The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-09-02
PROVIDENCE RULES.


be elected, the Union cannot and ought not to be
preserved"
Who said so? No other than john SLIDELL,
Of New Orleans, Senator from Louisiana, who had
sworn to support the Constitution of the United
States, and of course to preserve the Union.
And why ought not the Union to be preserved
If FREMONT should have been electedp Because
Mr.. SLIDELL, and others Of the ultra Southern
politicians, believed that Kansas would not then
"be saved to the South"-in other words, would
not come into the Union as slave State as IL
was the design Of that school Of politicians to
thus bring it in when they concocted the Kansas
Nebraska bill and repealed the Missouri Compro-
mise If this were not their object, what was it?
Why did ATcHEsoN, STRIEGFELLow, and others,
exert themselves as they did to accomplish this
object9 Why did the Legislature appointed by
them enact laws with that view, which, in the
language of General Cass, were disgrace to
humanity? And why are those laws still enforced
by the Federal Governments
We are then to interpret Senator SLIpELL's
declaration thus: eff Kansas be not brought into
the Union as slave State the Union cannot and
ought not to be preserved" Canaota Why
Because the South will then rebel, and ought to
do so. Such is Mr. Slidells language fairly inter-
preted, and it but embodied the sentiments and
feelings Of the whole Democracy Of the South
and many Of the Wings who have since Joined
them.
But FREMONT was not elected. What then |?
Has Kanasas been "saved to the South? No
one believes that it will ever be slave State,
and no one can doubt, who reads the ultra Demo-
cratic papers Of the South that the general belief
prevails over the whole Of that section that it is
the wish Of the President and Of Governor Walker
that it should come into the Union as a free
State. Should it come in thus, viii Senator
SLrDELL then say that "the Union ought not to be
preserved? We do not believe he will take.
such ground as this and become an open and
avowed advocate of rupture of the Union.
But there are those at the North who are
ready to declare, and to do all in their power to
carry out their declaration that if Kansas shall be
admitted rs a slave State, the Union ought not to
be preserved What is the difference between
these two classes of politicians? Is any one
casuist enough to tell us? There is not. in orr
mind, a fig to choose between them. Both would
destroy the Union if they could unless they could
have everything their own way. Both are crazy
-one school in favor of and the other against
slavery Itheir insanity did not affect the great
interests and endanger the perpetuity of the
Union--if it did not keep the whole country in
state of turmoil excitement, and ill-feeIine-tbev
might be either left to roam about like other
demented people, whose Authorizations are harm.
less, or they might be taken to lunatic asylums
as their friends thought best. But crazy men in
power are dangerous to the body polite. and
therefore ought to be watched and restrained.
We think it fortunate for the country that FRE.
MONT was not elected; because in that case Mr.
SLIDELL, and those whose sentiments he uttered
in the declaration we have quoted, would have
enacted the scenes of 1s4s, g, and 80. over
again. Kansas would have been admitted. as n
now will be, as free State, which would have
been the signal and the avowed motive for hold
ing more disunion conventions agitatinp the
whole South, declaring that her rights were tram.
pied on, that she had no security in the Union,
and that it was therefore due to herself that she
at once withdraw from it and form great South
ern confederacy.
Can any one doubt that such would have been
the course the South, under the lead of Slidell.
Rhett Quitman, Soule, Toombs, Jones, of Tennes.
see, Colcock, Wise, and others of that ultra
school, would have pursuedp We think not.
What the final result would have been, no human
being can tell; there were no HENRY CLAYs left
in the country to sound the trumpet of alarm. To
stand forward and resist the sweeping tide. and
finally to bring about peace and harmony by A
compromise of differences
Fortunate was II, therefore, that no occasion
was furnished, by the election of FRrMosr. for
any such demonstration by the crazy men of the
South; nor do We apprehend that any occasion
will be furnished the crazy men of the North for
any similar demonstration against the Union
The South have got their man, and with him
their share Of the offices and honors which thew
as well as the Northern Democrats. 80 mucb
covet; while the North are likely to get. besides
their share Of :" the spoils" which 20 to the Dem.
ocrats, free Kansas, just the same as II Fremont
had been elected-a very fair compromise on tho
whole, and probably, as we have before said
very fortunate one for the country. Providence
has ordered all things wisely, and protects our
country from its own worst internal enemies.
The Rebuke Of n Democrat.