The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-09-01


in q clear, distinct and slrarsiy defined issue.
This issue is, shall African slavery be excluded
fsoa or established on, the SCH of Kansas? And
the solution of this problem, one way or the
other, is to be determined 'wsh the election Of
tssenDnt or Buchanan If Fremont shall be
elected, it will be equivalent to q verdict from
The American people in behalf Of the admission
Ct Kansas as free State Il Buchanan is elected,
we have no doubt that xe"destiny Of Kansas
will be her admission into the Union as slave
State.
The contest is thus between Fremont and Bu-
rchanan, and Tor Kansas AZ free State or Kan
sas as slave State. The, position Of Fremont
and the party supporting him, is the admission
of Kansas into the Union as free State; and SO
well satisfied are our Southern politicians that
Fremont's election will re tantamount to the
exclusion of slavery from Kansas, that they have
forewarned MS Of the North that his election
will and ought to be the end Of the Union
Mr.. Fillmore and Mr.. Buchanan have both
adopted and recommended this alternative of
Southern secession in the event of Fremont's
success; 50 that both Mr.. Buchanan and Mr.. Fill
more stand upon the same identical platform with
Mr. Toombs, to wit--the admission of Kansas as
a slave State or the dissolution of the Union.
Fremont occupies the more manly, honest and
conservative ground Of submission to the will 81
the people, whether elected O. defeated; but if
elected, he is pledged to carry cut the policy Of
free white labor for Kansas, to the exclusion of
black slave labor. He is out Of the fight in the
Southland Fillmore, in that section, is but
nan of straw; for upon this single issue of kan-
sas, we presume that the vote Of every Southern
State will be cast for Buchanan-erery one.
There can be no mistake in regard to this
solid concentration Of the South upon Bu-
chanan-it is for Kansas as a slave State.
The overwhelming farore for Fremont through
out the North is but the reverse of the picture
it is Cor y kansas as free State Every
man voting for Fremont votes for the exclusion
of black sLagery from Kansas, and the establish
ment of free white labor; every man voting for
Buchanan, o.. lis good man Friday" Nr.,Eil'-
more. votes for the exclusion of free white labor
from Kansas aa1 the substitution of African slave
labor. Kansas, at present, is neutral or debste-
able TerTitory--African slavery does not exist
there except as uaier an armistice; and the mat
ter to be determined is whether this Southern in
stitution shall BE excluded from or permanently
spread over Territory of the Union heretofore
free.
The main and absorbing issue of this remark
able campaign is thna brought out into the bold
est relief. We have .Eever had anything Of the
sor. in any previous contest. The purchases OF
Louisiana and Florida, the annexation of Texas
and the later acquisitions from Mexico, compre-
hended other issues than slavery or slavery ex-
tension. Louisiana, Florida, Texas, Califor-
MIA were each andall, intimately essential to our
commerce, our internal prosperity, and the gen
eral defence and welfare il reference to foreign
Powers: and with these considerations in the
foreground, the question Of slavery became
secondary affair. The Missouri sgitation had no
thing to % with the Presidential election of
1920; nor hsd the election Of 1852 any further
connection with the agitation of 1850 than the
ratification of the compromises then adopted.
This Kansas inbroglio thus comes before us in
q new, striking aud peculiar shape. Kansas is
q Territory already within the Union: aud the
issue pending, therefore, is wholly Independent
of our foreign affairs. IT is purely a domestic
question, social and political. The question is,
shall Kansas be a free State or a slave State and
shall we vote for Fremont or Buchanan The
South have accepted the test and are united
against the North. Shall the North be divided!
The high northern latitude OF Kansas, its
climate, soil and productions, and its an
tcccdents. are all in favor of making
it free State. II can never be de-
yeloped to much advantage to the industry
or commerce of the country az a slave State but
it may become very important producer and
consumer a. a free State Admit II as such, and
a field will be opened for hundreds of thousands
Of Northern laborers aud European immigrants,
who viii otherwise be driven away, but who,
with the State opened to them, would probably.
in half a dozen years. make it equal in weight to
Missouri in both houses of Congress.
With our Southern politicians this is the great
difficulty. Already overshadowed by an over
whelming Northern majority in the House, and
standing only as fifteen States in the Senate
against sixteen. since the admission OF California
the paramount object with the South is Kansas as
political balance of power. Admit her as
slave State. and there is an equilibrium restored
to the South in the Senate, and breakwater
against Northern aggressions. But admit Kan
gas as free State and where. Mr. Toombs will
ask, is there any safety for the South except in
secession and an independent Southern confede-
racy.
This is practical political view Of the subject
excepting the secession alternative. We had that
threat in reference to the admission of California
as a free State and we had couple Of Nashville
conventions and various Southern elections upon
the matter; but where did they all end In the
crushing defeat Of the secessionists from stem to
stern, in acquiescence TO the law. and in the
fusion Of the secessonists Themselves with the YIN
Buren, Buffalo free sellers in 1852 for the spoils.
The South, however, are entitled under the COM