New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-08-19
"And burst the curb aud bounded,
Rejoicing 70 be free,
And whirling down. ia ferce career.
Battleme NJ, and plank. and pier.
Rusht headloDg to the STA"

Major Rollins thinks that fifty years is more
likely to round the life of Slavery in Missouri than
ten, or even twenty. This is certainly giving it
"a long day rather longer than We think history
will bear out 1t could hardly do better for itself
were the choice Of the mode Of its death given to
it as il was to the kings Jester under capital
terce, and who chose to die Of old age. But we
DO not mind this opinion Of the gallant Major. He
has perfect right to it, and. as he seems willing
to allow all the inhabitants of his State the privi-
lege of holding their own opinions on this matter,
free from the penalties Of statute or lynch law, it
were foul shame to deny him the enjoyment of HE
own. But we think be is mistaken in his philOsO
ply. When the light is once taken from under the
bushel where it has been kept so long, and put
upon . candiestick, it cannot be hindered from
giving light unto all that are in the house. At
least, unto all that will not voluntarily shut their
eyes to it, or who have them not sealed in judicial
blindness; and, at any rate, unto enough to trampe
out the life of the snake that has coiled itself cold
and cruel so long and so tyrsnnically on their
hearth atone or at least to drive it off the prem
ises. Or, to speak without q metaphor, we do not
believe the landowners in Missouri will wait fifty
years before they sell their acres at golden prices,
because it may be the pleasure of handful of man.
owners that they should sell them at copper ones.
STILL we beg it may be understood that We do
not look the gft.horse in the mouth, or complain of
what we have got because it is not all we should
libe We accept the insta!lment gladly in the faith
that If is but the earnest Of what is to come Aud
We rather think that the voice of the South, when
it comes to be fully beard, will express the same
opinion with ourselves, though not perhaps in e1.
ac,ly the same tone. The significant thing about
this election, whether Major Rollins has prevailed
or 10 defeated, is that Slavery is now declared, in
his words, "an open question" This it has never
really been for many loug years, and once opened,
it can never be closed again until it to be
elton at all. 1t Will seem strange enough one
of tbese days. that IT should be occasion of gea.
ers icy, eighty years after the Declaration of In.
dependence snd near seventy after the organization
of The National Government that Sovereign State
should have conquered the right of examining it,
own Institutions AID laws, and of confirming or
changing them according to the well-considered
WILL pleasure and advantage of the minority Of the
legal voters. But the marvel Of to-day is that in
one. half Of the country, there should be found one
community with spirit and resolution enough to de.
terlnine to examine and decide for themselves as to
the quality of their institutions instead OF taking it
for grated on the authority Of an Insignificant aud
interested minority. But We will take what We
get and be thankful.