The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-10-23

be equally well suited to people in all other
respects so exactly alike. We must surrender
the doctrine Of STATE Equality AND SLAVE
RY EXTENSION, unless we are prepared to meet
the attacks of Black Republicanism on our
institutions, by making equally rigorous as
saults ON theirs. The PRESIDENT, in his
annual message, has clearly indicated this as
the PROPER MODE OF DEFENCE-tAe
true Gnsioer to Abolition"
Do you, my Buchanan friend, "hold" that
the institutions of the South that is, Sla-
Uery and its extension into free territory-sre
equally rightful, moral, and promotioe Of hu-
man happiness, with the free institutions of the
North If 3d. vote for Mr.. Buchanan directly,
or indirectly by throwing your vote away on
Mr.. Fillmore. If you do not so "hold," then,
is not the North "RIGHT in exerting itself to
the utmost to prevent such extension?" And
will you not vote with the party that is "RIGHT''
on this question? This is the issue. How do
you vOte-for or against?
And how does the South propose to meet
the attacks of the Republicans on her iDstitu-
tons? By vigorous assaults" on ours! What
are the institutions of the North? Free Speech
and Free Press. And that accounts, then, for the
recent vigorous assaults" on the Freedom of
Speech and of the Press in Washington and
Kansas, does it2 And the President "indica-
ted this as the proper mode of de- fence" 1t is
well to think of these things, and then ask,
Who are the men, and what the measures and
doctrines, which l am about to vote for?
call your attention to one more extract upon
the subject of State Equality. 1t is from the
great Dictator, and speaks direct to the point.
You will perceive that it calls it a "new doc
trine;" that the Cincinnati Convention "leaves
no room to doubt its popularity" and that the
" Democracy of the country" THAT means
North and South) yields to it-this new doc
trine "a cheerful, unhesitating, and cordial
assent" 1t also lays out the programme of
what the South must do, in order to render "her
victory complete" in her struggle to carry Sia-
very all over the States and Territories of this
Union. 1t is an interesting article.
From the Richmond Enquirer of June 10, 1856
estate EoUALIrY.-This new doctrine is the
most popular ever preached by political par
ty. In its application to our Territories, it
was formally suggested but few months
since. Yet it already commands the cheerful,
unlhesitating, and cordial assent of the DE-
MOCRACY OF THE COUNTRY, who con-
stitute majority of the people, and is, besides,
approved by erery man soitA a Southern heart
az has bosom, no matter to what party he be-
longs. Many men, loyal to the South, thought
it unsafe to repeal the Missouri Compromise.
They can think 80 no longer, for that Com
promise never did give satisfaction TO North
or South. The North violated it in the case
of California, and originated party the Free
Soilers) whose motto was, no more slave terri
tory. 1t was the fruitful parent of abolition,
because it contained and asserted abolition.
If Government might and should prohibit Sla.
very north of $50 3O/, il might and should
prohibit it in all the Territories. If Slavery
was wrong and inexpedient in the Territories,
it was equally wrong and inexpedient in the
States. There is no excuse left to any South
ern man, whatever, to complain of the repeal
of the Compromise. The Cincinnati C0apen-
ton leares NO ROOM TO DOUBT that the
principle of STATE EQUALITY surpasses that
Compromise IN popularity, NORTH AND
SOUTH.
"We rejoice that the GREAT ISSUE in the cam
vass will TURN ON THIS DOCTRINE, because it
will force the South into defending Slavery on
principle. She contends now for its equal &C.
tension sciM other social forms, and must
contend that it is equally scOrthy of extension.
Her old grounds of apology and excuse will
avail her nothing. She must examine his
tory and statistics, and prove that slaves are
as well provided for, AZ happy and contented
in the general, AS HIRED LABORERs. She can
easily show that they are better off in all these
respects than hiretings, and, besides, far less
addicted to crime. She must also show that
slaveowners are the equals in morality, piety,
courage, and intelligence, to bosses and EN-.
plOyers. 1t will be easy TO prove that they
are their supsriOrs. IL aoiU only remain for
her to sho,o that the BIBLE sanctions Slavery.
AND HER VICTORY WILL BE COMPLETE"
Notice one thing in this extract: "If Slavery
is wrong and inexpedient in the Territories, it
is equally wrong and inexpedient in the States"
The converse of this argument is-If Slavery
is right and expedient in the States, (where it
exists, it is equally right and expedient in the
Territories and, if right in the States, then it
is equally right IN all the States. This must
follow, as matter of course. And this is pre-
cisely the course of argument the South intends
to pursue, abandoning the old grounds of apol-
ogy and excuse First establish the doctrine
of State Equality, which is to be done by the
election of James Buchanan, as he is the .em-
bodiment of that doctrine, and it being also
in the Cincinnati Platform-which
gives to the Southern man the right TO carry
his slaves into any and all the Territories of the
United States, and to hold them there without
let or hindrance, and the first great step will
have been successfully taken, not only towards
spreading Slavery over all the Territories, but
over the Free States of the North and the West!
This new doctrine" if established, will give
the Southern slave-driver the same right, and he
will claim it, throughout the Free States, that it
will in the Territories; the long q the short of
which is, in the language of the nber from
South Carolina, Mr. KEITH "that the right of
Southern man to his slave is equal, in its
length and breadth, to the right of Northern
man to his horse" If you doubt it, ask Yourself
How long and broad Is the right of Northern
man to his horse If you can tell this, you can
tell the "length and breadth of the right which
State Equality proposes to give the Southern
man to his slave. Remember, this right he al
ready possesses pithin the Stare States; it must
therefore be outside of them that it is sought
by this doctrine to secure the right.
The next step-and it will be an easy one
after the first has been taken-will be to estab-
lish the doctrine that Slavery is mora, "re-
ligious," and necessary" institution; the nor
NAL condition of society, and, as Gov. McDuf-
of our republican edi6ce and sheet anchor of our
Message, ls36,7)-by incorpora.
ting it into the next Democratic Platform. Ind
this is likely to be done, if they succeed in elect
ing Buchanan; for it only takes four years, by
actual count, and sometimes less, for the North
srn wing of that party to adopt and advocate
any new doctrine or measure proposed by the
Great Dictator, the Richmond Enquirer, how
ever absurd or monstrous it may be. And this
is to be the process by which Slavery, with its
curse and its long train of evils, is to
be spread over the yet free States of this Union
Think of it, freemen, and before it is too late
in late number Of the Richmond Enquire,
we find the following, under the head of The
Stacery AgitatiOn-Hoae to End IT,
From the Richmond Enquirer of Sept B. 1885.
obviously, the only mode of combating q
party possessed with such a passion, and pur.