The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-04-24
THE LESSONS OF SIXTEEN YEARS.

WHICH we hnu ~ necessary 10 represent, ana
press upon the attention of our readers with
an importantly that must almost weary them.
Still, so important are tho lessons they teach,
that we cannot permit them to be for a moment
lost sight of
In 1910, two parties struggled for the ascen-
dency-the Democratic, in possession of the
Federal Power, the Wing, seeking it. The
main body of the latter, composed of men
holding certain views in relation to the politi-
co-economical functions of Government, did
not put these forth as the issues of the can
vass, but assailed their adversaries on general
grounds, for the purpose of rallying all Sec
tons of the opposition. The Administration
was corrupt-profigate-wasteful-change was
necessary-surely every patriot would agree
that it would be a gain to secure at least
more respectable and less corrupt Administra-
ton. This being the policy, the composite
party selected their candidate, not from the class
of men who had signalized themselves by the
advocacy of Wing views and measures, for it did
not believe the Opposition could be rallied on
that basis. 1t simply sought power, its mana
gers calculating that, were this once secured,
they could contrive to use it for the promotion
of whatever views they deemed important. Ac-
cordingly, the candidate selected was without
antecedents in politics; not identified with any of
the controversies of principle that had divided
parties; against whom nothing could be said
politically, because he had done nothing politi-
cally; for whom much might be said person
ally, because once, at period so far distant as
to make keen criticism impossible, he had won
respectable military reputation. The Slave
Power was then the governing influence of the
country, just as it is now; but the two great
parties raised no question concerning its pre-
tensions-they stood substantially on the same
ground in relation to it, both acknowledging
its power by nominations acceptable TO it.
Such was the character of the struggle in
1910, when q small body of voters appeared
on the stage, challenging the policy of both
Wings and Democrats, boldly arragning them
for overlooking the real Evil of American Poll
tics-SLAvERY DOMINATION and assuming
that, so long as this Evil was recognised, &C.
quiesced in, and perpetuated by their action,
ii mattered little, so far as the permanent inter
ests of the country were concerned, which of
them triumphed. This body of voters, styled
the Liberty Party, selected candidate, repre-
senting the policy Of antagonism open and
direct 10 the Stare Po,cer, with frmness
and clear sightedness almost unexampled in
political warfare, resisted all attempts to draw
them into the ranks of the Opposition, and
voted for their own nomination. A few thou.
sands against many hundreds of thousands,
they were of course stigmatized as visionary
and fanatical but what did the country gain
from the triumph of an Opposition ioithom Prin.
ciples9 A President, who died in a few days
and an acting President, who utterly bafled
the cherished policy of the Northern Wings,
but belonging to the slaveholding caste, initia-
ted the scheme for the annexation of Texas
with Slavery, and appointed as Secretary of
State the champion Of the Nullifers, who, in
his negotiations on the subject, openly rested
the policy of annexation On the necessities of
the Slave Power. Thus was a movement, car
ried on without Principle, headed by man
without antecedents, advocated merely on the
ground that it was necessary to place power
into new hands, converted to the uses of Sla-
very Propagandism. And thus was the wis
dom of the few thousands of voters who had
resisted both Parties, indicated.
This is the first fact.
In 1874, the question of the annexation of
Texas was fairly before the People The two
Parties again took the field. This time, the
Wing Party proper determined to test the
force of its peculiar principles, by frankly pro-
claiming them, and setting up, as their candi
date, the man most distinguished for their
advocacy. But, blindness still afflicted the
leaders. Neither Party confessed the real
evil of the countryside domination Of the
SLaUe P5wer-both, composed of Northern
and Southern Sections, Shareholders and Nom
Shareholders, stood pledged to let it alone.
But, the Wing Party North was opposed to
the annexation of Texas-and the Wing Party
South was willing to forego that measure for
the present, for the sake of a victory. Mr. Clay,
therefore, put himself on compromise ground,
and declared opposition to the annexation of
| Texas, unless it could be accom- plished without
war; without fraud, without dishonor-discard-
| ing, however, all considerations relating to
| Slavery. "How can you hesitate" urged his
advocates upon the Liberty Party, "to support
him? Is not his position in all respects pref
cradle to that of his opponent? Surely, here
| is a practical question. How can you excuse
yourselves for not uniting with us, and oppo-
sing annexation? What was the answer ?
Henry Clay is a member Of the Slaveholding
| Caste-he is hostile to any abatement of its
power-Liberty has nothing more to gain per-
manently from his election, than from that Of
his opponent: both your Parties stubbornly
refuse to recognise the real Evil of the coun-
| try-the success of either will be a positive
gain to it; as to this temporary question OF
Texas, your candidate is opposed only to i'm
mediate annexation, not ultimate-to annexa-
ton by fraud or violence, not by peaceful
negotiation--if elected, the project will only be
postponed, to be accomplished in manner less
calculated TO awaken Indignation and open the
eyes of the Northern People to the usurpations
of Slavery"
The Liberty men persisted-they were not
to be seduced or bewildered by considerations
of temporary policy-ffteen thousand votes
cast by them in the State of New York defeat
ed the Wing Party in that State and in the
Union meantime, they had multiplied twelve
fold.
This is the second great fact.
In 1913, the Availability Experiment of ls4C
was repeated. The agitation of Slavery had
at last through the efforts of the Liberty