,y. Slavery never
sleeps in the South. 1t is the one great, all per.
vadipg ever present interest. 1t is the Al phs
srd Omega of Southern hie. The old Wing
psrty formerly pretended to moderation Ga tae
question end did, after a sort, act as cOnserva-
tive power in restr aiming the more fsrocioas de-
give way at last to thefdrcr In beh slf of Slavery.
The coDte.t on The Nebraska bill witnessed ts
final d.bouching ard i.s total surrender of tue
positions btlc by it wbi Mr.. Clay lived aud led
its forces If that old stable, and Well org IN zsd
party WIS forced to kn1ckle to Slavery fasatcisn
ard aggression, Low can a mere piece Of polit
col juvtnility, not out Of It's grste, like the
Know Nothing party, stand ags'nst the PRESSURE
To believe il possible is to hope against hope.
No-,here is no party which en- stand in the
South for dSy ualess it goes with the prevailing
cure mt on tbi, question. That current is like a
flcod of lava 1t seams every phase Of life, and
mets every obstace in its way.
The question for tho members Of the Know
Nothing organization in the North 20 decide, is,
whether they will co;lesce with the
Southern branch Of the Order on this basis, or
whether they " i'll stand ut6rmly against Slavery
e1tersion; az to there being any union on the
ground Of o mutual ignoring Of the slavery qass-
ton. the idea is a delusiOn and asnare. As we
lave often said, the state Of the question growing
out Of the unperfec, legislation initiated by the
Nebraska bill, forpids neutrality upon it; aud as
we now say and show the state Of public feellog
in the South forbids it. The slavery question has
re ached point where we must have Northern
organization 10 resist its spread, or pusillsnt-
Iaou,ly yield to the overbesrng ageres'ions OF the
propae anda In the South the influence OF the
Slave Power csnno be resisted By any party. /.
sways, and viii swsy all alike, whether they be
WHIP, Democrats. or Know Nothing. So far as
the political interests sndss Of the North are
concerned, so far as the great principles aud
neasuI CO which were at stake in the late elections
are concerned, it does not mskea 6s'soids which
party triumphi in the South. Tney are all alike
pro-slavery. all slike hostile to Northern princ-
ples and Northern policy. Tue only great ques-
ton Of the times in our national politics, is
whether there Is to be any freedom outside OF
the free States. The prOpse anda take the ground
that there .bsll Lot be, tina. Slavery may go
wherever the territory OF the Union extends
and that if resistance is anywhere made to Its
spresd it shall be carried fer ward with the bJxie
knife aid revolver.
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