The Kanzas news., 1857-11-28
The Logical consequences.

| Our Southern brethren are apparently a
much more logical people than we of the
| North, and arrive at the inevitable conclu-
sion from their premises much more readily
than do we. Thus they saw long ago that
slavery could not sustain itself, if it was ad-
mitted TO be the subject of law and liable to
the vicissitudes of the popular opinion and
popular voice, and to justify it and secure
it they declared it founded on natural right
which no law or constitution could rightly
interfere with. To this position they have
been gradually driving the Democratic par
| ty of the North. Step by step that party,
under the lash of the South, has progressed
in that direction, until just one step remains
between their present attitude and the final
logical basis of the institution. And that
final step must and will be taken. There is
no escape from it. 1t is the inevitable effect
of wrong principle to carry its adherents
to the bottom of the descending path, just
as it is of correct principle to carry its
adherents upward to its complete realization.
There is no more question that the present
mis-called Democratic principle will, if un-
checked, result In the chattelization of labor
throughout the whole land, than there is
that the Republican principle will eventually
enanclpdte iduor tHfoaSSHou GHe WHoie
land.
Buchanan in his late letter, it will be re-
collected, contended for the right of the peo-
pie, when they come to form State govern
ment, to determine the question of slavery,
and to vote it out of the country if they
chose. He cannot maintain this position
1t is illogical, and the South will not let him
maintain it. He must either abandon the
Democracy, or, when the time comes, aban-
don that position. Il is folly to say that the
people of the State may prohibit what the
same people may not in their Territorial ca
pacity. If Congress or the people of the
Territory may not interfere, it can be only
because of the rightfulness of the thing it
self, and by what rule of logic may the peo-
pie of the State prohibit what is in itself
rightful? The position cannot be sustained.
We venture the opinion that the last inter
vening step between the present position of
the Democracy and the ultimate demands of
slavery will be speedily taken by the Dem
ocraey. 1t is the next descending step, and
cannot be avoided.
And this point once settled, aud the ma
tional government In the hands of those who
believe in the inherent rightfulness of slave
ry, how is it to be kept out of what are now
called the free States Either those States
mast accept it, or they viii be driven out of
the Union. At this present moment de-
mand of this kind on the part of the South
is pending in the New York courts, in the
Lennon case, and however decided now
will be acknowledged and enforced sooner
or later, if that power is to go on un-
checked.
IL the people love the Union. they have
simply to consider which principle is the
most dangerous to its permanence. They
must have either liberty or despotisma. They
can't have both. Our own opinion is, that
if the Union can be preserved at all, it can
only be by maintaining the original prinei-
piles of liberty on which it was founded
Let those who think with US vote at all cleo
tons and on all occasions for the mainte-
nance of that principle, and the Union may
yet be restored and saved Wisconsin Free
Democrat.