Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-09-13

,pIe Was ~ dOanaon the Democratic Aelm a.
Don as the number Of the Union containing thi,
article reached Richmond, the Examiner opened
lpon it. As soon as il reached South Carolha,
The Charleston Mercury and South Caroiinean,
md other southern papers opened upon it. The
sentence above quoted was copied by the Know
iothing papers in Tennessee during or preceding
he canvass there, as evidence Of Democratic un-
oundness on the slavery question.
The Union gave an explanation or truo ''con-
rnction" Of this sentence Of its articles Of course
We promptly, gave the Union the benefit Of .
explanation or construction. We did 80 in thes,
words:
the Democratic Position on the Slavery
Question, a E1pounaed by the "tnion"
"THEsE TRUTHS WILL COMMAND READY ASSENT
AID DEMONSTRATE THE PROPOSITION THAT No
PARTY EMBRACING MEMBERS AT the NORTH AMI
rHE SouTH CAN DE NATIONAL on HARMONIOUS
IN us ORGANIZATION WHICH DOES NOT EXCLUDE
fHE QUESTION OF SLAVERY FROM lis CREED"
The article Of the Union entitled The Demo
cratic Position on the Slavery Question:" has
been the subject OF SO much comment that We ex-
tract from il the above, for the purpose OF saying
that the Onion desires to be understood III the
above extract, and in the article Of which it is an
CAIdILs dS having lcltIcHCt 10 TIE GJsgdCt UueS
lion Of slavery.
In lis issue Of Saturday last the Union says:
1T was not candid in the .iIercury 10 say that
we had made any reluctant confession. What we
Iad sand was, that 40 patty coua be aGlionai if The
abstract question u siaoery (by which we meant the
question whether slavery is moral, social, and
political good or evil) lcas mate c test II party
ddeiuy."
The proposition Of the Union thus construed
so lar from beng objectionable, is and has been
universally admlttea--inGeed is the trlest ol
truisms.
me article Of the Union OF June 3, Of which
the sentence at the head Of this article is an ex-
tract, contains the following:
''We think it may be safely assumed that an
agreement OF opinion on the suhj.ct between
northern and southern men j. an npossibility;
and in looking at the dangers insoirtd In The cues
ioa and IN seeking for The means If arodiRg those
dangers, il is UNSUITABLE 10 act upon The assump
ton that all hope OF ever etfeciing such agree
ment is impossible
Construc this sentence as the Union desires il
To he construed, and we cannot see any dangers
involved in the (abyiracD question. The South
has never asked Of the North any expression Of
sentiment on the abstract question: The South
has never asked more than that the expressed
md implied pledges Of the Constitution be carried
out.
Though we cannot agree with the Onion that
there dangers involved in the abstract question
OF slavery, We give it the benefit Of its own con
structions
We say we cannot iorbcar congratulating our
selves on the humble par; We took in drawing out
the explanation Of tile Uni9n. >
But for this explanation how awkward would
be The present attitude Of the Union. Dcnounc-
ing tie New York Knownothings for their resolu-
tons ignoring slavery, and then to be confronted
wi tn its own words unexplained! 1.-THE explana,
ton of the Union that it '',aeanl" the abstract
question of slavery had been deferred until now,
it is easy to sec that il would not meet the ready
and general credence it has done.
We do not wish to be understood as being com
mitted by our course towards the Union to be-
lieve the New York Know-nothings if they say
| that they mean the abstract question.
| Credulity has its limits