New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-04-26
THE PRESIDENCY IN 1850.

chosen next year. We say new one, because not
more than half dozen persons, including the Hon.
James Buchanan have any idea of reeecting that
eminent functionary. Mr. Franklin Pierce is a
possible candidate; so is Caleb Gushing; so are
five hundred or five thousand others; James
Buchanan il an impossible one. We are TO have q
new President, and very probably new candidates
on all hands.
This paper is pretty well understood TO favor the
policy Of such action and the cultivation Of such q
spirit on the part of the Republicans will secure
if possible, union Of the Opposition in the contest
before US We do not deem it necessary again to
contradict the rlmors from time to time set afoat
that we are laboring TO nominate and elect 4, j,
or c. The single end we keep in view is the tn
umph Of our principles and the consequent advance
ment Of our country's prosperity and honor. The
elevation of A or i to the Presidency may seem to
us desirable, but the triumph of our cause is Of
infinitely greater Importance Men are at best but
means to an end; and that end is not their own
induction into the Presidential chair.
I'm the last Presidential contest, the votes Of the
American People were divided as follows:
Filmore..----..--.-.-.-. i7W
Fremont and Fillmore together over Buchanan..377 5g
of course, it is plain that substantial, prsc-
teal union of the electors who supported Fremont
and Fillmore respectively insures triumph in
1860 even though there should be some scaling Of
on either side, az there probably would be. We
can afford to lose One Hundred Thousand Of the
Opposition vote in 1876, and still carry the next
President by handsome majority.
Is there, then. any insuperable obstacle 10
substantial union of the Opposition in 1860?
In other words-Whot do the Republicans insist
on as essential that the other branch Of tho OppO
sition cannot concede to thcml
Doubtless, there are Republicans whose opinions
and feelings with regard to Slavery are such as are
not acceptable to conservative Wings. We, for
instance, regard the continuance of Human Slavery
as at once great crime and great bunder-as
the MAN, meeting cause of our cOuntry's misfor-
tunes and perils. We do most earnestly believe
that Virginia, for example, would have had double
the population and treble the wealth she now
has, had her soil never been pressed by the
foot Of slave So of North Carolina, Ken
land, Missouri, Texas. But even We have
no idea that the Federal Government ever will or
should undertake to ntermeddle with the exist
ence of Slavery in any State of this Union. We
ask that Government simply to let Slavery in the
States alone protecting the inyiolability OF Its
Mails and that personal liberty which the Federal
Constitution guarantees to every citizen leaving
10 tba atu
and diffusion of Intelligence Humanity and Reh-
gion. That the Federal Government should cease
to be the active champion and propaganda OF
Slavery, whether in its domestic or It's foreign poll
cy, We do urge and insist. Beyond that point, we
do not ask nor expect it to go. The Annexation
of Texas under the circumstances and conditions
of that Annexation. the overthrow of the Missouri
Compact, the whole course of Federal proceedings
in Kansas, from the hour that Border Ruffians
were first permitted to harass and abuse
her Prostate settlers without resistance or
rebuke from those appointed and paid TO
administer the laws there, down to the elimination
of the Lecompton Fraud, We hold to be gross de-
partures from that attitude which 1t was the duty
of the Federal Government to maintain with re-
gard to Freedom and Slavery. SO with the mon
strous project of paying One Hundred Millions OF
over for the Island Of Cuba for the single purpose
of constituting new buttress and support OF the
Slave Power in our Union. Surely, it cannot be
necessary that one should be deadly foe OF Slavery
in order that be should realize the gross partiaity
and Injustice of such projects as this. We do not
ask the Federal Government to spend Millions to
strengthen the Free-Labor interest IN our Union.
We protest against spending Millions for an oppo-
site purpose. Who says that this protest Is not
justified!
Nor do we ask nor desire the prescription of
shareholders or Pro-Sayery men by the Federal
Administration. If they insist on prescribing US,
why then they raise an issue which We must meet
and the hardest fend of. But We are quite willing
to return to the policy Of the early Presidents, un-
der whom no msn's opinions respecting Slavery
were made d test Of his fitness for Office. Now, II
is notorious, no man is permitted TO hold Office
who is in any manner an opponent of Slavery.
What the Republican party untedly demand and
insist GU is such change in the policy of the Fed
eral Government will render il no longer pa
tron and partisan but opponent Of the future Ex-
tension of Slavery We insist that in future Il shall
act with regard to Slavery Extension in the spirit
which induced Jefferson to devise and Washington
10 sanction It's Introduction in the Federal Terrific
RES, and Gen. Taylor to favor rs exclusion from
California So much, in essence, the Republicans
must and viii insist on: How many Of the other
wing of the Opposition viii object to it In other
words, How many Of the conservative Wings de-