The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-08-21

Mr.. Douglas, aside from the wealth OBJ
tanned through his first marriage, has
ainasscd large fortune by THE means
So, also, has Col. Richardson. Mr.. Breck-
enriJgc, Vice President Of the United
States, is in the same category; so is
Bright of Indiana, Or OF South Carroll.
ma, Toombs Of Georgia, Slidell of Loui-
siana, Forney Of Pennsylvania, and 9TH
ers whose names need not be mentioned
here. 1t will be observed that a major
| ity OF the persons named are residents Of
slaveholding States and themselves slave
holders, while all Of them are distinguish
ed leaders in the slavery extension party.
1t is natural to suppose that these men,
if honest in their politics, regard slavery
as beneficial institution-espccially so to
the white race-that it is good both in
its moral and in its pecuniary results, and
that free society, in the language Of the
Richmond Enquirer, is indeed a failure
Such being their belief We Of cousc cx-
pect that their private practice will cor
respond with their political dogmas and
their public action-that slavery being 9
good and benefcent institution and .hee'
society failure, they will not only seek
to extend and strengthen the former by'
their votes in Congress, but that their In
vestments in real estate will be made un.
der the shadow Of the benign institution,
and that they would be the last men to
become the owners Of soil over which free
society extends its paralyzing sway.
But such is not the fact. Just at this
point there is divergence in the political
and public conduct OF these men from that
pursued by them in matters Of a pecuniary
and private interest. While bawling
themselves hoarse in their advocacy OF
the peculiar institution, and while labor
ing with unceasing effort to strengthen its
power and extend it over new fields, their
agents arc quietly travering the free States
and Territories making large purchases OF
real estate out of which the principals are
securing princely fortunes. We hear of
no one oi these men making investments
of this character in any ofthe slavcholding
States. On the contrary, when the agent
of Mr.. Slidell wrote him the other day
that he could buy lands in Missouri Of
equal fertility with those Of Illinois for
about one-fourth the price of the latter,
and advised that the Missouri lands be
taken, Mr.. Slidelll replied, "Buy in ILL
nois." Mr.. Toombs comes all the way
from Georgia to buy lands in Minnesota
and Wisconsin, Col. Orr from South Caro-
lima to purchase in Iowa and Nebraska,
Mr.. Breckenridge from Kentucky to Su-
perior City and beautiful cluster Of is
lands in the lake OF the same name, known
as the Apostle Islands. Mr.. Douglass 81
gantic speculations are confined mainly to
Chicago. 1t was only day or two ago
that We chronicled single purchase Of
his in this city amounting to 100000
Mr.. Bright follows Mr.. Breckenridge in
his investments. Col. Richardson owns
an interest in the town Of Superior, and
has made investments in this city, in
Quincy, Illinois, and in Keoluk. And SO
of all the rest. No one OF them crosses
the line into slave territory while pursuing
his individual speculations. In this re.
spect, at least they are intensely sectional
-as extreme Northern men rs in politics
they arc extreme Southern men.
Now here is significant fact that
should have its influence on the public
mind. 1t is q refutation and a repudia.
ton, in private life, of all the political
theories promulgated and lived up 10 by |
the men in question in their public life
1t presents them in the attitude Of labor.
ing for the subycrsion Of free society and
the spread Of slavery while seeking their
individual profit through the agency Of
the former, leaving to their dupes to reap
the bitter fruits of the latter. The honest
hearted masses who sustain the political
action of these men should inquire into
the reasons for this discrepancy between
political theory and private practice.