The American patriot., 1855-06-30

exemption from this disease in the North, but
the following article taken from the Washing
ton Union, the organ of their party in the Uni
ted States, fully and strongly sustains the view
we have taken of the matter, and shows that
the Democracy is in even worse condition
upon the snbject of slavery than the Native
American Order. We commend it particular
ly to the careful perusal of every one who de.
sires correctly to understand the true cond.
ton of things.
The Democratic Position on the Slavery
Question.
The abstract question of slavery has been the
subject of earnest and elaborate discussion in the
different sections Of the confederacy for many
years, but we are unable to discover any evidence
of an advance towards On agreement betwixt the
disputants. Those who are opposed to slavery be-
they regard it as an immoral institution have
not been convinced by the reasoning of those who
maintain that it violates no moral obligation or
Christian duty On the other hand, the advocates
of slavery legal and moral institution have
found nothing in the arguments Of its opponents to
weaken their original opinions. As to whether the
institution is moral or immoral, or whether it il
social political blessing evil the question is
as far from settlement as it was when the discus
sion commenced. Perhaps it would be more
strictly accurate to say that the only effect Of the
discussion has been to strengthen the original con-
victions of the contestng parties. The northern
man who was educated to regard slavery as great
moral and social wrong adheres to the opinion
an instinct of his nature The southern man who
has been familiar with the institution from his
childhood, and has been taught from his earliest
recollection to regard it entirely consistent with
morality and the teachings of the Bible, still cher
ishes the same sentiments. We think it may be
safely assumed thatan agreement of opinion on the
subject between northern and southern men is an
impossibility; and in looking at the dangers nvolv
ed in the question: and in seeking for the means Of
avoiding those dangers it is ustfable to act upon
the assumption that all hope of ever eccting such
agreement is impossible.
If we are right in assuming that the North and
the South can never hamonize the abstract
subject Of slavery, it follows that there be no
such things national parties except upon the ba-
sis of an entire exclusion of the subject from their
political crecds. No mathematical proposition is
true than that the only basis Of party organi-
zation is an agreement amongst those who enter
into it upon the subjects which they recognize as
belonging to its creed. They may differ as widely
as is possible as to all subjects not embraced by
their party creed, but to be harmonious inside Of
their organization they must have common senti-
These truths will command ready assent, and they
demonstrate the proposition that no party embra-
cling members at the North and the South can be
national or harmonious in its organization which
tloes not exclude the question of slavery from its
creed. IF northern men insist upon migrating up
their party creed the doctrine that slavery is
moral or political evil they raise an insuperable
barrier against a harmonious association with
southern men. In like manner, if southern men
insist making it part Of their party creed that
slavery is morally and politically right, they there
by cut off northern menifrom political association
with them. The necessary result, is, that, without
federation of differences of opinion as to the ab-
stra:t question ofslavery, parties are necessarily
sectional, and cannot possibly be national.
The same disagreement between the two sections
as to slavery which exists now has existed from
the beginning of the government, and at that time
constituted of the chief obstacles the forma-
ton of constitutional union. 1t resulted in a
compromise, which was intended to be a perma.
nent rule for avoiding future dissensions between
the different sections Of the confederacy. The de-
mOcratc party bases its claim to nationality upon
the fact that, whilst it recognizes the validity and
obligatory character Of the compromises of the
constitution, it denies to the federal government
any right to interfere with the question Of slavery
beyond the instances specified in the constitu-
tional compromises. The action Of the democrats
in the adoption of the measures Of 1850 was based
upon the principle that Congress could not right
fully intervene as to slavery, except in the matters
expressly enumerated in the constitution. The act
for the organization of Kansas and Nebraska was
based upon the same principle of congressional
non-ntervention and it is upon this principle alone
that any party can be NATIONAL that the federal
Union can be perpetuated As it may not be a.
miss at this time to to the authentic position
of the democratic party the subject of slavery,
we reproduce so much Of the democratic platform
as embraces that portion. We quote from the last
Baltimore resolutions:
80. That Congress has no power under the
constitution to interfere with or control the do
mestic institutions Of the several States and that
such States are the sole and proper judges Of eve
rything appertaining to their affairs, not pro-
hibted by the constitution; that all efforts of the
aboltionists or others made to induce Congress to
interfere with questions of slavery or to take in
eipient steps in relation thereto calculated to
lead to the most alarming and dangerous conse-
quences and that all such efforts have inevita-
BILE tendency to diminish the happiness of the peo.
pie and endanger the stability and permanency of
the Union, and ought not to be countenanced by
any friend Of our political institutions.
"Resolued, That the foreign proposition covers,
and was intended to embrace, the whole subject of
slavery agitation in Congress and therefore the
Democratic party Of the Union, standing on this
national platform, will abide by and adhere to a
faithful execution of the acts known as the COM
promise measures settled by the late Congress, the
act for reclaimng ugtves from service or labor in
cluded; which act, being designed to carry out an
express provision of the constitution cannot with
fidelity thereto be repealed or so changed as to de-
stroy or impair its efficiency.
" Resolped, That the Democrntic party will re-
sist all attempts at renewing, in Congress or out of
it, the agitation of the slavery question, under
Whatever shape or color the attempt may be made"
The broad ground q hsse .aien .sa: :se dH