The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-11-08
THE PRESIDENCY.


are thrown into the shade, in comparison with
that which is now approaching, in the inAu-
ence which it is destined to WELD upon the ma
tional character and welfare. The growth Of
the Pro-Slavery sentiment has been gradual
from an early period of our history to the pres
ent time; and the encroachments of the slave
oligarchy upon the rights of the people, com
mencing by stealthy and almost imperceptible
approaches, has risen at length to the fearful
height of threatening the overthrow of the last
| remnant of constitutional and civil Freedom.
The question of Slavery has, for dozen years,
exercised potent influence on the politics OF
the country, and in the last Presidential strug.
gle it was almost the only subject of contro
versy. But never until now was it the sole is
sue, fairly made up with the friends of Free
| dom arrayed on one side, and those of Slavery
on the other. In 1914, the annexation Of Tex
as was the turning point; but thousands OF
Southern men, shareholders, opposed the &C
| QUESTION on conservative grounds, or in a spirit
Of accommodation to their Northern allies
while large bodies Of Northern men, for like
party considerations, or other motives than ap-
probation of Slavery, favored annexation. In
lS4s, each of the great parties avoided as far
as practicable a direct issue on the subject Of
Slavery-the Wings as party saying nothing,
and leaving its members in the different sec
tons of the Union to say what they pleased
while the Democratic party made great noise
over its hobby of non-intervention. AS parties,
neither made direct issue with the Buffalo
Free-Soiers, while the Northern partisans Of
Cass and Taylor, particularly of the latter,
claimed to be equally hostile with the Free
Sellers to Slavery. extension.
In 1852, the contest was still on side issues
the question was not, openly, Freedom or Sla-
very, but Slavery or Conservatism. The North
was not at that time sufficiently aroused to the
Importance Of indicating the principles Of
Freedom. The slave oligarchy had committed
many and great outrages; it had grossly per-
verted the ends Of Government monopolized
the lions share of Federal power and patron
age T; but still, all were regarded as honorable
men "-Cauioun was an honorable man." Clay
was an honorable man." and the South was
regarded as the very land of chivalrous honor
But the repeal of the Nebraska bill has at last
opened the eyes of the Northern people to the
singular delusion which they have for genera
tons INDUCED, that a system which violates
every principle Of justice is the peculiar nurse
ry of honor and good faith. They at length
see their error, and are resolved to repair the
injury which they have sustained from its in
diligence. The last subterfuge of demagogues,
the last refuge of lies, is at length swept away,
and the friends of Freedom and Slavery must
meet face to face.
1t was vainly hoped for time that Know
Nothingism would serve to divert public atten-
ton from the true issue but that humbug has
now exploded, leaving the great controversy in
all its magnitude to be decided
The approaching Presidential election will
turn upon the single question of Slavery. We
rejoice at it. We will not doubt the result 1t
cannot be that a majority of the American peo-
pie will deliberately prefer Slavery to Free
don't cannot be that they will sanction, by
direct vote, the principle of Slavery extern
sion, the perfidious repeal of the Missouri Com
promise, and the piratical foray of Missouri
rowdies into Kansas. These are the issues,
and no cunning expedents, such as have here
toiore interposed false issues, and diverted the
people from direct grapple with the priv
legged class, can any longer be invented.
There are several parties in the country
which have cherished aspirations towards the
Presidency; but, as the campaign approaches,
the contest is rapidly narrowing down to two
namely, the Republican, or party of Freedom,
and the preposterously called Democratic, Pro-
Slavery party. Whigery is dead and buried
Deader than Douglas, deader than Cass, if pos
sible. Know Nothingism, the executor and
residuary legatee of Whigery, is in dying
state-in fact, the monster is already cold and
stiff in half its body from which political gal
vanism will be unable to arouse it. In all the
Northern States-even in PENNSYLVANIA and
Massachusetts, where twelve months ago it ran
riot with excess of prosperity is now lifeless
1t now holds the ascendency in but two States.
or at most three, namely, Kentucky and Cali
fornia, with perhaps Delaware. These il may
possibly carry in the Presidential contest but,
forces of Slavery and if to these Tennessee
and Louisiana be added, the effect will be the
same. But we anticipate the complete dissolu-
ton OF the party in the course of twelve months
more since We believe that it has in no one To-
cality held sway longer than twelve or eighteen
months. If, as there is good reason to antici-
pate, the Know Nothing epidemic should die
out in California before the Presidential cleo
ton takes place, we indulge the hope that that
State may be enrolled under the Republican
banner. For twelve months or more we have
observed in the California papers an improved
tone on the Slavery question; and we cannot
believe that the State will again relapse into
the embrace of the ultra Pro-Slavery party,
which for years struggled to introduce Slavery.
bold and talented leader, who could not
be browbeaten by the impudent and unscrupu-
lous champions of Slavery, might at once rally
strong party for Freedom. Edward Stanly,
late OF North Carolina, is just the man to take
the lead in such movement. He had the
moral courage TO tell his North Carolina con.
stituents, in the excited period of 1850, that he
regarded Slavery as an evil and we believe
that 1t is well understood that he is no friend
to Slavery extension. He stands aloof from
Know Nothingism as citizen of California.
he is doubtless opposed to the introduction of
Slavery into that State, and he must be con-
scious, with his long political experience and
knowledge of what Locofocoism is, that the
triumph of Republicanism is the only safe
guard against the extension of Slavery into all
the Territories, and into California.