The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1857-09-10

party bNNA liNlNi.Ntt i.iNiN iANhl
those excuses than i, had from the promul-
CATION and discussion Of its platform. The
radical pro-slavcry men o. Missouri in their
attempts to force slavery on Kansas had 30
iar nuiisicd the Kansas act He had seen
no scverer denunciation OF their conduct any
where than in the Democratic press.
All the Democratic party had done, all
that i; would do. was 10 vindicate the Con-
s,tu,ional rights Of the slaveho.ding States.
Very lately the party had been called on TO
defend the Constitutional rights OF Catholic
citizens. Did that make Democrats in IL
yor O, Catholicism! Could il be said that
Fox aud Burke and sidney Smith were in
favor Of Catholicism because they sought
10 give the Catholics their rights The
British House OF Commons had recently
passed bill H. give Jews certain rights
which other subjects enjoyed but how ri.
dicuous it would be TO charge the House Of
Commons with being anti Christian. SOFT
was paltry and groundess charge, that
the Democratic party was proslavery.
Bu, wha, was the position Of the Re-
publican party on The question Of slave
ry! TO the great mass ofthe party he con.
ceded as much sincerity and patriotism as
he claimel himself, ba, lie would show that
the platform on which they stood, judging
il by fair and reasonable conclusions. en-
braced propositions which were opposed 70
the Constitution of the country. The lead
ing proposition Of that party was no more
slave States" Iet, il slavery should be
legally established in new State we should
be obliged, under the Constitution, to al
NIT il into the Union.
Another proposition OF that party was
the rep9ai .ot the Fugitive slave, Law.
Bat no substitute for it had ever been pro
posed 10y the party, and ii was fair TO pre-
sumo they did not intend to carry out tina,
provision ofthe Constitution which requires
the return OF iugitves from service. Here,
then, were two essential provisions Of the
Federal Constitution which the Republican
party proposed to nullify. lie would ak
II am patriotic citizen would increase the
strength Of party. which, under no posi-
Die state OF things, would administer the
government according TO the supreme law
OF the land?
The opposition party, however. did not
rely 50 much on any precise proposition Of
it, own. rs upon general warfare on Demo
cratic measures, and upon appeals to sec
tional prrudiccs and imprac,icabc and un.
awaiting sympathy Appeals, he might say,
10 diseased and irregular philanthropy
It WINS much easier FOR men to fold their
arms and complain Of the way thing was
done than to take the responsibility OF do
Ing it themselves. The opposition pir'y
had this advantage. Besides, the substance
Of what their press and orators said was
invcctives and reproaches against the
south. The south was deprecated and
slandered. The prosperity, the intelligence,
and the virtues OF Southern people were
held up hy opposition orators and pa
pcrs. and invidiorsly contras,ed with
the state Of things at the Morrill,
This was their course in the last canvass
and they continued it. we have "A race Of
agita,ora all over the country" said Daniel
Webster, in 1881 ",hcir livelihood consists
in agi,ating; their free hold. their copy hold,
their capital, their all in all depend on the
excitement Of the public mind. Tina, race
Of agitators still existed; and they were no,
confined 70 either portion of The country.
But the grent business OF agitation VIA done
ny 'Ic lti'h'HNho' "hi W ""' "'I' :"
a,cd the South from the North. If that
abuse and invectvc were 10 continue there
could be no fra'erna feeling. and the gov
ornmcn, would clumbe beneath the ruins Of
the Mon. hlce he thought that Tho Union
could not b. endangered. II was true there
had been o. :ntcusa feeling on other poi'
cal uueetious--'hc embargo. the tariff, the
Mexican war~-but the feeling on those
questions was no, sectional. The b'tterncsa
o, feeling on slavery Is sectional, and hence
tie Hanger 10 tie Union.
Was il 40, some tcst TOO Of the sincerity
~ the opposition that after oil THEN prom
i,,s a Republican House Of Representative
had not attempted 10 releal what they ealiei
the "iniamous" Nebraska act;--iha' they
did not 50 much "a give Goy. Eceler aeat
rs delegate from Kansas.
The people Of Minnesota were soon to
elect State officers. Ncmb,rs Of foutross
were also 10 bc elected He had m aauh,
that whoey.r was elected. whether Demo
cratic or Republican, would strive to pro.
mote tie matar.s. Interests Of MiBnea1ta.
I}1' there was something beyond that which
Nos m'ght or might no' do The relation
~ cqnsl States Was 70 b. TrcseTv'ed the
good will and harmony u the inion was 10
b. promoted and in that view Of the snb.
iect r WIS of The highest importance whcth-
cr Democrats ~ pcputlican' wore eler'oa.
Ne brronclt c~cr~ voter ~ .n''erly reflect
whether h. w,Hld ircrnae the diseord
which lad uahar : fallen on the country.
Senator and Raw,-Trfaiiy,s would carry
the Constitution n III State ~ 'oT2rcss
arI a-t admission into the Union, ani that
as a rrople N ,ht fharo tie dignity AMI
',us, d lAat augg-t relationship y bat
spectacle i would ~ Il We coni1~l fFI'
Li,h Aa'y 70 larr who e'aa! ~ platform
hostile 70 that vory i'uou'
For ~ par. BE- hopol 'he Dtmncra'.c