The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-04-28
ypr DEATH STRUGGLE OF ANTI SLAVERY

g THE DEATH STRUGGLE OF SLAVERY
The Montgomery lAlabama) Advertiser does not
concur but would be quite rejoiced to do 80, with
the Uson in the opinion we expressed a few days
ago. that antisayery in this country, and indeed
throughout the world, is just now undergoing Sc
we're turn of paralysis We are convinced, if our es-
teeed friend Of the Advertiser will lend us an ear
we can convince him that the Union is right and
that he may join with us in congratulations to tho
country the speedy annihilation Of American anti
slavery. fgft
We have taken the ground that political opposition
to slavery is a monstrous folly; that slavery is, in
fact inaccessible to the action of federal politics
We insist in other words, that even should the leg
siatiye power of the government fall into the hands
of the ,abotiopists il would be wholly unavailable
as ameans Of gripping extinguishing slavery as
that institution exists in the United States. Congress-
might enact fifty statutes against it, abolish the
slave trade between the States, declare the Terrific
es ree and nterdct the creation Of slavery therein
or oven go 80 far as to forbid the recovery of fug
tive slaves, and still the institution of slavery
would not, in practical sense, be affected. The
slave States would still insist upon and main
tain the right Of transit OF inter-commerce with
each other. The people of the Territories would at
their option, establish slavery in spite of federal pro-
liibitions and denunciations. Those States in the
North which are more attached TO the Union than to
fruitless schemes Of demagogues would still
surrender fugitves from labor. II is thus that
political antisavcry while it has the power to in
flame section against section to threaten and de-
b.r s
aggression against the institutions of the South We
utterly deny, for instance that legal prohibition
the ordinance of 1851, the Missouri compromise of
1920 or the WiImot provso ever exercised the least
influence over The subject of slavery within the
counties which those enactments were intended to
govern III that particular That they have exercised
powerful influence upon the public mind of the
country that they have been adroitly and wickedly
used by demagogues means Of creating general
against each other upon question involving the
vital interests Of the latter, do not doubt Con-
gress has authority over slavery; and we main
tain that it is strictly matter of private industry
1t belongs 10 the dominion Of labor, and is gov
crped by the laws Of profit and loss, as every
other branch of labor is II is not within the
power OF any man to point to single act of the
federal Legislature which can DO said to have
exerted direct influence over the institution of
slavery. These facts have at length made an
impression upon the country. They have not
only discreditcd political anti-slavery as means,
but they have shown clearly that it is mon
strous folly. Our government was wisely consti-
tuted so as to exclude tho subject from Congress-.
II has been thrust into Congress by demagogues and
disunionists. 1t never rightly the subject of
discussion there, much less of Legislative action.
All measures Of compromise in regard to the matter
we look upon as unauthorized concessions to theo-
rists aud public enemies. Our great safety is to be
found in taking the directions of selfgovernmen as
the chart Of our federal action No party can live
in opposition to this just rule; and as anti-savery
means assault upon the institution by any and all
means, we infer that experience is killing it, as it
surely is Say what will, Kansas is destined to
be the grave Of abolitionism No party can survive
the foies perpetratcd by the republicans in that
Territory.
p.