The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-08-07
DEMOCRATIC" PRINCIPLES.

-ON~~g
tatiously derided and scorned by the party of
spoilsmen which still clings to the name Dem
ocratic. The fundamental principle of Jeffer-
sons Democracy, universal freedom-his own
declaration, that all men are born free and
equal-so far from being regarded as self-evi-
IDENTITY true by his pretended followers, is pro-
nounced "a selfevident lie." This was the
identical language applied to that passage of
the immortal Declaration of Independence, by
Senator Petit, of Indiana, in his speech favor
ing the repeal of the Missouri Compromise.
That speech was universally applauded by the
Pierce and Buchanan press of the South, and
met with peculiar favor with the leading spirits
Of that party in Virginia, where the Declaration
of Independence has fallen into general con-
tempt. In fact, the leading Democrats of Vir-
ginia now advocate white Slavery, as we have
heretofore shown.
The other great feature of Jeffersonian De-
mocracy, State Rights, has also been aban-
doned, because it was believed that, with the
Federal Government in their own hands, its
power and influence might be used to extend
and perpetuate Slavery. The utter disregard
of the rights of the States is shown in the pas
sage of the Fugitive Slave Law, without shad-
ow of warrant in the Constitution. True, the
Constitution requires that fugitives from labor
must be surrendered, on claim of the party to
whom the labor is due. But this is merely
an agreement or compact among the States.
Massachusetts, is bound by it to surrender such
fngitives to South Carolina, and South Carolina
is bound to surrender such to Massachusetts,
but any one may see, by referring to the Con
stitution, that no po,oer is conferred upon Con-
gress 10 pass lap enforcing this compact.
The remedy for a noncompliance may rest in
the Federal Government, and probably does I;
but it has no power to set aside State authority,
and take the matter into its own hands. This
was the opinion of Mr.. Webster, Federalst as
he was, expressed in his 18th of March speech,
in 1850. Yet the sham Democracy, the sup
posititious progeny of the Democracy of 1898,
have overleaped this latitudinarian Federalist,
in giving constructive power to the Federal
Government.
1t must not be forgotten, in this connection,
that among the amendments to the Constitu-
ton, amendments procured mainly by Mr.. JEFF
ferson's influence, it is declared that g all pow
ers not expressly granted by the Constitution
to the Federal Government are reserved to the
States" There is no such grant of power in
reference to this clause of the Constitution,
and hence the enforcement of it is left with the
States. The fact which renders this conclusion
necessary one, is the insertion of the power
while it is withheld in this, and one or two
others.
Another glazing instance of the abandonment
of State Rights by the sham Democracy, is the
attempt to override the laws and Constitution
of Pennsylvania, in the Wheeler slave case.
That State abolished Slavery some forty or
fifty years ago. In fact, steps were taken to
that end so early as 1880. But up to the year
lS47, persons from the South were permitted
to pass through the State with their domestic
or "body" servants, or to remain in it six
months. In that year. the permission was re-
peaed, so that any slave brought into the
State, by his master or agent, became instantly
free.
Now, if the doctrine of State Rights is good
for anything, one would suppose that here was
clear case demanding its application. A SOW
ereign State had declared, by its Constitution
that Slavery should not exist within its limits
brought into the State, from the South or else
where, on pain of forfeiture. In other words
that no slave shall breathe the air of Pennsyl
vania, unless he comes under that clause of the
Constitution which provides for the rendition
of fugitives from labor. But Wheeler's slaves
were not fngitives; they were brought into the
State by their owner, and were therefore for
feited. Yet the Federal Democratic" Judge
Kane exerted all his power to restore them te
Wheeler, and punished his fellow. citizen, Viii
hanson, with three months imprisonment, fol-
daring to inform the negroes Of their rights
The charge of contempt, as everybody knows
was a mere false pretence, invented to bring
the victim within the grip of tyranny.
If this had been the merely perverse actor
Of an individual Judge, it would be Of com
paratively little consequence; but it is well re
membered that he was sustained and urged OF
| by the Administration. The Attorney Geaer
al, who has always been made the catspaw O
Slavery Propagandists, was particularly active
and it is well known that all the influence O
the President and Cabinet were brought t.
bear in the case, in order to crush the sover
/ eighty of Pennsylvania law beneath the weigh
of Federal power and usurpation. These ar,
cisive in principle, going to show that the par
ty which claims to inherit its principles from
the school of Jefferson, as regards the relativ,
rights of the States and Federal Government
has gone far beyond the school Of Alexande
Hamilton, in giving practical Interpretation Il
those powers. There is, in fact, no preceden
of tyranny in our annals for the modern Dem
ocrats to copy-not excluding the period o
Colonial vassalage. They 60 beyond Hamil
tons theory, and George IlI's practice. T.
find parallels to the tyranny, the usurpation
the corruption, and the despotic maxims, nov
in vogue with the party in power, we must e
back to the era of Charles / and James II
Without exsggeration, We declare the belle
that no man capable Of reflection and compari
son, can read the great work of Macaulay, JUS
now SO popular, in which he gives the histor
of James IFS reign, without running parallel
on every page with current events in this cour
try. The points of resemblance between tn
events and actors of that day, and those of tn
present. are SO frequent and striking as t
startle the reader. He half interrogates him
self, if he is not dreaming over the last new
| r.ox,, Eonsas or W. ob;noton ub:aL L.. :.-