Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-05-28
THE NEW YORK DEMOCRACY.

Freedom to Slavery. We find published an
able manifesto numerously signed by many
who are among the most influential and wor-
thy in their party in the State of New York. I
The address takes ground against the extern
sion of slavery. We make the following ex- |
tracts:
CIT is not our purpose TO analyzc the various |
and contradictory reasons by which Northern |
men have sought to palliate, if not to justify, !
this act Of aggression upon the rights OF the
Free States. There is but one true reason
that can be given, and that reason is in direct
hostility to the settled convictions of 4 vast
majority OF the Democrats of New 1ork, as
reiterated through their conventions during
the last ten years Ifs sole, IFS se!f-ecideHt par
nose 1ucs the Extension Of SIarery That inSti
tuton had been excluded from Kansas and Ne
braska by law enacted under circumstances
WHICH gave it the character Of a solemn COM
pact BY it Kansas was free. and must ever
remain SO. No further legislation was ncces-
sary. 1t required no s'interterence" on the
part of Congress to accomplish this result
! Free by the action of Il previous generation
| free by the acquicsccnce of all parties during
quarter of century-free by the same pow
| er which secured that blessing to Ohio, Hi
/ nois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and iowa.
! Under similar law these States had all been
| organized without excitement, without Yio-
! lcnce. without any alledgcd breach OF conSti-
| tutional rights. and with the entire concur
renee of Southern representatives,.
s.Nor is it necessary that VIC should trace
! through successive years the declarations plac-
! cd upon record by the Democracy of y. York,
as to the place occupied by them in the con
troversy between Slavery and Freedom. The
| sentiment of opposition to the extension OF
! Slavery is too widespread and universal to be
| controverted. In this respect there has been
! little, il any, want Of coincidence between the
sections iuto which the Democratic party has
been divided. If they have differed, 1t has
been as to the time when the restrictive poll
cv should be applied, not as to the propriety oi
the principle itself. On the side OF the r;ldl-
/ cal democracy, the whole current of party de-
clarations is in direction. Even the last
nominating State Convention, held in Septem-
Der last, adopted this authoritative exposition
of the sentiment Of its constituents
| - Reso!red, That while the Democracy of
:. this State will faithfully adhere to all the
q compromises Of the Constitution, and MAIN
{. tian all the reserved rights of the States,
:: they deem this appropriate occasion to
. declare their fixed hostility to the eXtensi on
- of Slavery into Free territory"
ssNo man can with truth assert that this res
olution fails to accord with the feeling enter
tanned by the Democratic masses nor will any
person at all conYersant with the popular seIi-
timent, or the causes operating thereon, VEN
ture the allegation that, in the lapse of three
short months from the adoption of the above
resolution, an entire change has come over the
mind of the Democracy OF this State, turning
them from ardent opponents OF Slavery cXten
| sion into quicscent abettors of its diffusion
, and, above all, approving in their name Of the
monStrous fraud and wrong which repealed
the restriction against the entry of Slavery in
TO all that territory lying north Of the Missou
ri Compromise line.
sit is an erroneous fInputation, propagateC
from unworthy motives, that the course OF thC
| Democracy of New ork, in resisting the eN
tension of Slavery, is actuated by morbid
pllanthropy toward the African race. True
they regard il rs social. moral and politica
evil at war with the fundamental principles o
civil liberty, and delcterious to the true inter
I cSts of the country. But il is because the,
know that wherever Slavery is Introduced
there labor is degraded to scryic employ
ment-that it divides society into two classes
and fixes the badge of ScTyitudc on all Whose
lot it is to tOil-that free and forced labor vii
not amalgamatc on the same soil, and tha
: hence Slavery operates to the virtual cNclu
sion of white laboring population-it is TO
these and many other cogent reasons which
| might be adduced, that We desire to keep th'
! peculiar institution within the present lin
its and preserve the boundless and fertilt
prairicS OF the West as field for free labo
and home for free men; whether our Owl
immediate descendants or those Of the emf
grant fleeing from the oppression OF the ole
world.
s'It is a satisfaction to know that the efforts
OF Democrats in this behalf are in perfect ac
cordancc with the principles and practice o
the illustrious exemplars of their faith. They
content TO rest justification of tho il coursl
on the happy results which have flowed to tn,
country from the benificent operations OF the
Ordinance of 1877, and the similar provision:
which have since been Incorporated and ap
piled in territorial bills; while the names o
Iaff.. M1biS md pSt of fol
lowers, assure us that the platform on which
stand is sufficiently broad, comprehensive
+ and democratic, without adding to it the mar
row, selfish and sectional plank OF Nebraska
kanSasism.
s.Agsinst the Legitimate and constitutions
rights Of the South we wage warfare. To
ward its citizens we entertain no hostility
We concede to them, within their appropriate
: Jurisdictions, the right to regulate their owl
internal affairs in their own way, and accord
ing to their own convictions of propricty.-
But they must cease the attempt to force upor
US an agreement in principles, in regard tC
which there can be no community of feeling
2 and no accordance of action. We warn then
| against placing confidence in the representa-
tions of men who have not the power, even i
, they possess the disposition, TO control tht
votes Of the Democratic electors of the En-
, pire State. These will demand a due respec
for their own rights and proper appreciation
, of the rights of others. They will require
> return tc those principles Of public policy
which shall give to the Democracy of th'
States their true weight and position in the di
rection OF affairs, and secure them against the
abuse of the Federal power. They will asi
n that the aggressive policy which has marked
the onward march of Slavery. shall cease
|, They viii demand for their brethren in Kansa
the just projection to which they arc'enttlec
> against border rufanism, and cessation o
4 that anomaly which, under the appcllation 0
O t.nnnlllar SnYprnirniN . innnSpS linn,l fhnnl