Demoine courier., 1856-08-28
The Sub serviency to Slavery OF
the Buchanan leaders.

exhibit before our readers the presen
position Of the democratic" party, al
they are sometimes nick-named. II y,
understand their position correctly, ant
we rely upon the declarations Of SOM
Of their ablest leaders both North ant
South, for authority, il is that the Con
ssitutIon Jegalizes slavery ir the Terrific
ries, and hat neither Congress, nor the
people oil the Territories. can exclude il.
The Party has been sometimes called,
the "Progresslve Democracy" Wheth-
er, it deserved this title previous TO the
year ls4s, we are not at present, pre-
pared either to affirm or deny. Since
tina, time, however, we mus. acknowl-
edge, they have been exceedingly pro-
gressive-on the slavery question. /.
will be an interesting employment 10 ex-
anime tbs manner and degree Of this
progress.
In lS4s and previous 10 that time, the
Party was positive aad explicit, in the
position that Congress had the power and
ought to exercise il, Of prohibiting the
extension of slavery over Territories,
then free. WI publish in ano,her col
m a specimen document, ON this sub
Jsct, and no, only New Hampshire, but
every northern State excep: Iowa endors
cd the "Wilmot Proviso."' This was
the doci<ine entertained by all parties
North. Indeed so lar as slavery was
concerned the strife between wings and
democrats, North was to prove which
was the most thoroughly opposed to its
extension. Each Party claimed the
honor and s'renuously insisted on i as a
title TO the airport Of Northern meE.-
In 1850 for the sake Of Compromise the
North consented to folego the exercise
of the right Of Congress to prohibit slave
ry in New Mexico and Utah. They
relied upon the of repeated declarations
Of Clay and Webster iha. slavery was
prohibited there, and prohibited forever
by the irrepealable laws of Nature.
In 1852 it was agreed upon all hands
TO acquiesce In The measures of 1850.
and that there should be no further agi.
ta.ion, in Congress, or out of it. The
North reposing upon this promise had
just began 10 indulge the hope that the
troubles arising from this yexatious slave
~ question had passed away. They
believed that Daniel Webster spoke truly
when he said, hat there was not a loot
Of territory, whose future character as
to whether il should be free or slave was
not unslterablv settled either By lsgisla-
tive ensnctment or by the laws o. Ma
turs. But 10, even while they were ys,
falling asleep under the balmy influence
Of compromises and promises, they
were aroused by the mos! fearful agi.a.
ton they had ever Witnessed. and to .heil
utter establishment, De, on foot by the
very men who had deluied them into thu
hope that there was to be no more agita'
ton. They awcke and found tina. thu
trouble consisted in the fast that the wis.
~laier-day statesmen had discovered tina
the Missouri restriction was unlawful ant
mss. be removed. Douglas & Co. hac
proclaimed that this must be done in or
der to assert a great principle. All. the
same restriction extended over Minneso-
Ia, a similar one extended over Oregon
and Washington Territories, and il i.
was meal 10 proclaim a principle Why
not make a c,ean sweep Of these nco
sii.utional restrictions. why permi, this
unjust legislation 20 remain in force any
where? 'Fhs difference was Kansas was
contiguous 10 a slave State, there was a
possibility that slavery might be es,ab-
nhed within iss borders. and Tue South