Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-09-20
TUESDAY MORNING, SEPT. IS, 1885.
Quite a Mistake-

Quite a Mistake.
We have no wish to interfere between the
Sentinel and the "tripplcd-starred correspon-
dent )" but we desire simply to suggest to
the Sentinel that the issue between the polit-
ical parties AT this time is not Colonization or
Emancipation, but the extension or the aoa-er- |
tension of slavery.-JouynaL.
The extension or non-extension of slavery |
is an incident of which designing men avail
themselves in their struggle for power. This
idea is fully expressed by Mr.. JEFFERSON in
his letter to Mr.. PISCKNEY, which we quoted
yesterday in our article on Geographical
Lines, and we refer the Journal to tina. letter
as one which touches the very heart of the
matter. Among other things he said-"Th
Missouri; question lis merely II party trick.
The leaders of federalism, defeated in their
schemes of obtaining power by %allying par
tisans to the principles of monarchism, a prin-
ciple of personal not of local division, have
changed their tack, and thrown out another
barrel to the whale. They are taking adj
vantage of the %virtuous feelings of the peo-
pie to effect q division of parties by a geo.
graphical line they expect that this will en-
sure them, on local principles, the majority
they could never obtain on principles of fed
eralism but they are still putting their
shoulder to the wrong wheel; they are vast
ing Jeremiajs on the miseries of slavery, as
if we were advocates for it. Sincerity in
their declarations should direct their efforts
to the true point of difficulty, and unite
their c%ounsels with ours in devising some
reasonable and practicable plan of getting rid
of it."
These sentiments ale not like those of the
Journal. The Journal says:
"Let the States that have taken the viper
into their bosoms, nourish it till it eats out
their vitals, if they choose. That is their
business.
Mr.. JEFFERSON says:
Sincerity in their declarations should
direct their efforts to the true point of diff
Guilty, and unite their c~ounsels with ours in
devising some reasonable and practicable plan
of getting rid of it"
In fact, all the quotations made by us on
Monday bear directly on the suggestions OF
the Journal, and we commend them to its
attention, particularly the confession Of its
own friend HLDRETH.
On the extension of slavery, in a letter to
LAFAYETTE, vol. z, p. 194. Mr.. JEFFERSON
, says:
b at is not a moral question, but one merely
of power. Its object is to raise a geographi.
cal principle for the choice of a president
, and the noise will be kept up till that it effect.
|, ed. All know that permitting the slaves Of
the South to spread into the West will no.
: add one being to that unfortunate condition
t that it will increase the happiness of those
D existing, and by spreading them over a large
d surface, will dilute the evil every where, and
t facilitate the means Of getting finally rid o
it, an event more ~anxiously wished by those
, on whom it presses than by the noisy pretend
. ers to exclusive humanity. In the mean
q time, it is a ladder for rivals climbing into
n power"
e Mr.. JEFFERSON in his letter to Mr.. PINcK
i NEY, said that Northern men should "unit
= their counsels" with the South to devise some
practicable plan to get rid of slavery; and W.
have contrasted his opinion with the JON,
V naPs. to show the unfriendly and unpatrioti
spirit Of the latter. But his whole politica
|, history, as we'll as the letter to LAFAYETTl
just quoted, show that he would nave repu.
dated the absurd notion that Congress coulC
interfere to prevent the extension of slavery
And herein lie the mistake and delusion O
IS the journal. The extension of slavery can
d not constitutionaHy be a question of nationa
e politics. There is no national tribunal to de
eide it; and from the necessity Of the case i
is local and territorial.
The treaty Of peace made by Great Britain
a after the Revolution, was with thirteen fire.,
and independent sovereign states, acknowl
edged as such by name and severally-
a twelve Of whom were then slave States
These sovereigns formed a treaty of union
commonly called a constitution, on terms o
perfect equality, and appointed a certain
e agency known as Congress to attend to thei
joint business.
8 The Abolitionists now ask thisa agent, tn,
mere creature of the States, to discriminate
: between its employers, and to refuse to a par
of them any participation in their common
property, Of which it had been invested witt
Il the temporary management for the benef
of all.