Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-04-20
NoN-1NTERyENTIoN IN THE SOUTH.

the southern press rallies to the support of nOin
tercention The New Orleans Courier as judicious
in policy as it is able and instructive in argument
admonshes the Democracy in these words of wise
and wholesome advice:
"DRAocRArIc UN1oN-Waving the question Ollie
gality tor the time being, we propose to offer few
remarks on the expedency of demand from the
Southern people that property in slaves held in the
Territories shall he guarded and defined by Con-
grcssiona legislation We are aware that in so do
ing VIC are obtruding upon our readers hacknIed
subject but since the late debate in the Senate, the
question has been galvanized into renewed life and
now threatens to become an element to distract and
divide the Democratic party, and put an end to the
harmonious cooperation of its Northern and South
ern branches Democrats in the n-slaveholding
States adhere firmly ever to the Cincinnati res
olutions
"They accent and approve the decisions of the
Supreme Court which affirm the proprietary rights
of Shareholders in the Territories They freely con-
cede that the Constitution recognizes and guarantees
such rights They support and advocate at all times
the sovereign rights of the States in all their length
and latitude They cheerfuly and in concord sus-
tain the rights of owners of the slaves who escape
into their borders They put aside the low and pet
ty eaouses of sectionalism and labor for the south
ward progress of the republic. They advocate the
acquisition of Cuba, endorse that measure in their
conventions ably sustain it in their presses, and, in
Decd show greater unanimity in supporting it than
can be found among Southern Democrats. They are
friendly to the South because willing to sustain the
Southern States in all their constitutional rights
They friendly to because they oppose the ia
NAUTICAL party that seeks to trample on our rights
through Congressional enactments. They oppose
that powerful Northern combination of men who
claim for Congress the right to exclude slavery from
every foot of the public domain, who denounce and
vilify the sacred high federal tribunal for its recent
decision, who ignore and tread upon the guarantees
of the Constitution, who seek power by playing
upon the lowest prcjudices ard who will discover
and ruin the republic rather than abate one jot OF
title from their tylannous purposes.
6 But the late discussion in the Senate the COM
ments of the Northern Democratic press upon It, the
tone of the discussions in the late campaigns, the
language of Democratic resolutions and other evil
dences, taken in connection with what We know Of
the universal preudces of all Northern people now
and for many years past relative to our great ins
tuition in the abstract, have pretty fully convinced
us that Northern Democrats will with one accord
oppose any special legislation by Congress intended
to operate exclusively in the Territories and solely
upon the subject of slavery. To those who propose
Congressional action either for slavery against it,
in the Territories elsewhere, their answer is Let
slavery and Shareholders alone let it 20 where the
Constitution, AS interpreted by the Supreme Court
opens the door for it; let it look for protection to the
sam, agencies which establish it in the Territories
the Constitution and the Common Law
when the Black Republicans again attempt to
exclude slavery from any Territory by Congress!on-
al action. they will unite with Southern Democrats
as cordially as ever in opposing such action but if
Southern Democrats ask them to aid in adopting a
code Of laws for the regulation protection of sia-
very in the Territories they will refuse en- masse,
unless we err widely in orr estimate of prevalent
opinions. Without the cooperation of Northern
Democrats the attempt will be failure. lfsuch aid
schism in the party, and it Ray be an irrcyocabe
loss Of all power to resist the Black Republican IA
natigs upon other and more vital issues.
"Fhese are some of the reasons why we deem the
step proposed one of doubtful expediency. The
time for such measure is inauSpcious. 1t would
give life to the fell spirit of anti-savcry fanati-
cism, and ALLEVIATE the friends of the rights of the
States at time when they are most needed in uni
ted and harmonious opposition to the gathering hosts
of the Northern sectional party. Such agitation is
the very liies blood of that party Agitation is its
daily food, and We ought to think twice before we
propose any measure which must inevitably supply
such food in abundance. While we should dispute
every inch of constitutional ground and cayil about
the ninth part of hair in matter of legal right
we ought to hesitate before urging measure which,
right wrong, promises little direct benefit to the
of slaves in Territories but threatens disas
trOus effects upon the union and harmony of the
only party by which the Constitution be up.
held. The time is not ripe for such movement
1t is better for the advocates of constitutional rights
to hold and confirm what they have already than to
endanger its loss by prematurely attempting an ad
vance"