New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-06
wRsTON VERSUS PIERCE.

We hone that not one of our readers has omitted
70 read with the care and attention 1t so ricniy
deserves. the admirable paper OF Mr.. weston
unfinished in our yesterdays impression, on the
:. Poor Hhits of the South" Rich in facts col
lected from the most authentic sources, 1t IS en-
trely unexceptionable in manner and fraternal
in tone 1t ought to be printed in pamphlet and
LARGELY distributed both North and South. 1t
would serve to give to the great mass of the peo-
pie Of both sections far uster idea than is gener-
ally possessed of the grounds, objects, aims and
intentions Of the existing agitation against Slavery
an agitation commenced some twenty years ago
by few pious and conscientious men in confer
eDce rooms and churches, but which has gradually
attracted the attention Of statists and political
economists, till being carried into politics by the
annexation of Texas the Fugitive Act of 1850,
and the attempt to extend Slavery into Kansas 1t
has now become the great and leading subject of
public interest.
What gross ignorance of the true nature, objects,
and ends of this agitation prevails among persons
occupying even the highest positions, is manifested
by one of the concluding paragraphs of the Presi
dents late annual Message. That paragraph runs
in this wise:
"If the passionate rage of fanatieism and partisan
spirit did not force the fact upon our attention. 1t
would be difficult to believe that any considerable
portion of the people Of this enlightened country could
have 30 ndered themselves to fanatcal devotion
TO the supposed interests of the relatively few Africans
in the United States totally to abandon and disregard
the interests of the twenty-five millions OF Americans
to trampe under feot the inunctions of moral and
constitutional obligaton-and to engage in plans
Of vndictvc hostility against those who are associated
with them in the enjoyment of the common heritage
of our national institutions.
How ignorant and mistaken the President Isl;
how he has been betrayed by his ignorance int
the most calumnious charges against men quite as
patriotic as himself-quite as much devoted as he
is and perhaps little more so, to the interests of
the twenty -fve millions of Americans, and whose
zeal, as to that matter has also the advantage of
being based upon knowledge, which is great
deal more than can be- said of his-must have been
made clear as daylight to every reader of Mr.
WestOs's article.
II is shown in that article beyond all dispute
that the largest number Of white persons who, on
the most liberal calculation, can be supposed to
derive any advantage from the existence OF Slavery
among us is less than two millions while the re-
population of the Slave States exposed by it to
terrible humiliatiOns and degradations, growing
every day worse and worse, and out of which it is
utterly impossible for them to emerge by any efforts
of their own. Hitherto those wretehed people
have had resource in emigration TO new States;
but that resource is now almost exhausted. Or
the unoccupied territory of the United States there
ia tha al ua of 10 10 AZ a
suited 10 Southern constitutions. No doubt tho
Southern people may still find some relief in seek
ing employment in our rapidly-growing Western
towns and cities; but a great obstacle to that is
their ignorance and their total restitution OF means
or opportunity at home to learn any useful trade or
calling.
Let the President read with care Mr.. WestOn's
essay, and then say whether hostility to Slavery
NAV not exist and has not the best of reasons for
existing totally irrespective of any concern for the
relatively few Africans in the United States -
though BY the same rule BY which Mr.. Pierce de-
scrbes our black people as Africans, he might
himself be called Scotch-I rishman or Celt. Let
him read that article, and then say whether the
struggle against the further extension of Slavery
indicates disposition "tO abandon and disregard
''the interests of twenty-five millions of Amerl-
" cans, or whether, on the ether hand the nefs-
rious attempt in which, for the most purely selfish
motives, he is now engaged, to extend Slavery into
Kansas is not an attempt to sacrifice the interests
of twenty three millions Of Americans and the
hopes of their posterity to the ambition, svarice
and very questionable advantage of three hundred
thousand slaveholding capitalists