The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-07-21
KANsAs.-THE DEMOCRACY AND
IT'S OPPONENTS.

find fault with Governor Walker, because
of his taking occasion in his capacity of
Governor, to express an opinion upon the
suitableness of Kansas for Slave labor, as
we'll as for the dictatorial manner of his in
sisting upon the constitution to be formed
by the convention soon to held, being sub
mitted to the vote of the whole population
of Kansas. These are expressions of
opinion perfectly harmless in themselves,
and only Objectionable, because of their
being embodied in the official declarations
of functionary occupying the position to
which Mr. Walker has been appointed.
They are opinions which every citizen has
right to entertain if they suit his judg-
ment, just as he has a right to entertain
opinions directly opposite, and to express
them too; for the freedom of opinion and
action upon this subject is the very essence
of the Kansas Nebraska legislation, and OF
all just legislation for the Territories. But
Governor Walker is sent to Kansas to see
laws impartially executed, not in any way
to lend the influence of his official station
to give direction to the popular decision,
which ought to be made freely and with
out interference.
But if Southern Democrats generally
take this view, what view do the organs of
the Know nothing party of the South take
what view can the opponents of Democ-
racy in any section or under any name,
takel They, all of them, denounced the
law that opened the territories to southern
men under any conditions. If it was
'reckless and unwise'' to repeal the Mis-
souri, compromise, it must, in their opinion,
have been prudent and wise to have retain
ed that prohibition, and decrced by express
law that slavery should be forcibly exclu
ded from the whole of the territory above
the line of thirty six thirty.-Surely parties
that went so far in favor of the forcible ex-
clusion of Southern men and Southern
property, ought to have little to say against
Mr. Walker, for a mere expression of Opin-
Ion in reference to the probable decision of
| the people, when called upon to decide for
themselves. If the opposition only had
got its way, there could be no difference of
opinion about Mr. Walkers course. There
would be no opinions-no room for opinions
about the adaptation of Kansas to slave
labor. 1t would have been prohibited by
lar. To let it in at all was ''reckless and
unwise" according to the platform on which
Mr. Fillmore ran, and upon which he was
sustained by every anti-Democrat in the
State, and in the Union.
If Mr. Walker went too far, as we think
he did, for man in his position, when he
| stopped to argue the question even of ex
pediency, to be judged of freely by the
people. what shall we think of an opposi-
ton that stood up for unconstitutional pro-
hibition, under form of law, and denounced
the removal Of that prohibition as creek
less and unwise." Surely, if Mr. Walker
has deviated from Democratic rule, and
| just so far as he has deviated, he ought to
receive the applause of the opposition, to-
wards whose platform he approximated
just that much. 1t is matter legitimately
within the cognizance of the Democratic
press and party, not of those who denounce
everything like southern rights in the terri
tory.
We speak now, of course, of party lead
ers and party organs. The Democratic
papers of the South simply remember their
position as representatives of Southern
opinion and Southern interests, and, while
they recognise the National Democratic
party and the Democratic administration
as the best national exponent of one and
protector of the other, they yet feel under
no obligation to withhold their censure from
what they deem violative of the principles,
or opposed to the policy, for which they
contend.- Wilmington Journal.
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