The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-07-26
THE RELIGIOUS PREss-TYE "UNDYING
QUESTION"

The power Of the religious press upon sub
jects vitality important to the highest interests
of our country is beginning to be felt. The
Nesg York Observer still holds on1ts most emf
nently conservative course. When the Ne
braaka bill was being passed, it did wake up
from its paralyzed condition, to utter some faint
warnings against the contamination of that
fraud upon the free States. But when it be-
came an act of Congress, nothing more was
heard of it in the columns Of that paper.
Not so of the other presses of the land.
We copy the following article from the New
York. ErdmiRer--a new name to the old NeW
York RecOrder-being new series, combining
two of the largest Baptist prints in the State of
New York-the Recorder, of the city, and the
Register of Utica. This paper is now edited
by S. S. Cutting and Edward Bright, whose col
umns, we doubt not will be worthy of their
pens; and when they print they will say some
thing. We hope the patronage to this new Sc
tists A vigilant, central publication among
that numerous sect cannot be too highly valued
and commended. We copy the following from
No. ] of the Examiner
THOUGHTS ON CURRENT EVENTS-TIIE INDY
ING QUESTION
On the fourth day of March, in the year
eighteen hundred and thirty-seven, the crowd
around the steps Of the Capitol, to witness the
Inauguration of new President, heard from
his bps the gratutous menace of veto, in case
certain legislation relating to the subject Of
Slavery should pass the Houses of Congress.
We may begin here to reckon series Of una
vailing measures to stife this pregnant ques.
ton; and if we discern no Providence, and
hear no Divine Voice in the history, it can be
only because we are of those who seeing see
not, and hearing hear not, and will not under
stand. That this threatened veto was intended
to suppress popular discussion, by shutting out
from political favor all who should engage in
it, is too manifest to be doubted. The menace
was without meaning on any other supposition.
And yet how powerless was it, with reference
to its object The very winds are not more
free, nor the waters of the river more unstay-
ing, than was the course of popular discussion.
People thought, and wrote, and talked, and
printed, about Slavery, just as if no veto had
been threatened-perhaps never with greater
effect than during that very year.
1t was about this time that the question of
the annexation of Texas, then a cloud no bigger
than mans hand, began to introduce itself TO
an incredulous public. The prophetic Chan
ming discerned the character OF the omen, and
lifted his warning voice. Few sympathized
with his apprehensions. In the course of
few years, however, the question became prac.
teal one. The man who had volunteered to
Slavery the protection of a veto, would not lend
himself to the spread of its domain, and he
was quietly placed upon the shelf. A willing
instrument was selected for the achievement of
that task and, during an excited Presidential
campaign, it was the chief anxiety of leading
politicians to adjust themselves to the issues of
a contest which some supposed would settle the
question of Slavery, by adding to its power
Slavery triumphed. How proudly it bore its
banners aloftl How exultingly it exclaimed,
81 sit queen, and shall see no sorrow !"
Mark now the current of events. In ali the |
Union, there was no State more reliable for the |
party an power than the State of New Hamp- |
shire. A member of Congress, a candidate |
for re election, refused to adopt the Texas pat !
form, and was promptly erased from the list. !
But he went to the people on that issue. 1t |
was the only instance in which popular vote
was ever taken on the Texas question directly. |
And by this hesom even New Hampshire was
swept. John P. Hale, the martyred candidate
for the House, was crowned with the higher |
honors of the Senate, and there for six years /
he was living testimony to the impossibility |
of crushing the question of Slavery by political
devices.
Providence had in store other events. The
close of the Mexican war added vast area TO |
our territories, and the inevitable question came
up, shall it be bond or free? A prohibitory
prociso rendered the name of a PENNSYLVANIA |
member of Congress historical. The discovery
of gold in California drew thither, with I'M
precedented rapidity, population of sufficient
numbers to organize a new State, and they
asked admission to the Union, under Constit1-
ion which forbade Slavery. Thus was the
country prepared for the intense agitation of
1850, when sectional issues were regarded "a