The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-05-30
THE NEW YORK DEMOCRACY AND
THE SLAVERY QUESTION-lMPOR-


TANT MOVEMENT.
A manifesto has been recently issued in
New York by one hundred gentlemen, mot IN
the name or under the authority OF any or
ganized body, but as indiridual Democrats
and under the responsibility OF their own
signatures. These gentlemen are not men,
bers of the Republican party, but on the
cor,,,rv voted at the last State Election for
the Soft Shell, or Administration Democratic
ticket. Among the signcrs are several State
officers. members of Congress and State
Senators of former years, and others who
have for years been recognized us among the
most earnest, active, efficient reliable standard
bearers of the great Democratic party which
rallied round jackson and Van Buren,, and
gave the vote Of the Empire State to Polk
and Pierce.
In reference to the Democratic National
Platform Of 1852, the renewal of the slavery
agitation in 1854, by the passage Of the Ne
braska- Arkansas bill, and the agency of Presi.
dent Pierce in bringing about that renewal,
the signers Of the manifesto say:
"The application of the prohibitory clause
In the bill organizing the Territory OF Oregon,
to that part Of Texas lying north of 36 deg.
80 min; the admission of California asa free
State: and the acknowledged force and SUI
premacy Of the iocal laps against involuntary
seryitude in New Mexico and Utah while in
Territorial condition, served in a measure to
orjet the apurehensions Of the Free States,
and repare the public mind for an acquies-
cenoc IN the "t,cmprcmise Measures" of 1850.
Long and violently agitated rs the community
lind been. il readily sank into repOse on the
assurance thus held out that the vexed cues
lion WINS firmly settled, by concurrent events,
noainst Slavery Extension. The National
Conventions OF both political parties deliber.
a,ely resolved against all further disturbance
of the subject, and pledged themselves to
withstand all attempts at its renewal, "in
Congress or out OF il, any pretext whatever.
On this platform of abstinence from agita-
ton, the Democratic party elected its Pres
Dental candidate. To the accomplishment Of
this result, the individuals whose names are
hereto subscribed, cheerfully give hcir votes
and influence; aud when they heard the Pr.si.
dent OF their choice, before high Heaven and
.'S "SochoNo So"e't" e'r NeS'"ic HIS Soiesih
determination to irown Indignantly on any
and every attempt to revive agitation, they
felt themselves relieved from n responsibility
of more than ordinary magnitude, by the u.s.
surance that, in no possible contingency,
could any aggressive measure escape the or
deal Of the Executive department of the
Government
Alas for the mutabil,ity of human progress!
had ..xt. H.. I.... Il
become dry before there WAS concocted
measure Of nggression, mere bold in its as
sumptions, more unbushing IN its effrontery,
than men in power had ever dared to hope
for, far less propose. And this scheme, un.
demanded by any public cxigcncy, the delb-
crate violation OF plighted faith held sacred
6y all parties for more Cha" quarter OF a
,.; ,y' ."1 a"su'su a".onge' " seo"on".
which hnd ever preceded il received The di.
rect encouragement and official sanction of
Franklin Pierce, the sworn defender of the
o" W. "s", .,'', 10y as'oH
,hro,,a,, .nb;t;ou mr. cowordi,s ,h,ouub cL;'
,,nerv or brnvoao this net of trenson Inward
Er..dom and n Nnr,bern cons,itnencv was
,ccomnl;sbad Wa shall nat ondenvor 10 deter,
,n;ra Eno,,nL That throurh ;ts ;nstru,ncn.
tnIi,y the aoo5cates Of sectional strife hive
L.sn NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. tba, hy n the De.
,uncrocv of ,he Free states boys heen every.
>yhcre Observation-Disclosures thut nv Il the
-r..nn,. ~ ;i,..,,, 1. ,hr.s,.,ed with destruc-
,inn r. ,b, fame IF anarchy and civil war
IT.,ar, h,s LnnJ..J d,uu u, stcrnoI ;ofamv
tho names If men celebrated .or deeds Of
fniv mr. If crime. hnt if tbe scencs in process
~ .n,c,msnt shall eventu,te in fratricida
SioodshaJ ~, ,he nl,;ns of Konsos there will
J.. ~, ,mor. Ior,,, " enduring n;lorv M name
,,oro sv.,.r,t.d In all rom;n9 time thon his
,.,h, with sv.rv ~ ncs;vahle mo,;v. for fdcIi.
tv ~ m. nance and nrosnerity Of the country.
GOT ch"so 70 hazard hath. in clntching after
on,;n,,aJ nraroco,;ys and nowsrn
,r, A.. M..;c..,o :, ,..;u i.
nc s'g"e's " ~o ''"''e''o' VIII We
seen, all voted for Gen. Pierce.
Speaking of the position always occupied
by the Democracy of New York on the slave
nv question, these influential and well known
Democrats say:
"Nor is II necessary that we should trace
Through successive years the declarations
placed upon record by the Democracy OF New
York, as TO the place occupied by them in the
controversy between Slavery and Freedom.
The sentiment of opposition to the extension
of Slavery ia too wide. spread and universal to