The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-06-02


at Harrisbnrgh is equally clear. Nothing Is
so abhorrent to the men in this interest as any
attempt to discuss the Slavery question. Their
! whole idea consists in what they call the asser
ton of American principles; in attempts to
/ revive the animosities that existed during the
days of the old Wing party; in appeals to the
protective interest and in violent assaults upor
the Administration, These men are ready fol
] any candidate who can be elected against the
Democratic party. They will take Bell, they
win take erittenden, they. will take Banks, o.
they will take Seward-provided either car
| succeed and they have determined, in their
| own minds, that they will not risk the success
which they conceive to be certain, by asserting
doctrines which may lead to division and e
| defeat" f
We are highly grati6ed that the large sec
ton Of the Pennsylvania Democracy repre-
scented by Col. Foruey are beginning to recog
Mise the fact that Slavery is the great issue
between the parties in this country. Still, Ill
Mr.. Forney's statement of the issue at the
close of the article, he presents it in language
which Republicans cannot accept He says:
"Hence it is that in the State Convention, tC
be held at Harrisburg on the 9th of June, it is
| expected that an effort will be made to pave
the way for such reputation or ignoring o.
great principles as will suit those who have
these objects in view. The only real, living
question in issue to-day is the Territorial ques
ton, however we may talk about tariffs, Oh
| about Amercansm in either of its phases, OF
ksbout the foreign policy, or about the deln
H&ences of our public servants the only vita
I Question is, .aotether the people Of oar 1t,rao
lries-tlOse organized today, aud those to 6t
( IL. n 10
| troll their Oacn affairs an their opn aody. The
South appreciates the importance of this ques
ton, and accepts it, putting its own direct and
practical construction upon it. The Demo
cratic party of the Union is in state of in
tense agitation in regard to it, and will con
tnue to be so until some practical settlement
has been attained. No party can evade an ex
| preston for or against this principle-anC
least of all, any party which has arrayed itsel
| against all that portion of Mr.. Buchanans pol
icy in regard to Kansas. The Peoples party
in Pennsylvania will have an opportunity o.
taking its position on the 9th of June next, and
those who have the management of that organ
ization may be well assured that, if there has
J been general revolt against the attempt o.
Mr.. Buchanan's Administration to lose sight
of principles for the sake of expediency, there
will be quite as indignant denunciation of any
attempt in any other quarter to purchase pop
ularity by initiating the same dishonorable ex
ample"
This is making popular sovereignty, and no
Slavery extension, the issue; and we need no
say that it is a very different issue from thai
which the language of Col. Forney, in the body
of the article, would imply. We doubt not tina
the honest portion Of the Pennsylvania Democ
racy, represented by Messrs. Forney and Hick
man, are opposed to Slavery extension. They
have said so repeatedly in their attacks upor
the Presidents Kansas policy; and we regre
that constitutional scruples-or, more probably
their recent party pledges and commitments
prevent them from assuming Republican
ground. The popular sovereignty insisted
upon by Messrs. Forney and Hickman is of 1
more genuine stamp than that of Mr.. Douglas
but we are not aware that they have ventureC
to question the authority of the Supreme Cour
and the bred Scott decision. They may a
sincerely desire the exclusion of Slavery from
the Territories as the Republicans; but to ad
nit the authority of the Supreme Court is t,
annihilate popular sovereignty to paralyze tn,
Territorial Legislatures, and to establish Sla
very in every foot of the public domain, on a
| firm legal basis as it exists in Georgia o
| South Carolina.
There can be no popular sovereignty in tn,
| Territories which is not conferred by Congress
| IF the Supreme Court is made the final arbiter o
constitutional questions, as claimed by the ok
| Federalists, and the modern Federalized Shan
Democracy, the right to exclude Slavery is for
ever annihilated, and Slavery established by tn
bred Scott decision.
The Free Democracy of Pennsylvania is there
fore in false position. Its instincts are right
but it is fettered by old party commitment
which should be thrown aside. 1t can offer n
effectual resistance to the Slavery Propegand
lists until it comes up higher, places itself Of
the level of the Republican platform, and, il
the language of jefferson, denies the right @
the Supreme Court to determine constitutions
questions for the coordinate departments of tn
| Government.
Will the true Democracy of Pennsylvania
take Jefferson as its constitutional guide, O
will it be satisfied with Buchanan?
/
"SLAvE MARRIAGEs.-A very interesting re
port has just been submitted by the Convention
of the South Carolina Episcopal Church, a
their session in 1853, in respect to the marriag
of slaves. The following is the substance O
the decision arrived at by the committee:
The relation of husband and wife is declar
ed to be of divine institution, and to be equall
| binding on the slave as OH the master. The in
| junction of the Saviour, forbdding the separa
ton of husband and wife, is obligatory on tn
master, and every master should SO regulat
| the disposal of the slave as not to infringe tn
| divine Injunction. Voluntary abandonment OF
the part of married slave ought to come with
in the same rule as in the case of a free person
but when the abandonment is involuntary. ant
caused by circumstances without the control O
the parties, the refusal to allow a second MAJ
riage would often produce much evil and hard
ship; but, in giving its sanction to such seconC
marriage, the Convention would do so in tn
qualified language of the Apostle
| (" If they cannot contain let them marry
for it is better to marry than to burn p-Ea
change.
This does very well for South Carolina, bu
the Convention should by all means insist OF
the passage of laws prohibiting and punishin;
the high crime Of separating families.
The separation Of families occurs in severa
ways -4
First. Where an individual stakeholder, own
ing the family, sells the husband, and retains
the wife or sells both parties to different mas
ters-sending one of them to Texas, perhaps
and the other to Arkansas or Mississippi. Thi
is a practice of daily occurrence in all the
| slave States.
Cooond Where the hushand opd w;Ca ar,