The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-04-14

| pulkc, we should think that an eu'soi "
| naty. 5modesty and candor wouia ei'ne' nav
said nothing, o., have made an nohes' comes
sion r. the sins of his party; but the Union has
the !, oIness to put on an air of virtuous indig-
nati at what it is pleased to designate Black
Rep ,hcan frauds.
A another time we propose to give the facts
in Dc all of this Wholesale official swindle.
PRO 1gECTION OF SLAVERY IN THE
IL TERRITORIRS-GOV WISE.
81 fs 1sE-.s -
W. expressed the opinion, two weeks ago,
THAI Governor Wise, of Virginia, was the author
of the proposition to psotect Slavery in the Ter
rit9r 3 and we stated, according to our i'm
pr$@on, that the idea was suggested by him
thrpgyh the Richmond Enquirer, of which his
son y onesof the editors. 1t seems that we
wet< right upon the main point, but in an er-
ror = to the attendant circumstance.
1ss Enquirer Of the lst instant informs us
THAI Mr.. Wise in person is entitled to the I'M
dirn4.ashed glory of proclaiming the new dog
ma THAT paper says:
TSSle Era grossly misstates history, in say
ing Nat Governor Wise put forth, through his
orgat, the Enquirer, the monstrous proposition,
THAI Congress- is under high moral obligation
to Hlservene, by positive legislation, for the
protection of Slavery in the Territories Gov
er1eS Wise needs no organ he has always
spe5sl for himself, by speech and letter, upon
evGa question = Withholding and concealing
moth G, but speaking boldly and defantly
wher yer he believed any social, political, or
eonst .utiOnal right endangered. This mon
strtais proposition seas pet forth BY Governor
Wfst..tH his letter TO the Illinois Democracy,
long ssetore ii appeared IN he editorial columns
Of I'll Enquirer, and no uoice Of dissent ioaS
Taiset against Il, lcjteR IL then appeared"
ka regret that we are unable to lay our
han on this important letter of Governor
Wis We have looked in vain for reitera-
ton e the sentiment in his letter to Mr.. For
ney Is reference to the Lecompton fraud, and
we tsieve that he failed to insist upon it in his
Tanr-any letter. viii the Enquirer reproduce
this aportant document 1t presents one of
the Il ,st important issues which has ever been
mads.in American politics, and completely re-
verse the doctrines of Jefferson. The sage of
Mos ello believed in the right of Congression-
al i. rventiOn for the exclusion of Slavery.
The Aw apostle of Virginia Democracy insists
on j irvention for the protection of Slavery.
Ii gould be interesting, also, to know how
this. etter, proposing to establish Slavery in
the : rritories by Congressional enactment, was
rece. ed by the Illinois Democracy-and wheth-
er it-5B to be the basis of union and concert of
actit@s between the friends of Messrs. Douglas
ond Use.
E+ing set the matter right as to the pater-
nifty [ the new dogma Of protection to Slavery
in u sTerritories, we proceed to notice another
COMPLAINT of the Enquirer. That journal de-
sceG. = to the cOarseness of imputing falsehood,
whs4a statement of facts will show that we
onlyssrew well-warranted inference. The
facts re these. The Enquirer, which is edited
by son of Governor Wise, while protesting to
be op .Osed to reopening the slave trade insists
that Z ,e laws which prohibit and punish that
nefar-ous trade are unconstitutional, and should
be recalled. This is precisely what the friends
of T. slave trade desire, and all they desire.
III Z, are permitted to trade freely in negroes
With .the coast of Africa, they will not trouble
theglSslyes about the objections of Governor
Wis. - organ to the erpediency of the traffic
In sAfhsequence Of this position, taken by the
Engis rer, in favor Of abolishing the anti-slave-
trade.laws, and of its advocacy of slave code
for III Territories, Governor Wise has become
the f-9orite candidate of the slave traders for
the ) Yesidency. On this state Of the case, we
dret he inference, and stated. tgat Governor
Wiz aad been coquetting with the friends of
the ,lave trade. The Enquirer says the state
me.ai is false, and we are hence driven to the
CONCLUSION that our offence consists in imputng
coquetry where honest courtship is meant.
Such is our inference. In parallel case, we
feel assured that the Enquirer would draw a
similar inference. For instance, if the Albany
Eceniag Journal, of which son of Senator
Seward is coeditor, should take ground in favor
of the immediate abolition of Slavery by act Of
Congress, we think that not only the Enquirer,
but every newspaper in the South, would con-
clude that the position of the Journal was ia
vored by Mr.. Seward himself And this infer
ence would be still more natural, if the Journal
were in the habit of openly advocating the
claims of Mr.. Seward for the Presidency, as the
FHqfirer does those of Governor Wise.
If the EnqsFer wish the public to under
stand the position of Governor Wise on this
point, it should come out at once, and state cate
gorically whether that gentleman is in favor
of repeating the laws which prohibit and punish
the slave trade as piracy. We understand him
to be in favor of the repeal, from the position
occupied by the Enquirer. We shall be happy
to make the correction, if we do him injustice