The Washington union., 1858-02-09
peaceabo settlement Of the slavery question BY the

peaceable settlement of the slavery question BY the
people of Kansas their way. free from outside
Interference and intrusion according to the ntersee-
tional pledges of 1880 and 1854
So Disguised have been the respectable portion OF
the people of Kansas with these shameful proceed
ings, that contrary to general expectation much
larger number of votes were cast for the slavery
clause on the 2lst December last at the regular bal
loting on the Lecompton constitution than was en-
pected and that instrument has thus come before
Congress with the slavery clause, although 1t is well
known that the systematic asitations which have
been kept up by the majority party of the North have
driven almost every slave out, of the Territory
The constitution with, slavery has come before
Congress under these circumstances. 1t presents
no question of practical advantage to the South and
it is not within the power of the most unbiushlng
mendacity to pretend that the admission of Kansas
under it can carry with it any triumph for the
South.
But there is more involved than a consideration
of sectional advantage or disadvantage. The ques-
ton is involved whether the enormous frauds and
outrages upon the solemn intersectonal agreements
the northern majority party, are to be sanctioned or
rebuked2 The question is involved whether the mi
nority party of the North which have until now so
signally and noby adhered to aud upheld those
pledges will stand to their national principles and
party in the final hour which tries mems principles?
Nay, there is more involved than these things.
The honorable Mr. Seward boastcd in the Senate
the other day in the following significant words:
~ am very sorry that the faith Of the honorable
ator from New Hampshire is less than my He ap
prehends continual disaster He wants this battle
tnued and fought by skirmishes and to deprive the
enemy OF every kind of supplies Sir regard hi. bas
az olrcIy fought 1t is over All the mistake is that the
honorable senator and others do not know it. We
fighting for hagorfy Of free Stotes There are already six
teen to fifteen; and whatever the administration may
do-S whatever anybody may do-bcfore one year from
this time shall be nineteen to fifteen"
His words are true. The northern States have
majority in every department Of the national govern
mcnt. The question u.s. how do they intend to
their majority-whether in subordinaton to the
guarantees thrown around the minority section in
the federal constitution insisted npon heretofore
by the national democratic party or in ruthless dis
regard of those guarantees and in reckless violation
of all pledges of faith between sections, as is
insisted upon by the black-republican party, and
indicated by that party's whole course of conduct
on the subject of Kansas That is the question; !;
and the relative strength of the two parties at the
North presents a melancholy and ominous indication
of the intentions of that section in this regard.
We had portentous indication of these inten-
tions in the late national election when all but one
northern State majority of their votes against the
party and candidates which supported the great in
.lrcs .4:n
indication even than this have had here within the
few days past. The opposition of the northern major
ity party to the execution of these pledges was to have
been expected But the refusal of portion of
the national men Of the North to cooperate with
their own national organization was ominons indeed.
This national party is the only remaining barrier be-
tween the majority party of the North and the
sttution in its integrity and sanctity and the re-
fusal of considerable portion of the northern
democratic members to cooperate with the national
party-nay, their formal and apparently concerted
coalition with the blackrepublcan party-threatens
a ACKNOWLEDGMENT and dissolution Of the national de-
mocracy. If persisted in, this movement of northern
democrats must break down the last remaining
tional organization of the people of our Union, and
must finally sectionalize the politics and political
parties Of our country. The issues in that
event, must be between majority section and
minority section, majority of States and minority
of States, majority sectional party and minority
sectional party--wth guarantee for the indepen-
dencc in the Union of the minority section but the
constution--with the majority expressly organ
lied for the abrogation and destruction of that.
We have set down these plain considerations in
blunt words in order that democratic members might
clearly realize the momentous character of the issues
now before Congress and the fearful breakers near
which our federal ship is drifting.
The enemies of the Lecompton constitution in Con-
gress opened their upon it with the objections
that there was no enabling act authorizing call of
the convention which framed it; that it not
properly submitted to nor fully ratified by the pco-
pie of Kansas and that it could not be altered OF
amended until after the year 1864. Within the brief
space of time that this subject has been under dis
cussion we have seen the first and the last of these