New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-03-27
FROM WASHING row.


n. oue.sion tauntinsiy asked Of toe opponents Of
M rule Of the Slave Power in view OF the recently
erected barrier attempted TO be thrown around its
,ssrpstiO.s, by the Supreme Court. "Was' are
yeu soips to do about iti' Let US answer ste m
snirv. And sinee We are about 1t, les us c,me d.
RELY 10 the point, and neither mince nor d'sgase
matters, nor attempt to conceal from ourselves or
aAe public the actual state of affairs.
TIE country is 10 g,ea' civil condic. IhefsfV
NJ s.ysry "a in power, aDd Intends 70 hold tie grip
Nv he exercise of usurped authority. The party
Of Freedom s in opposition, and borders upon
state of instruction against that usurpation That
umrpstion consists in double-beaded violation Of
Ne Constitution one aspect Of IL being an affoga-
non Of power to the Federal Government 10 the
auertior of the right TO ex end Slavery ato free
territory and declaring that the Constitution itself
Aoes 90 extend it-a power never hitherto asserted
nor exeI cised: and the other a defOgatlOn of the
power Of the same authority, by denial oi lis rgnt
70 modify, control or prevent such exteDsi2hIo
power recognized and exercised, according 10 Juoge
Curtis. in an unbroben cham Of ADMINISTRATOR
Of the Federal Constitution ever siuce tS adoPuoh'
This ia a strictly accurate aud the simplest pos
yible statement of the existing condition Of puohc
afairs. The "what-aTe-yOu-goiDg- .o-dDaoout-t
peDple are those who believe, or profess W o-e'o,
m the ability of the usurpers by force OF Inc cen
trail power with its array OF suoorned judges ana
hemp-suggesting myrmdons, 10 deter Tue parry "a
Freedom from attempting TO repel aud PROSTATE
the usurpation by UNUSUAL measures. lt Is 100
mucb 10 expect Of this class Of lien to perceive
the deeper springs and grander movements OF his
tOry. They simply look upon the people as so
filtered By constitutional forms and legal lmpeoi-
ments that they cannot extricate themselves from
their own humiliation but by acts which they are
- hu If the DpoDe
cannot be disputed it s simply their manhood
which 10 questioned. Fearers and worshlpers OF
mower themselves like the same class Of time
servers under all governments, these poor-splrted
parasites look upon the chains Of tyrants only TO
laugh at their victims. And while they exult over
the apparent strength of these chains, they taunt-
ingly ask of those over whom they are THROWN
"What are you going TO do about it ="
For one, we make ans Wer 10 the insulting inquiry
by prompt and unequivocal reply. We propose to
reyOlutOnize the revolution. We design to prose-
cute cOunteryang measures to the usurpatiOn,
which shall be sufficiently radical and effective to
accomplish its overthrow. We intend TO strike
directly at the usurPiDg power That power Is
Slavery We propose TO drive directly at its vitals
wherever it exists. Forced into war; driven into
straits where one party the other must sink, go
for sinking Slavery. In contest Ofvta consequence
and far reaching results, we cannot sand upon
ceremony. Having no alternative but to yield TO
Slavery or 10 conquer Slavery, we strike for It's IN
conditional extinction in this Government, whether
by expulsion or otherwise: Upon this ground we
believe the battle should be fought by all who do
not intend to be victimized and degraded by
the gross and insulting rule of the Slave Power
This war upon Slavery must be made by the
Free States acting in their own sovereign capacity,
or BY such cooperative union among them as shall
be deemed best by the parties. 1t cannot be ef-
tectivey carried on to its successful completion by
the sole action of Federal agencies. 1t is 100 late
for that This plan has been tried and found want
ing The reasons why, might be given at length,
but we must omit them here. The lower House of
Congress may where possible, be used as an auxil-
liary force but this is all. The Free States, acting
in their own separate and independent capacity,
must accomplish the work. What those States
must fret do is to Use from their dependent,
secondary, half torpid position, aud assume the at
ttude vi independent, seirespecliDg, seli-reliaDt
States. They need organization. They must be
aroused to feel and TO declare their rights. 1t is
time 10 shake off the dust aud slOth OF generations
and to ASSERT their powers, so long left in abey-
ance. They have need to recur to first principles
TO brush away the cObWebs which have accumu-
lated upon their books of constitutional law;
restore to light their almost forgotten reserved
rights, erect their PROSTATE political status upon
q pedestal where it can be seen OF all men. They
must train their people, and organize their military
resources, not for war but for defense. They must
assert their sovereignty, and be ready to defy all
possible assaults upon it. Thus they may at one
and the same time secure peace and command re-
spect
This done, and it may be quickly done, let them
hurl their bolts into the ranks OF Slavery. Lei
them begin their approaches and prosecute their
assaults in whatever manner and direction can
be shown to be most effectusl. This work may III
fact be carried along pari passu with the WORK OF
preparing the Free States for whatever emergency
their position may induce They may be skirmsh
ing against the enemy while being disciplined. Al
present, the Anti-Savery spirit of the North lie;
embosOmed in mere mob of numbers. The Yam
kees are, to too great an extent, degenerated II
schOOlmasteriDg and huckstering. They are cu
tiyated efeminates like the last of the Greeks AL
this must be reformed. For the slavedrigng oil
garchs wind the men of culture round their finger
Determination discipline, organization, must take
the place of all such sentimental yigor aud grow
ing imbecility as was witnessed in that disgraceu
spectacle the Anthony Burns mob In word, the
North must learn to act as we'll as talk. Do we
need to intimate in what dsrectiOn1 We think not
except to willful obtuseness. Wisconsin has takeI
one step in the true path. Yet, nobly as she hal
acted and gratefully her early assertion of State
Independence shall be remembered hereafter, her
star will yet be pointed to only as one Of q gl0
rious galaxy, with which the future shall over
spread the heavens that was the first to shine out
from the unbroken darkness of once mHrky sky
But there are larger and more comprehensive
functions to be discharged than any State has yet
initiated. For no State has yet come to full vie y
or full contemplation Of the force and crninaIty
Of the usurpaOn which has yauited into the saddle
Of the Federal Government. Usurpation must be
met by revolt, and revolt does not deal alone OF
stop with barricsdes. 1t makes necessity alone the
rule Of its action. The law Of its conduct is not
laid down in the books 1t is extemporized on the
gsteposts Of the usurper by those who crowd in to
his overthrow. The States must move directly