Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-08-14


to inaame the Northern mind. Their orators
denounce us equally, and some do not hesitate
To say that they intend or desire not only TO
restore Kansas to the operation of the Mis-
souri, restriction, but to repeal the fugitive slave
bill, to abolish slavery in the District of Colum-
bia, to interdct the Interstate slave trade so
as to prevent the owner from migrating with
his domestcs from one slave State to another,
to prevent forever hereafter the admission OF
| any new State which tolerates domestic servi-
lude, and to hem in and confine slavery within
its present limits thus continually increasing
the political power of their section, until we
shall be too weak TO resist their future efforts
to impair the value Of our peculiar property,
and, finally, to destroy it. We do not indeed
find all these objects laid down in the platform
OF their party and there are men associated
with them whose designs by no means extend
so far, and who, if they knew the probable
consequences Of their success, would recoil
from the evil associations into which they
have fallen. But then, more moderate men
are not the master-spirits in this league of
agitation, and will be powerless to stop the
mschievous measures which ! think certain
to follow the success of the combinations which
they are now aiding. The tone of the press
| in their interest, the speeches of many mem
Of the party, all clearly evince a determine
| ton to unite all the people of the free States,
If possible, in fierce and relentless hostility to
| those of the South. 1t is the strife of sec.
| tons IN which they hope to succeed; and in
| what would their success result? Not in form.
| ing more perfect union, not in establishing
Justice or insuring domestic tranquility, all OF
| which are among the declared objects of that
Constitution which Washington and the other
| Fathers of the Republic gave to us but in the
| jealousies, discord, and hatred inseparable
from party characterized by geographical
| determinations" 1t was against this that the
Father of his Country warned Us in his Fare.
| well Address-the last legacy of the spotless
patriot to the country he had loved and served
SO well.
Some years ago, lin 1897 when the danger
OF this sectional organization was less than it
| is now, Mr.. Clay gave us his advice in the fol
lowing words:
"Aboltionism should no longer be regarded
as IN imaginary danger. The Aboitionists
let me suppose, succeed III their present aim
81 uniting the Inhabitants Of the free States as
one man against the Inhabitants of the Stare
States. Union on one size lcM beget Union on
the other, and this process Of reciprocal consoli
dation, icil be attended scith all The uiolent pre-
JUDGES, emtittsred passions, and implaca6le
animosuies, achich eper degraded or deformed
human nature. Virtual dissolution of the
Union will have taken place, whilst the forms
OF its existence remain. "Oae sec
lion aciH stand in menacing and hostile array
against the other. The collision of opinion
,oiH soon be .toloped by the clash Of arms /
will not attempt to describe scenes which now
happily lie concealed from our view. Aboli-
tionsts themselves would shrink back in dis
may and horror at the contemplation Of desc
lated fields, conaagrated cities, murdered
inhabitants, and the overthrow of the fairest
fa<flc OF human government that ever rose to
animate the hopes of civilized man."
1t will be said, perhaps, that this is mere
defamation; that Mr.. Clay's fervid spirit gave
too warm coloring to the picture; but we
need only remark the passionate violence which
characterizes men who have lately yielded to
| this sectional phrenzy to satisfy ourselves what
| is the temper natural to such organizations
At the Convention in Philadelphia, held by
| those who nominated Mr.. Fremont, a conspic-
| uous and distinguished gentleman, heretofore
| considered moderate and conservative, made
a speech, in which, amidst cheers and cries of
good, he spoke as follows:
"They (meaniug those who appointed the
| members of the Convention) ask us to give
| them nomination which, when put fairly be-
| fore the people, will unite public sentiment,
| and, through the ballot box, will restrain and
repel this pro-slavery extension and this agrees
| sion of the slaveocracy. What else are thew
doing? They tell you that they are willing to
abide by the ballot box and willing to make
that the last appeal. If we fail there, what
then? We will drive it back sword in hand
and so help me God, am with them"
1t is true that the author of these remarks
has since publicly avowed that he alone is
responsible for this rhapsody. But il cannot
be doubted that the feeling which prompted
| him was the same which animated the preacher
| who proposed to supply the brethren in Kansas
with bread and po,cder too, and which has
| stimulated other preachers aud their congre-
| cations to subscribe Sharpes rifles as the most
| efhcacious instrument in the adjustment of the
controversies in that Territory, which all good
men deplore, however they may differ as to the
causes of the unhappy anarchy which prevails
there. For myself acknowledge my duty to
redress, SO far as | can, all the real grievances
complained Of in that region; and / have
supposed that the bill recently passed by the
Senate was well calculated to remedy them.
because II proposes to enact that no law shall
be made or have force or effect in said Terri
TORY WHICH eHdH require a TEST 0ath, or oath to
support any act of Congress or other Legislative
act, as a qualification for any civil Office OF
public trust, or for any employment or profes
sion, or to serve as juror or vote at an cleo
ton, or which shall impose any tax upon OF
condition to the exercise Of the right OF suffrage
by any qualified voter, or which shall restrain
or prohibit the free discussion of any law OF
subject Of legislation in the said Territory, OF
the free expression Of opinion thereon by the
people of said Territory; and secures, as far as
law can secure, the operation of the public vii
in the formation of State government That
thi, bill was sincerely meant TO effect its avowed
purpose | am quite confident: and believe
that there are conservative men at the North
who do not yield to prejudice or passion, who
will credit this assertion. Unfortunately they
are not the majority. At all events, in the
most of the free States the masses of the Re
publican party are led by men who do moi
mean to be satisfied with any legislation which
is not to result in placing the Government un
der their control; by men who say that the
trainers of the Constitution "made compro