Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1857-10-24
From the n. 0. Crescent. |
Has Agitation Ceased

III re- ent speech at Holly Springs,
Mississippi, Col Jefferson Davis said the
Compromise Measures Of 1850 were
proclaimed RS a finality--a complete
settlement of,he vexed question slavery
tor all time to come and asked:
Had agitation ceased' Had the
North relaxed Il exer,ions to pros.r~,s
and destroy the South Not at all
The agitation is now greater than ever
The fa"aticism Of the North looms up in
'nors fearful proportions than before. Ii
Is true that the North having gsined
California, and finding nothing else just
then ready for the harvest, for time
WAS ul-l. And in the Presidential cleo
ton q 1852, those Democrats who had
gone off with Mr.. Van Buren, i'll l54s,
came back to the party, and again coal
esced with the National Democracy III
lhs election OF Mr.. Pierce. But upon
the passage Of the Kansas-Nebraska bill
under his adminis,ra alton, the grea. body
OF them proved TO be traitors in the
camp, and again went Oft.
Who proclaimed the Compromise
Measures Of 1850 "fiHaii,y I" Who
disturbed the complete settlement of tbs
vexed gu s,ion slavery for all time to
Come |" And who revived the agitation
which "is now greater than ever -
These are questions Of vast importance,
SO much so, that it 10 strange That they
did not suggest themselves to Col. Davis.
He tells US that "taua.lcism OF the North
looms up in more tearfu! proportions
Than before" But We are left iu ieno-
fanca MS to the ,rus cause of this loom
ing up of Northern fapaticism. The
Colonel says: at is true that the North,
having gained California, and finding
nothing else just then ready for the h.r
vest. for time, was quiet. And in the
Presidential election Of 1852, those De
mocrals who had gone of with Mr.. Van
Buren, in l646, came back to the party,
and sgaiu coaIeseed with the Nstiona!
Democracy 10 the election Of Mr.. Pierce"
But when the Kansas Nebraska bill was
passed, thess Democrats ''prosed to be
traitors in the camp, and again vent
uT."
T!is is not fair statement of the
case. I. i, the truth but not the whole
truth. The Democratic party proclaim
ed The compromise measures Rs ''iinall-
ty-a complete settlement of the vesed
question: for all time 10 come" And i'll
national convention assembled, i, declar
Ell itself opposed TO the further agitation
Of slavery, in or ont Of Congress. The
people, North and South, East and West,
believing that the Democratic party WAS
honest in its professions, and really de
sired t" give peace to the country, united
with tha. party in 1852, toa greater ex-
tent tEan ever before witnessed. For the
same reasons those Democrats who had
gone off with Mr.. Van Buren, in 1913
came back and coalesced with the party.
What was the result Of ibis unparalleled
unanimity' Mr.. Pierce was eie' ted to
The Presidential chair, and an unpreced-
en,ediy large majority of Democrats
were returned to Congress. This gave
til. party the power to redeem all It's
pledges ae,i fulfill all its promises. 1t
enabled the Democracy to protect the
"6nality," and prevent the complete set
tlemeut of the yexed question for all
time to come from being in any way
disturbed. THIS was what the countrys
expected Of the Congress Of 1852. How
were these expectations realized! Let
us refer to the history Ct the Pierce ad
ministration .for an answer.
In the first place, dissension arose
among the Democrats Of the North 10
consequence of the manner in which the
spells were divided. The old hunkers
claimed all, and would not listen to q
proposition to divide them with ''thoee
democrats who had gone off with Mr..
Van Buren, in ls4s." This dissension
created breach, and ag~in there were
two Democratic parties in the North
The next cause Of disafection WAS tho
action Of Congress, which SO far departed
from the we'll beaten path OF Democra-
cy, that even "poor PIERCE fel. compel
ed to ,n.erpose the executive veto, to
prevent anti, Democratic measures from
being fastened upon the country by a
nanocratic Conrress. This disguised
many Democrats and caused them 'e
lose all confidence in the leaders Of The
patty. Thousands became convinced
that they were only ac.us,sd BY . low
for the spoils Of victory. The Iesaer
became aware of this disafection ant
loss Of confidence on the part Of = larg
portion of the party. and saw the ne es
sity ofget,ing up some new issue where
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