The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-11-06

the territory was divided, Slavery being ex-
without Introduction south of that line. The
policy of Intervention was established north,
that of Non Intervention, south. The En-
quirer represents this rs an aggression Of the
North: it sought to exclude the South from
all the territory, and demanded for itself the
right to monopolize it 1t did no such thing.
The Party of Freedom, now unhappily confined
chiefly to the free States, sought to establish
in all the Territory the original policy of the
Government, on which in the beginning all
sections had agreed: it sought to exclude, not
Southern men, but Slavery-to enact one law
of Freedom, applying equally to all emigrants
to the Territory, whether from the North or
the South. The struggle was one, between an
established Policy, and an Innovation-intrin-
sically between Principles, not Sections.
Meantime, the two Parties in the States, act
ing locally, adopted the same Principle of In
tervention, but applied it in different way.
The Party of Freedom succeeded in effecting
emancipation in several States and labored
earnestly, and at one time hopefully, for the
same end, in Virginia, Maryland, and Ken
lucky, but ultimately failed. On the other
hand, the Party of Slavery, stimulated and
interest, invested in Slave Labor, overshadow
ing and subordinating all other interests, be-
came the ruling party in all the slave States,
and resorted to the most rigorous measures to
suppress all opposition or remonstrance. After
its signal Federal triumph in l8l9-'2O, Anti
Slavery societies gradually ceased in the slave
holding States, freedom of speech and of the
press On the subject was from time to time
abridged, until, in 1888, Mr.. Calhoun, availing
himself of the excitement kept up at the North
on the subject of the evils of Slavery, gave
such form, direction, and power, to the Slavery
Extensionists, that putting down all discussion
concerning Slavery at the South, they were
able to WELD its political forces as unit, and
to govern the North, divided by warning par
ties.
From that hour, there has been no check to
the progress of this Party, no limit to its de-
mands. The history of the country, since
1888, has been history of encroachments by
the Slavery party. 1t planted Slavery in Texas,
robbed Mexico of that State, forced it into the
Union, with the help of of its Northern allies,
cheating them with deceptive provision against
the existence of Slavery in States that might
thereafter be formed out of Texas, north of
$50 3O/. 1t plunged into war with Mexico,
hoping to secure a portion of her territory on
the Pacific ocean, which would enable it to
belt the Continent with Slavery. 1t attempted
to resist the admission Of California, which
Unexpectedly had formed itself into free State,
and yielded at last only on condition of the
passage of Fugitive Slave Act, dsgraceful
to civilization, and perpetual affront to the
free States, and on condition of the surrender
of the policy of Slavery restriction in relation
to New Mexico and Utah.
In 1854, it announced boldly the doctrine that
slaves are property under the Federal Consti-
tuition, that Shareholders have the right to car
ry them, like other property, into all Territories
of the Union, that the Federal Government has
no right to intervene against them, but that it
is bound to intervene for them, to protect them
in the exercise of the right-and, to carry out
this doctrine, they repealed the Missouri Com
promise, so far as it embraced the principle of
Intervention against Slavery, and, to make In
tervention for Slavery effectual, appointed,
through President Pierce, Pro-Slavery judges
and ministerial officers, and sent into the Ter.
ritory Of Kansas armed bands of Slavery-P Prop
uganda, to elect its Legislature, and legislate
Slavery into the Territory.
We mark, then, three epochs in our history:
That of Intervention against Slavery outside
of the States;
That of Compromise between Intervention
and Nonintervention;
That of Intervention for Slavery outside of
the States; or,
That Of the Ascendency of Slavery Restric-
tionists, commanding a majority of the People
of the Northern and Southern States;
That of the Equilibrium of the two PARTIES
the Slavery Rsstrictionists and Slavery Exten-
sionists
That of the Ascendency of the Slavery Exten-
sionists, commanding majority of the People
of the Northern and Southern States.
In 1889, the policy of the Federal Govern
ment was Slavery Restriction in 1920, it was
compromised; in 1854, abandoned. And now.
in 1856, the men who have forced upon us the
new, barbarous, and disgraceful policy, threaten,
should the party of Freedom succeed in elect.
ing as President, a representative of the origi
nal, humane, and honorable policy of Slavery Re-
striction, that they will dissolve the Union, as if
the Union were formed, to spread the curses of
Slavery, instead of the blessings of Liberty!
We write this article pending the great strug
gle between the two Parties for ascendenc1.
The Richmond (Va.) Enquirer says the only
way to settle the controversy, is, by conceding
all that the Slavery Extensionsts demand-the
right to carry slaves wherever they please. This
is one way, certainly, of settling the question.
So, the controversy between King and Parlia.
ment in Britain might have been settled, by the
submission of the latter; and the quarrel be-
tween Turkey and Russia might have been set.
tied without war, had the Sultan yielded to the
dictation of the Gear. So might there be peace
in Europe, would the People only submit to
the demand of the reigRing monarchs-let
US alone. That is one way of settling Difficult.
ties. Another way is, for the Right to assert
and enforce itself. Cur way of settling the
Slavery Controversy is, to re-establish the orig
inal policy of the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
against Slavery outside of the States-Savery
Prohibition in the Territories of the Union.
With this policy in force, We avoid complications
and embarrassments, foreign and domestic, about
Cuba, Mexico, and Central America. With the
Policy of Slavery Expansion in force, we are