Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1856-04-09


VOL. NC. ~.
tvsou rusnsmi Aaszsans, for Apss.1 4
FINE REAL QUEsTION. 81 4, 3 - =
i Tbs recent exciting and protsscssd eo,t.st !.
70 the organization Of Congress, was sienidosnS
In moro respects than one tt wss tnp1cs]
symptom Of general state, showing I iirSs
amount Of dsrangcmcnh andyet . tendency e
cooperation. lsse - a;as
| We saw the representatives Of the peopls
brought to complete deadlock BY the antaeo-
nism OF parties each pulling different way, With
no one strong enough to prevail, and no two
| seemingly ready to coalesce. For two months.
nearly, the usual course Of lec;slation va sns.
pended on the settlement offs preliminary die-
pute as to the Speakcrship. Yet the House of
Representatives was mover more truly reprcsen.
tative than in this temporary paralysis al ita
fcnctions for the whole nation Is in pretty near
the Same prcdicsment. It's politics are discusse-
ted, II we may use the expression, not BY wen.
defined parties, but BY numerous opposing ftac-
tons. Their conflicts, but for tho seriousness
Of the subjects involved. would exhibit as droll
spectacle as Marryatt describes in his triangu.
lar duel. The Republicans, taking 4 pistol in
either hand, FIRE away at the Democrats and tho
americans, doing the same, FIRE at the Republi-
cans ana the Democrats; while the Democrats,
again discharge their pieces at the Americans
and the Republicans. Everybody shoots sf az.
erybody else; and everybody, let him aim in what.
ever direction he will, Is sure to aim At an enc.
my, who Is also aiming at him, thus rendering the
exposure equal, and the chances Of sudden dis
astes somewhat even. II was evident, however,
during the struggle in the House, in spite Of tho
seeming and Asuperfcial differences Of opinion
smong the sevcssa factions, that. there was, rad
icaiiy, out single issue. Each member felt,
as he gave his vote for rhis or that candidate.
though he was not always ready 10 ayow II. that
the turning-point of al was the question Of slav.
cry. All the other Questions, which may have
operated in forming little knots Of voters, were
incidental, or aside, like the small edtlies which
whirl about in tho very current ofthe principal
the hosts between which the real battle was
fought, while they who shouted for Fuller Zolli.
koffer, and what not, were only deserters from
the main ranks, or csmp-followers, and marplots.
Nor were leaders ever chosen with more In.
stinctive wisdom, considering the pcculiarity of
their relations to this predominant issue. Mr..
Banks was man Of the people, who had risen
by his own efforts from an humble mechanical
occupation to q high political Office; while Mr..
Aiken was q Shareholder, one Of the wealthiest
Of his class endowed with all the better qualities
his geographical convictions. Mr.. Banks repre-.
sented the State Of Massachusetts, best
example of free condition Of society to be =
found on the face of the earth; while Mr. Aiken
represented South Carolna--long distinguished
as the ablest exponent of both the opinions and
influences OF tie slave-civilization. In these,
their champions, therefore, the two social sys-
tens Of the North and South were pitted against
each other, and, for the first time so openly and
AL oc AZ,
In the same way the nation, in the midst Of
the parties and the agtations by which 1t is dis
tracted recognizes the fundamental and vital
question to be that of slavery. Wink II out of
sight as we may, or complicate it as we may, 10
cannot be disguised that slavery is the single
real element fparty divisions Openly or Sc
crety, fercely at loggerheads about this mat
ter. Every ancient party. organization has been
sundered by it, and their members, in forming g
new party ties, are almost exclusively controlled
by it. The first condition they enact, before
80 of the slavery question:, .s as5sa,
i But what is the slavery question: What il
the real issue at the bottom of the excitement
which gathers about this word slavery, as nu-
cleuss Let us answer, In the first place, that it
is not question as to the merits of slavery in
itself, or rather in its adaptation to those com.
munities in which 1t already exists. With the
exception ofa certain class of philanthropists,
who conceive it their duty to wage war against
every form of what they deem injustice every
where, we know of no class in this countr who
wish to interfere with these communities. At
any rate, there is distinct or formidable polit-
ical party protesting such an object A great
many individuals at the North, as freemen, not
Indifferent to the cause of humanity, claim tho
right to consider and criticize Southern society,
Just as they do the various societies of Europe !,
and Asia. But the great body of the people
neverevinced any aggressive disposition beyond
that and willing to leave the practical treat
mcnt of slavery, in the States, to those who
know its evils, and are to be presumed best able
to devise remedy. What coucerns them sole
ly and exclusively is the relation of slavery to
their own interests and responsibilities. It
might be conceded that the peculiar socialism Of
the South is the best for it, under the crcum-
stances, that human wisdom can conceive; or,
that it has the divine sanction-being equally
beneficial to the white and black races without
touching the marrow of our public dispute.
| For the real question, let US remark, in the
second place, arises out Of the struggle of two
incompatible orders of civilization for the mas
terry of common field. It has fallen to the lot
of this country to make the attempt to confed-
crate series of states, separated by two distinct
social systems; and, though the attempt is not
impracticable in itself, nor was it impracticable
under the original conditions nor is it yet i'm
practicable, could these conditions be adhered to
1.-The actual working of the experiment has de-
veloped broad and serious antagonism. The
evidences of latent difference have appeared,
from time to time, from the beginning; but they
we're adjusted by our wise statesmen Of the past,
as they appeared, on the principle Of peaceful
compromise. In late fatal and perfdious hour,
however, that principle was flung to the winds,
and the elements of discord left to the chance
of a hand-to-hand encounter. As the first re-
suit of the abandonment, the western breezes
brought to our ears, from the plains Of Kansas,
murmurs of warlike preparations; even as we
write
Yrom c,mn 70 comn ,b,ou,t the ,o,,, vomb a, ,,vh,
The hum Of either army stiIy sounds" '''s'' =.
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snu a ons .L 49, AZ as o;., ;, Snan oe Pc.
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uis1an' MAJ aaan.saue son.uues h.. -
ue SInosesy' T.r pSsseen S..s Nnas may 20 'eI'
s.nt. Va ,,so .ao.s I &C.. ho,,r .h pre-.
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das.S ss 1ne .. .ne o.ner snan m .he
ieuerai sosern'hen., anu, seconoiy, Whe.ncr ths