The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-03-10
Vol. XIII

,
not vote in consequence of his herr,g,.
this subordinate question. In like man.
large numbers Of the supporters Of CI.
Fremont were strong protec;iousts. and 81.
voted for him without knowing, pcrhap. NJ.
were his views on that subject; and am e...-.
large number friendly to free trade yo,.5
him, without inquiring into the souadr..
his views upon the secondary, and. iul.a.
comparison with the transcendeut Issue.
Freedom and Slavery, insignificant qac.,...
revenue. And who believes that the mex, p
idential election will turn less directly ,.s...
last, upon the Slavery question?
Slavery or no Slavery Is the .. ..
which the parties must go to the coumr.
trial. The Pro-Slavery "Democracg .t..
South presents it, and the North ac.a.
The controlling majority of the South has.
for years permitted any other question sem.
to interfere with the main issue and md. Sam
party, whatever other parties NAV DO. 81
1850 subordinate every other issue t,rl....
In vain will the Opposition, whether unr.i ..
racy will in any event fight with al. f. r....
for the extension of Slavery over Cuba ...
Central America for the bred Scot is...
which legalizes it in all our Tcrri,.H. -
the borders of Mexico to those Of British A..
lea and should they succeed again. rr .
stupid mismanagement of the Oppo,.lyu.-.-
will Immediately proceed to the repeal a-
laws which prohibit the African slave trade.
The idea of abandoning the Republican aaa-
and principles, for a mongrel coalition sra...
the Sham Democracy, with no common end f.
view, except the attainment, Of power ana i.
division Of the spoil. is as absurd a- ], Is. .
principled. And the kindred plan Of na.
the policy of protection to domestic in3r.-
the great issue, is equally impracticablg. T.
impracticable for the simple reason taa.
Opposition are divided among thcmsclya.
the policy of protection; and so far "a, The Is
publicans are concerned, it would be dih..t
say whether the friends of free trade OF ~
lection predominate. What folly, then. 20 r
of making the tariff the issue. The effect
such a course would be to drive into th4 rar.
of the Sham Democracy, or into new organ
cation, one half of the right wing Of The U-
sition, and to leave the other half an casv,-
to the enemy.
The tariff question is one upon which
parties are divided The President h.ms.ta
his Pennsylvania friends are scarcely less s..r.
GUS for protection than the Opposition O., .
same State Yet the Republicans in the Pr.
dental contest will possess the advantage
/ PENNSYLVANIA over their opponents, by ocr
ing position Of neutrality, while the grea. i.a-
and centre of the Sham Democracy. the S.r
will force that party into the positive ayora
free trade. The iron interests, and other
equations which ask for protection a-an,'
egn competition, might hope for more caas-
/ Grafton and favor from the party which
/ braces within It's ranks nine-teuths Of the -
tectionists of the free States, and which na
tains a neutral position upon the subject.
Difference to another large section Of the part
than from the Democracy, u whc.
Southern ultra-free-trade theories are m Oh
ascendant.
Admitting therefore, that 1t is aI.imp.~
to secure the support Of Pennsylvania 20
Republican candidate for the Presideurg.
clear that We are not called upon 10 take
ton which would be a gross abaudoum.n
principle on the part of molety of OBJ. r
supposing it willing to make the sarrt'.
what in effect would be tantamouut TO .-
pulsion from the ranks.
The manufacturing and other Interests. ~.
insist upon the right Of being protected ~.
foreign competition, can hope for Do ia
from the ultra-free trade theorists who cr-
the Sham Democracy. That much is cr-.
| They may secure more or less of vha' ,..r
from the ascendency Of party bound 'a,.
| by an overmastering attachment for Fr-
and free labor, and differing within .,,r..
as to the best measures for the promote
these great aims.
The very existence of prfa, party ar
the suboldination of all minor measure. 80
the concentration of the aggregate power
the organization 20 the adyauccmcu, of
central principle which lies al It's base.
sacrifice of principle is required in .ura q.
ganization but merely mutual spirit aft
ance and forbearance, as it regards quc,.
unessendal. We utterly repudia'c rhc
and demoralizing maxim, that the PARTS.
bound to suppress his honest conyict.ns.
act blindly with the party. Every iu..a
member, in every case, should act ur %
own clear convictions Of duty, even +. ID
should throw him into antagOnsm % jAc,
whom he habitually co-operates. Par.e.
be composed Of men honestly seeking
mon object; and when they differ as q
object to be accomplished, they should
rate, so far as that object is concerned
course is the dictate Of common hou~'r
it is at the same time polite for hone.
always the best policy. The low AMI
maxims Of the mere camp followers, Uio
always an eye single to the spoil, are as 81.
as they are unprincipled; and while they
rally belong to parties whose mission
uphold Slavery and despotsm. they ha'
place in, or consistency with. a party organ.
for the yndication of Freedom. The
ism of a caucus or party majority is as
and odious as priestly or oligarchica. ar
ism; and true lovers Of Freedom must l-'
the one as much as the other. IL
The maxims which inculcate obedience Isl
party behests, as the highest duty only
to disgust and drive out the honest men.
and leave it corrupt unprincip.el. III
with no higher aim than the spoils. ih'
now become the condition of what is O.
" National Democracy" The member, "
party in the various sections have no long"
common object in view, and that once ~
dable organization is now tottering 20 IL
fall. 1t is true that the slave interest. ID,