Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1859-11-22
Who Are Agitators?

WHO are AS1CaLorS!
From tho New York Post
Much ado is made by the democratic
prints i'll regard to the agitation of the sla-
very question, and they assert of the Re-
publican organization that the whole de-
sign of it is to make war upon the social
relations of the slave states. A Georgia
paper, however, the Columbus Enquirer, is
not deceived by this cry, and in an article
commenting upon the late inaugural ad-
dress of Governor Brown, of that State.
charges home upon the democrats them
selves the origin of this agitation. 1t says
When Mr.. Fillmore retired from the Presidency
tue slavery question regarded as settled uDon
basis so firm aud constitutional as to defy the efforts
oi sectional altatOrs to get up another dangerous
excitement. The tAbOlitiOnsts' in Congress numLer-
Gu nnt Il score or there!bouts, and there open
question upon which they could get up another Sec
ttonl bruil. But democracy must needs nit the
South 1GInst the North in another domestic emcute:
1t must summon the two sections each to the support
0t us sqnatter sorertSnS in territorial fight for
NnsnS and out of this localized conflict grew new
excitement overspreading the whole Union, and
Oulnlng up northern sectional party that almost
carried the last Presidential election. The whole
governmental management of this controversy has
been in the hands of the national democracy and II
has tcmpOrtsed until neither section Inns the enst
confidence in its ability its will to pacfy country
Drlstling with sectional repugnances and conflicts"
There is some truth in this; if the uues-
ton of the extension of slavery had been
left where it was when Pierce came into
office, there would have been little of the
excitement that we have since seen; but
MIR. Douglas, to increase his popularity. as
he supposed, with the South, must needs
introduce his repeal of the Missouri Com
promise, and open the whole matter again
to furious debate. The Kansas civil war,
and all the eX;tcerb0tiOns of the pnhlic
mind which grew out of it, were the direct
results of this measure, sby--which the
South has gained nothing, while it has al
most turned the North into q single unani-
nous party.
At this moment the democratic prints
and democratic politicians are the greatest
disturhcrs of the tranquility of the South.
What, for instance, have they not made of
the John Brown affair? a few misguided
men design running off slaves to IL condi-
ton of freedom, when they are caught in
the act, and instantly the country is filled
with reports of slave Instructions. civil
wars, hloodshed and anarchy. is every
where proclaimed that these men are the
agents of conspiracy, which has its RAM
ihcations i'll all the northern states, that
their plans have been approved by the
most eminent men, and that the outbreak
ut lIarper's Ferry was but the precursor of
lnnnmerabic servilc Instructions. Day
after day it is iterated in the ears of the
trembling South that all this is true, and
that il has nothing to look forward to but
scenes OF domestic riot and carnage I'm
fortunately there are many in the South
who believe the lying charges, and really
regard the North as animated by the most
malignant purposes towards it. Must
there not be agitation when sucIE4neans of
inilaming evil passions are rcsorted to?
Take an instance of the manner in which
the North and South are arrayed against
each other, from the Presidents organ, the
Constitution, of yesterday. y few days since
we had an election for local officers in the
state of New York, the result of which was
that certain gentlemen of Republican senti-
mems were chosen over certain other gentle
men of opposite sentiments But the Consfi-
tuition, not satisfied with simply declaring
the fact, announces that the people of New
York have thereby announced themselves
IN favor ''of all Dir. Stewards doctrines, all
MI Stewards acts, and all Mr.. Stewards
spoken and written opinions; in favor of
dividing the Union into two hostile and
warning sections; in favor of letting loose
over the land the bitter waters of strife
and hatred; in favor of Subverting the
nases OF the government, overthrowing
tOe constitution, and enacting in its place
lhc higher law which Seward and Cid
dings have advocated from the forum,
which Chccvcr and BceCher have preached
from the pulpit, and which 0sawatomic
Brown has practiscd Mt Harpcr's Ferry"
There is much more to the same effect in
which the real objects of the Republicans
are not once disclosed, while n thousand
atrocious schemes of disorder, plumber and
brutality are ascribed to them. In fact,
the entire North is painted as some huge
wIld beast, dandling with sort of feroci-
Gus delight its poor victim, the South, in
its claws, before swallowing it alive.
To read these democratic journals one
would suppose that the people of the North,
instead of being engaged in driving their
ploughs, shipping their merchandise, turn
ing their spinning jennies, and teaching
their schools, as nine-tenths of them arc
NIL the time, were assembled in perpetual
and solemn cOnclave to consider in what
way they conld best annoy, injurc and
wrong the South. According to the same
authorities, the pledges and agreements of
the Union are an increasing irritation to
us, and our exclusive study is the best
method of overturning the constitution.
breaking up the ties of fraternity and good
feeling between the different parts of the
country, and of dcluging the land in the
reddest of gore. Nobody surely eats his
breakfast in peace; nobody comes down TO
his business of morning in lcalmness and
confidence; nobody goes home Mt night to
enjoy himself at the opera, or to slceD with
asimucl repose as child, when such dia-
bolical schemes are Matching all around
him, when the pulpit itself is turned into a
drum to beat up treason, and ninety-nine
in a hundred of the people are the most
abandoned and bloOd-thirsty conspiratoJs
These exaggerations of the democratic
prints are likely to have another effoct,