Daily national Democrat., 1859-04-16
The Issue.

people of this State, these organs are endeav-
oring to impress the minds Of those whom
they represent or direct, as the case may be,
with the notion that the issue in question is
one about which it is not necessary that any
position should be taken by the Convention.
The policy of this course is very evident.
The leaders, who will fix up this Convention,
do not intend that the Convention shall say a
word about the right of Congress to estab-
lish slave code for the Territories and, in
order to prepare the public mind for this
unmanly silence. they wish to make it appear,
if possible, that really no such issue is before
the country. The only point of difficulty in
this exceedingly ingenious expedient is the
possibility that the people may not be so ca
silly humbugged as these individuals imagine.
1t is very possible that the masses Of thinking
men will recognize the contemplated silence
of the Convention on the matter rs puerile
dodging of great and important question
upon which political organizations are ex-
pected to speak out, boldly and unequivocal-
! lv. Some such shrewd notion on their part
is very possible, especially when they come
to consider how expert this Lecompton Or
ganizaton has been at lodging heretofore
Now, we lay it down as a proposition
which will be verified by the future, that
this proposed enactment by Congress of n
slave code for the Territories is the present
great living issue before the country, and
that the time has come when party conven-
tions must declare their convictions on the
subject 1t is trihing with the intelligence
of the people to attemptth pitiful subterfuge
of non-committal silence upon it. 1t will
not do. The people will demand to know
the nature of the creed they are expected to
support The mere generalities of q promise
to sustain and abide by the Cincinnati Plat
form will not answer Intelligent men will
desire to know in what manner that platform
is interpreted, whether in the elastic style of
construction common to the free-and-easy
school cf Buchananism, or whether according
to the more logical and more Democratcal
definitions of Douglas A mere vague de
claration to abide by the Kansas Nebraska
bill will not answer the purpose any better.
What Lecomptonism understands by that
bill, or affects to understand by it, must be
clearly and definitely stated But, admitting
that 1t might do to vaguely generaize on
these points, a silence upon the question of a
slave code for the Territories can never be
tolerated. That is to say, the people will not
rest satisfied with such a disposition of the
question in convention. Party organizations
must be either one thing or the other-for or
against this contemplated slave code. The
necessity of complete ndabsolute disavow
al of the doctrine of Congressional interven-
ton with slavery in the Territories, rests i'm
peratively upon the Lecompton organization,
if they would clear their skirts of the taint,
without this disavowal they are virtually
committed to the doctrine, for the leaders of
the party in the Senate of the United States
have proclaimed it as the principle upon
which their kind of Democracy is based, and
the policy upon which they will insist
Furthermore they have distinctly declared
to Mr.. Douglas himself in open Senate, and
before the whole people of the Union. that
upon his doctrine Of non-intervention he
could not get the support of a solitary one of
the Southern States If such is the feeling of
the Southern Democracy in regard TO the
Democratic doctrine of non-intervention, it is
high time to learn what is the feeling of the
Northern Democracy in regard to the same
thing. There are two parties in this one of the
Northern States which claim to be the De-
mocracy. The people expect to hear in the
platforms to be put forth by ther organiza-
tons, what the title of each is to the name
which it would claim. Which one is the
true Democracy2 How can it be known
without full, free, and unequivoeal promul-
cation of its opinions? The Douglas Democ-
racy fears not to avow its principles There
is every evidence to believe that the Leeomp
ton " Democracy" q are most mortally afraid
to avow theirs, and that they will not do it
! There is no doabt in the world, however
that perfectly open and fearless course i
the true policy at this time. Dodging vii
avail nothing. The people are either in favo
OF Congressional Intervention or they are not
end the doctrine must either stand or fall up
, on its own merits. Let the roll be called.