, 1859-05-09

the world is un tke whole growing wiser and
better with each revolving year. The prlcl-
pies Of or holy reli=ion are obtaining more
entire sway ovcr tic minds of I'LL classes Of
men. and they pcrvade and control tho atIairs
Of society mpre certainly than in any former
age.
While We believe this is strictly tr1lc IN re.
gard to our ouu aud all other civilized nations,
even casual student d tile principles which,
for tho last twenty years. have bound TO-
xcthcr and obtained coutro! for tue dolnilMnt
political party oftl4c country, will discover that
they lave sadly dcseneTatcd. That degcncrncy
is seen 10th i'll the character Of tile men whom
they have placed at tho head of national af-
fairs and tile prime iples. ly which it is now
governed and those which secured for that
party its triumpls whcn General jackson It'd
its hosts on to certain victory.
Whatever censure the future historian ,na@
pass upon the subsequent political course Of
Ar: vau Bu.cn and though s1!auy things were
done. about the lropriety Of Which honest
uen still differ, in Cur Judgment his
administration will he regarded :'s able
aud SUCCESSFUL. The national llonor was
rremp:cd and main,:liucd economy and
and general integrity prevailed in tl'v councils
Of the nation, and though = powerful party
led by some Of the aklcst minds the world has
ever produced was ar:ayed against him, no one
felt d:sgraced either L, home or abroad by the
policy OF the men WIN administered the gen
erol coycrnmnnt Af."- .'- H. --,''2--~J
Of Mr.. Van Burcn, the old Wlg party gavc
the country two Presidents. Gen. Harrison
and G':n. Taylor. resulting, carly i'll their re-
epcct!ye terms. in two accidental" Presi-
dents John Tyler md Mlard Fillmore. Even
-now tho country will accord to Mr. Fillmore,
with the execution Of Il few measures, the
adoption of which I'LL good men must
ever regret tho credit Of administering
the Government t:lirlr ;ud ably.
As to Tyler, lie enjoyed thu uncnviahle
distinction Of heiug the meancst aud The most
rasc:l!ating Of the Presidents, ill tic corrupt,
trucking policy Of poor Pierce found its
climax in the falsehood and tho imbecilitr Of
James Buchanan. As to Polk, the E1ecu-
tive chair was never ab1e to raise him
above the position Of Il 1hird-rate Tennessee
1awyer. Tie entire List If Democratic prcsi.
dents since the days Of Van Buren, have been
selected for their devotion to the interests Of
tho slave power. and their administrations lave
demonstrated that thc willy oligarchy Of the
South were not mistaken in the instruments
they selected to cl7ry out their schemes. Each
successive iucumbcn, has dstanccd his prcde-
cessor in the downward cou:sc Of political do
gcueracy:
As the men whom the dominant party have
placed in the executive chair harc degcncra.
ted III tic scale ol political morality, SO the
principles Of that party have become more des-
potlc aud corTupl-nore in accordance with
tie hehcsts Of slavery ''the enm Of all villail-
les the most remorsclcss law.dcfyinc form Of
concentrated despotism
anything can be proved from the history
Of the country, it certainly is well settled
1act that i: originated in love Of libertr-in
the right Of all men to life, liberty and thu
pursuit Of happiness without abatement Or
qualification Of any kind whatever. Slavery
was recognized it il true, in the formation Of |
the Constitution. but recognized rs IN evil that |
was 10 be mitigated aad removed in the wisest |
way and nj tie earliest day possible. !
The good mon and the patriots Of the couu. |
try, both north and south, held THIS opinion un-
aninous'y and it found expression in the laws
Q! Congress in the famous enact1ncnts orl7s7,
deyoting the Northwest Territory to Freedom i
and in tho Missouri Compromise in 1870. The |
entire legislation Of the general government, |
the earcE laws of nearly all tic thirteen States,
the Declaration Of independence, and the dis. |
unct and emphatic opinions Of all tho patriots
and statesmen Of the country. with tie cxccp-
ton ot John G.. Calhoun, down to 1850, show that !
freedom was, and WIS 10 be tho ruling policy |
Of tho government, till slavery WAS gradually |
and surely abolished. Previous 10 that date
tho absolute control Of the general government
over the territories v'as never disputed by apv
other statesman bn: John c. Calhoun. and |
Congress had exercised that right most SOL |
emnly nnd em!satt.ally on the side Of freedom. |
BON tue Democratic and the Wing parties !
~cro pledged as it WIS believed, unaltcrab]y |
10 these principles. No party would have
oafea lo' momeut to lroach any other, On |
pain OF hopeless annihlaton.
Without a,tcnptng-for wc have ne;tbe,
time nor space to do ito trace cach dcpar.
turo Of the domincnt party from tue cardinal
doctrines Of the Declaration Of Independence
What havo We now as The ectucd policy Of the
Government? Tho organ Of the Administr.-
tim in this city daily 1aunts at tho head of /.
columns the following condensation Of poLt:.
oa! infamy.
The HEtALp understands the doctrine of the
democratic purity respecting Slavery in the Ter.
r1sorles. to bc tlls: Tint neiMtr Conqrt.s nor
9nf ptopk cf tic 71rizorits c4n prohibit
ehde~y tht'sin;; but that tue Constitution an in.
tefpretcd BY the Supreme Court Of the United |
otafcs, guarantees to the Shareholder the r10ht |
70 A0k< A*e @1o'o into tie 7etrito,11s and Hold
xh<H th<rt a. p eiertg; and pledges the Federal
dosefnnens 10 protect him in the peaceable
possess s'oa Of such property in any Territory OF
the United States; thnt whcn the pcoplr Of .s+r,
z7turT form Constitution, prcparutory 10 their
~ State, TEEN, AND NOT cxrt1 ruEy.
ran theJ decidet prohibit slavery; and that when
they shall hare frumed Constitution, and ssk !
TO be admitted as State, If their Constitution be
p kfEpub1icun il fpr1n" and II they hnve ro,n 1