The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-05
POSITION OF THE OPPOSITION.

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POSITION OF THE OPPOSITION
Against all the boasts, all the calculations, prophe
ciss and hopes Of the republicans and South Ameri
cans, their Kansas policy has utterly failed them
Raised up tho highest expectations they have fallen
to the lowest dependency Kansas opened a. the
visible organ Of ant-slaveryism The republicans,
upon the strength Of tho practical issue Of slavery
or no slavery their own issue--have fallen upon
the msasare adopted as means of effectng a deci-
sion, and have been utterly Frustrated and degraded
upon tho main point-that political anti-slavery is
necessary TO stop the progress Of slave labor in the
Territories. IT. in the regular course Of population, it
should be shown that the people Of the place desired
slavery, they would unquestonaby establish it, and
thus rendax any action i'm Congress uitless and un-
availing IT. on the other hand, it should be shown
that the people thus forming the new State should
be opposed to slavery, it would be wholly mpossi-
bic to rs,aintain that relation.
Ia Kansas we have had a trial upon this point, and
has been 90 conclusive upon the folly Of political
antislavery as to drive the republicans themselves
TO the adoption Of another issue, even before the
affairs Of that Territory had reached Legislative So
luton. Thus has political anti-slavery been pract
caliy condemned AZ to effect any end
one way or another. so far as the destiny Of new
States 10 concerned. M
We regard Nhs question as one Of transcendant
Importance to- the country. 1t involves the whole
policy, character, and purposes Of tho opposition
In other words, they have established or organized
sectional party for the distinct purpose OF opposing
slavery If experience has shown us that politics
cannot reach the end desired IF it seem thai anti
slavery beyond mere opinion amounts to nothing
that though all the members ofCongress and senators
Should he opposed to slavery any given Territory
they could not prevent its establishment on the
one hand nor authorize and sustain il on the
other, then it will be apparent that the republican
organization is absolutely useessa force operating
against what is familiarity called the creation Of
more slave States s9eaf n lHs az fsss 1t..s
And what else does the history Of Kansas prove
than that anti-savery il the most arrant presnmp-
ton that while it proclaimed freedom as the end OF
its Lahore, it had not the least power in the world
to control the subject in particular place! In sea-
sons Of epidemic and pestence communities which
49,
agifated est ts posons should be extended to them
In the midst Of the excitement every one feels, On
thinks he feels the premonitory symptoms OF the
fatal nialady and he resorts to medicines to keep
himself in order, and ward off reduce the blow
when it shall come. This has been the case with
large portion Of the people Of the North within the
last six or eight years in referenceto the proclaim
ed approach of slavery. They have been receiving
remedies and preventives till the public. mind be-
came nervous aud agitated, and in the mean tipqe
deeply excited and prejudiced against what many
honestly believed the aggressions Of the Slave
Power. - sp8 sh8 &C.,
Right on the other hands the South, even more SEN
sitve because their properly and their pride and an
dependence were directly involved, have been led
by hs formidable and threatening bluster Of north
ern men to believe that there was in organization .
power ~ irresistible public sentiment in the North
preparing 10 invade and beat down the rights Of the
people of he ssuth. And it must be confessed,
that inasmch = the latter section had all her great
intarAes involved, that abe had power, in con
trovery against slavery. to be aggressive THAI is,
that there ID no interest in the free States which is
so easily assaulted lit is not rightly tho subject Of
wonder that the people Of the South became greatly
excited a4 8 Ese.
In this way-and it is the only fruit of the whole
antislavery struggle we have built up the Sec
tions-sAe North and the South. We leave 1T to the
country II say whether as the North and the South
become mors and more prominent, the Union does
not appear less and less important and necessary?
The matter, perhaps may be better solved by ask
ing whether friendship. amty, and kindly feeling
do not snssrsrs into the character Vt tbs Ameri-
can Union than Jealousy, distrust contention, and
strife And then, again. we submit to men Of sense
five are TO wtnsssshe overthrow Of our institutions
whether that end should be effected through the
agitation Of subject which appertans exclusively
10 local commanitiss, and with which the nation has
neither part nor lott a rs
EXTRAORDINARY ENERGY. a n
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