Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-10-09
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 3, 1856.
A NEW PHILOSOPHY.

NEW PHILOSOPHY.
The modern strife between the forces Of sla-
very and freedom, he's developed new theory
of Political Philosophy, viz: the acquiescent,
non-resistant, do-nothing theory. The issue is
old being but new phase of the old warfare
between the privileged classes and the cause
of the people. But the tactics are new.
Emerging from seven years war in behalf
of the equal rights Of all men, the inconsistent
cy and wrongfuness OF chattcl slavery was con-
fessed with sorrow and shame in the earlier and
purcr days of our Republic. Its existence was
tolerated only through the urgency Of our infant
necessities, and the early extinction of so foul
blot upon our fair name, was ferven,ly hoped
and confidently expected by all good men OF
that day. To limit, crcumscribe and discoun-
,cnancc slavery was maniles,ly the policy Of
our fathers, as was evinced by the Ordinance
Of 1857, by which many glorious new MEM
bers of the confcderacy were forever cOnsecra-
ted to Freedom.
J he new Philosophy rcpudiatcs this policy,
denies slavery to be an evil and an exceptional,
local affair TO be regretted aud discouraged; but
aifirn,s it to be TIE normal condition Of nan
wisely ordered by a bcnciccnt Creator, and the
true relation between employer and employed.
The voice of slavery has assumed Il defiant
laner, and boldly claims, not only neutrality
and immunity for its career at the hands of gov
crnInent, but demands national endorsement
of its faith and national active ,pagalion of
its schemes. In pursuance of this policy, the
nrtions of the General Government have
lccn warped and It's patronage pros,raicd TO the
work of breaking down the barriers of Free
dom, and, under srecous prctences, extending
It's sway INTO new territories, until the accurscd
institution which maintained lut sickly and
langushiny existence, now marks every sixth
man of as its own, and threatens to extend
its dcsolaling sway over our entire continent! !!
The POLICY attempted to be forced upon
ms is submission to the brhcsts Of this fell pow
rr under threats of dissolution of the Union.
After an experience of three quarters of
tury, under government owing its existence
to a maniml resistance to tyranny, we are coolly
taught submission 10 the cdics of Il drsro,sm,
one hour of which, according 10 Jefferson, is
fraught with more misery than ages Of that
which he and his cOmpatriots rebellcd against.
Such homciy aplorsns as that " forbcarancc
sometimes ceases to be u virtue" "wherc there's
will there's way" and tie like, are ad-
jurcd under the new regime. Forbearancc
nsrcr ceases to be virtue north of Mason and
Dxon's ne and there is no will nor way, north
OF that charmed limit of indulgcnccs, save alb
ject submission TO our lordly masters south of it.
Such treasonablc ideas as IA manlul, positive
resistance of the Wrong, and vigilant pcrsis-
tant cspousal of the Right are secuted IN this
epoch of superla,ivc Democracy. 1t is the age
of passive, negative, easy virtuc-the era of
d" masterly inactivity" The current philosophy
is submission,-fir last and only submission.
The old displaced philosophy taught that
resolu,e purpose and an earnest effort toward
any practicable object, generally ensured sue
cess sand it may be remembered that certain, old.
oll-Gashioncd, reasonable lovers of freedom, &C.
tually counselled resistance TO oppression at the
peril of the then Union, and esteemed those
who gave it s,outly, courageous and worthy
persons. They even went so far as to suppose
that in order TO accomplish given purpose,
such TO repcl an enemy, build bridge or
suppress crime, 1t was necessary TO do some
Mmg-to arouse public attcntion-to agitatc
The question, and give the matter rcsolu,e cf.
fort.
How bravely have the times altered! Now
the way to accomplish anything, especially for
Freedom, is to do nothing--suppress every
whisper for the Right-tIuSt to the honor and
friendship of the enemy, and avoid giving of.
fence by any murmuring of discomfort. We
are 10 take warning OF those already enslaved,
be grateful for the privileges already vouch-
safed us, and return thanks to our chvalrous
brethren for their lorbearance and their kind
continuance of the blessed Union.
Such is the doctrine of the South and its
Northern abet,ors. We are TO do nothing in
behalf Of Freedom and free speech and the
right of those who love them. to settle our ter
ri,ories, for this only nf1amcs our inpcrious
masters and provokcs them to withhold as our
right, what they might be induced to grant us
as favor. They claim too, 10 be acting on the
defensive, and to be driven to the policy OF sem
larging ,ne area of slavery" by the aggressions
OF Northern Aboli,ionis,s. According to the
new Philosophy, they find little difficulty in
proving that it was owing to the lanatical and
intermedding Abolitionis,s that the first extcn-
sion of slavery was made in the purchase of
Louisiana aud the admission of the succeeding
Slaveholding States. And they find as little
difficulty in showing that their successive slave
holding raids upon Mexico, was conservative