Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-09-09
Agitation of the Slavery Question.

Agitation OF the Slavery Question:.
We agree with the Richmond Enquirer, that there
"ncver period in the history of party when
there was more concord and harmony in the ranks
of the National Democracy than at present. North
and South they occupy precisely the same position
on the slavery question. There is nothing so far
the slavery question is concerned, about which the
National Democracy can possibly differ
The Enquirer with much truth and force, adds:
1.-The whole question of slavery in the territories
having been laid at rest by the decision of the Su-
preme Court in the bred Scott case and by the acts
for the establishment of territorial governments in
Kansas and in Nebraska, there is no phase of the
slavery question which can be legtmately made the
subject of controversy in Congress We sincerely
trust that the representatives of the National Dem
ocracy in the next Congress will oppose and depre-
cate the agitation of slavery. They will have good
reliable majority of at least fifteen in the House of
Representatives, I'd every conservative, rejecting
citizen of the United States desires that the discus
sion OF slavery may forever be banished from the
halls OF Congress. The whole question having been
settled, the agitation of question so exciting and
disturbing should be punished crime by all who
have the interests of the Union at heart.
Let the National Democracy, now the dominant
party in this country, determine to put down every
attempt of factonists from whatever quarter they
may cone, to open the hateful question of " slave
ry" agitation.
For nearly thirty years this bone OF contention
has engaged the attention OF Congress- to the excu-
sion of nearly every thing else The true interests
Of the nation, the most important questions of DC
nestle and foreign policy have been neglected, that
sectional strife endangering the prosperity of the
country might be kept up, by designing demagogues
and raving fanatics. Spectators and lobby MEM
bers availing themselves of the turmoil confusion
and excitement engendered by this hateful question,
have pillaged the government of countless millions.
All the most important interests of the country have
r,J Of III In
rod swallowing up all others. Although few dan
gerous extremists, may desire to continue the work
of sectional agitation the great mass of the people,
North and South, desire that the agitation of the
slavery question shall cease now and forever"
That the great mass of the Southern people desire
that the agitation of the slavery question shall cease,
is certain. Agitation be of no service to
the South but must, if continued. result in injury.
But how is agitation to be arrested? Kansas is not
vet ready for admission, and the struggle between
the North and South is still going in that terri
tory 1t will be kept up unit! Kansas shall come in
as a sovereign State; and should she come in as
free State fear that that will not arrest agitation.
The question is of power between the two sec
tions,-it is no mere feeling so far as the North is
concerned about African slavery In $780, as the
signs indicate, the contest for the Presidency
will be between the national Democratic party and
sectional party; and this contest viii, of itself, call
into action the biterest feelings between the slave
holding and nonslaveholding States. What then !?
l. there considerable ground for hope that ag-
tation will cease? It ought to cease Every good
citizen in the country feels that it ought, and Will
look and labor in that direction; but few uras in
the South like Mr.. Keitt, and the large minority in
the North Of freesoilers and abolitionists WILL We
4 no
of the South can do is to stand by the Constitution
and to demand that that instrument be preserved in
letter and spirit II, in 1860, or in 1864, in 1868,
the black Republicans should obtain control of the
government, and the South should submit to their
control and to their measures, from that moment
slavery and the South will be doomed. The black
Republican party is not so composed and on such a
basis to die out soon to be destroyed easily.
1t will live yet many year, and it may gather
force and numbers. Who can foresee the result ?
No one. Yet, it seems to u.s. every one, and espe-
caily every Southern man, ought to see the only
star of hope which shines through the impending
gloom. The only hope Of the country is in the aa-
tonnl Democratic party. Let us stand by it through
evil and through good report, as we have heretofore
dcne turning neither to the right nor to the left after
side issues or Indifferent issues but going right for
ward in the old paths marked out by Jefferson,
jackson, and Polk; and remembering that if the
doctrine of nonntervention questions of slavery,
so boldly and effectuay asserted by the Democratic
party cannot still the tempest of discord and pre-
serve the Union, then other human agency can.
The Standard is mistaken in CHASING Mr.. Stanly
among the Know Nothings or Americans. If he
will read the platform Of the Convention which NOM
mated Mr.. S. he will sec his error Register.
That Mr. Stany was never sworn in, and that he
is not, technically, Know Nothing is most proba-
bly, true; but he and is sympathizer with
them in their opposition to Democracy His watch
word is Opposition to Democracy" without re-
gard to the end or the means to be used. But oul
neighbor must bear in mind that we heard nothing
Of black Republicanism until "Sam had been heard
Of and dealt WITH and put down. Back Republ
cansm is an offshoot of the fallen tree of Know
Nothingism. But for the latter the old Wing party
would have remained intact, as Henry Clay con
structeS and left it. and the former would have haG
no room to flourish So true it is that one false
step leads to another and that in the commissions
which follow the decay and dissolution of old parties
the commonest and most dangerous elements rise t.
the surface and assume control
--LATEST FOREIGN NEws.-The latest Liverpool
dates are to the 26th August
Cotton had advanced one-eghth, with an activ,
demand, Breadstuffs had declined
No news from India
Several commercial failures had t,ken Mace If