The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-02-11

niow Tor Slavery. 1t was daring blow, totally
unexpected. A Compromise which had been
IN force thirty-three years, had been regarded
by the People generally as a compact almost as
sacred and irrepealable as the Constitution it
sell, stood IN the way of the Slave Power-was
deemed a stigma upon it, check upon its
aggressive tendencies. 1t must be abolished.
True, the People will be shocked-agitation
will rock the land like an earthquake-"T The
Democracy" the very agent of our power, may
tor time be prostrated-but, this is the first
session OF the first Congress there will be an
other session, and another Congress, before the
Presidential election having made this gain,
we will rest--resction will expend itself, in re.
turning perhaps an adverse Congress-new is.
sues will spring up-the Democracy, our faith
ful agent, will have time to recruit-Federal
patronage will heal many bruises-the CO inner.
cial activities of the North will not permit the
People to dwell perpetually on what cannot be
undone--so that the new Presidential election
may again put the power into our hands.
September, 1850, the policy of the Ordinance
OF 1887 was abandoned; May, 1854, the Mis-
souri, Compromise was repealed.
This time, Reaction was more formidable and
longer continued. An agitation against Slave
holding usurPation unprecedented in our history
arose, followed by political revolution, equal.
ly unprecedented. Unfortunately it was coin
cident with an agitation of very different char.
acter, affecting alien and religious prejudices,
and so mixed up with it in certain sections that
it was almost impossible to analyze the results.
But, we are concerned chiefly with the effects
upon the next, or Thirty: fourth Congress
1S55-'57. This stood as follows:
Senate House
Slave Democracy .38 70
Republicans 10 lI6
Americans Am. and Wings 38
81 233
One vacancy.
In the Senate, the Slave Democracy derived
accessions FROM Pro-Slavery Wings; several
Wings became Know Nothings, or Americans:
in the House, the Slave Democracy stood 70,
or fewer by IS than in the last Congress, while
the People had returned ll6 members adverse
to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise. the
great majority of whom were Republicans. As
might have been anticipated, no new scheme
of aggression was preached in this Congress.
The policy of the Slave Party was rather to con.
cilate, while holding on tenaciousy to all it had
gained. 1t was not SO easy, however, this time,
to quiet the People. Border Ruffianism in Kan.
sas ministered to their excitement, and the agi-
tation threatened, despite all the usual arts of
the Slave Power, to decide the Presidential
election. What could be done? Franklin Pierce
had done great service in the cause of Slavery
but he must be sacrificed. 1t was desirable to
select as the Democratic standard bearer man
who had not been mixed up in the controversy,
and who, from his age and position, might in.
spire Conservative men at the North with con.
fdence: accordingly, James Buchanan was fix
ed upon. The People in the free States, too, must
be concilated by allowing his supporters to in.
sist upon the doctrine of Popular Sovereignty
of the right of the People Of Territory to ex.
clude Slavery whenever they please-enlarging
upon the practical working of such doctrine
in favor of Freedom. The Cincinnati platform
contained resolution, admitting of this con-
struction, although An opposite Interpretation
might easily be put upon it in the South and
Mr.. Buchanan, following this as bis model, &C.
cepted the nomination in letter, admitting of
the same kind of double construction. The
game, SO adroitly played, succeeded.
A Democratic Congress, so-called, was elect
ed, and James Buchanan became President.
The paonlo roeto-oI 81, - s'rry
which had abandoned the Wilmot Proviso, en-.
acted the Fugitive Bill, repealed the Missouri
Compromise-andt the demagogues at the North
assured them that Freedom was safe; the Pres
ident would stand by the cause of Popular
Sovereignty in Ksnsas-that Territory, under
his policy, would come in as a free State.
He was inaugurated March a, 1857, and the
new Congress, which met the following Decem-
Der, stood