The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-09-13
EDITORIAL NOTES.

THE Missouri CoMPRoMIsE.-The false pre-
tence set I'D by the traitorous Doughfaces for
the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, that
it was abrogated "by the legislation of $780,"
is completely exposed by the following extract
rom speech of Mr.. Clay. 1t was delivered
on the goth of January, 1850, in reply to JET
ferson Davis 1t will be seen that he takes
the ground, distinctly, that his proposed plans
of compromise had nothing to do with the Mis-
souri, Compromise, which was regarded by him
as permanently fixed. So far from wishing to
repeal it. unless it was extended to the Pacific,
he was not in favor of its extension, believing
that thereby Slavery would be tolerated south
of it. to which he was unalterably opposed. He
believed that the Mexican laws, which continued
to be in force after the Territory was ceded to
the United States, would effectually exclude
Slavery from all the new acquisitions and
hence his opposition to the Missouri line, which
would give countenance to the idea that Sla-
very would be lawful south of it. What can
the Southern Wings who were weak enough to
fall into the snare of Douglas and Atchison,
say in reply to this extract from the "Great
Embodiment"
81 am extremely sorry to hear the Senator
from Mississippi say that he requires, first, the
extension of the Missouri line to the Pacific /;
and also that he is not satisfied with that, but
requires, if / understood him correctly, a posi-
tive provision for the admission of Slavery
south of that line. And now, sir, coming from
slave State, as do, owe it to myself, owe it
to truth | owe it to the subject, to say, that no
earthly power could induce me to vote for a
specific measure for the introduction of Slavery
where it had not before existed, either south or
north of that line. Coming, as | do, from a
slave State, it is my solemn, deliberate, and
well matured determination, that no power, no
earthly power, shall compel me to vote for the
positive introduction of Slavery either south or
north of that line. If the citizens
of the Territories of California and New Mex
leo choose to establish Slavery, and if they come
here with Constitutions establishing Slavery,
am for admitting them with such provisions in
their Constitutions but then it will be their
own work, not ours &c.
TRADING ON SMALL CAPIrAL.-The misera-
bic broken-down Pro-Slavery demagogues of
the free States are doing business in the way
of Conventions, nominations, and platform
building, on a very small capital of popular
sympathy, and, except those who are in the
interest of the Administration, with the leanest
possible prospect of a recompense. There is
not free State which any one of the Dough
faced factions, or all combined, have the least
chance of carrying, except California +; and yet
they labor on, with zeal worthy of a better
cause. They hope, against hope, that the gen.
erous spirit of Freedom will L" down. at their
bidding, and that the people will again assume
the yoke of Slavery, lest the terrible South may
dissolve the Union, and perhaps come and de-
YOUR them all. Demagogues and tyrants be-
long to the same generical classification, and
are alike destitute of faith in the People.
Hence their blindness to the manifest "signs
of the times" which clearly indicate great
change-a revolution in public sentiment and
political action on the subject of Slavery.
HARD MAsTERs.-One would suppose that
reasonable taskmasters would be satisfied with
the uuquestioning obedience Of the slave; and
that such service as has been rendered to the
South, by the New York demagogues who live
upon Executive favor, would meet with an &C.
casional "well done, good and faithful" but
it is the nature of masterdom to make men
naughty, insolent, and impatient; and it is on
this principle that we account for the fact that
the Richmond Examiner reserves its choicest
epithets of denunciation, and its most wither.
ing invectives, for the President and members
of the New York Young Mems Democratic
Association"
These men have done all in their power to
"crush out" everything like Freedom in New
York, and it is not their fault that the late Sy-
racuse Convention has condemned the Kansas
outlaws, and avowed hostility to Slavery ex.
tension. They did what they could to stultify
the People, and yoke them to the car of Sla-
very propagandism; and, failing in that, they
were deqirous of passing the subject ovor in
silence. as the next best thing. Would not
any reasonable man, in view of the difficulties
| by which they were surrounded, acqut them
of blame? But their want of success, we pre-
sumo, is the objectionable sin, in the eyes OF
their irascible taskmastera. lnstead6of thank.
ing them for doing the best they could for the
cause of Slavery, the Examiner devotes several
| columns to the exposure Of their shortcomings
The Virginia editor speaks of his New York
allies as an "infamous kennel of politicians"
| twits them with fawning and flattery," in con.
| sequence of their humble prayer to Henry A.
| Wise, that he would vouchsafe to visit and ad-
dress them; and, forgetting all the Christian
| maxims of forgiveness, reminds them that many
| of them were supporters of Van Buren, in l84s.
Will not the tears of bitter repentance, added to
half q dozen years of good works." wash out
and cancel that one false step? But the Er.
anei,aer, like most Southern men, is sure to re.
mind his slave, who has once run away, of that
objectionable sin, at every recurring fit of dis
pleasure. We pity the Virginia slave who is
subject &c an unreasonable, passionate, and
headstrong master Or Overseer; but it would be
difficult to awaken sympathy for the white
slave of the North, whether his punishment has
been inflicted for treachery, or for an excess of
"fawning and fiattery," which has awakened
disgust and impotence. They will cry in vain,
"our punishment is greater than we can BEAR"
and will meet with no commiseration except
from their fellow doughfaces.
| The MoRMoNs IN TRoUBLE.-The last advi-
ces from Utah indicate that the Mormons are
realizing the truth of the maxim, that misfor
tunes come not singly." The grasshopper
plague, as we have heretofore learned, threat
ems them with famine by destroying their crops !;
and now a moral leprosy has invaded their
harems, and destroyed the peace of the saints.
| II Soano fbot the Tinted States soldiers latelv