The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-06-23


thorough instruction, the duties of teachers
as well as their reward, and the connection be-
tween true learning and national prosperity.
The author, of course, in embracing such va
riety of topics contained in the subject, could
at most but touch upon them, and his thoughts
are rather of general nature, than in detail.
| They have doubtless been we'll received, as they
are in some cases taken from the State reports,
where they first appeared, and the book is ded-
icated "to the Teachers of Massachusetts," to
numbers Of whom they were addressed. Hard
! ly too much can be done to elevate the teaching
in our public schools throughout our whole
country at the present day.
! VIRGINIA POLITICS AND POLITICIANS.
Twelve months ago, Henry A. Wise was in
high favor with the most northern wing Of the
! Northern Democracy" in consequence of his
| opposition to the Lecompton fraud. In his own
State, on the contrary, he was looked upon with
GOODNESS and suspicion, for the same cause.
But Mr.. Wise saw that, after all, the stronghold
| of the party is the South and he determined to
retrace his steps, and to gain it, at any sacrifice
of consistency. Accordingly his fertile mind
suggested the idea of Congressional protection
to Slavery in the Territories. The proposition
at first seemed too absurd to excite much
notice, but gradually it has doomed into i'm.
portance, and commanded the almost undivi-
ded support of the South, with Governor Wise
as the acknowledged father of the proposed in
dispensabe measure for the protection ofSouth-
ern property.
Mr.. Hunter, his able but cautious rival, has
undergone similar reversal of position almost
without his own consent. Twelve months ago,
he was among the soundest of the sound. His
friends were the most ultra of the ultra and
although quiet man, and not addicted to vio-
lent language, he was the favorite with the most
extravagant class of Southern politicians But
it would not do to follow the lead of Mr.. Wise !;
and we see that his organ, the Examiner, has
taken issue with the Enquirer upon the feast
bility of the great pandcea for Southern ills, in
vented and patented by the cratic Governor
Mr.. Hunter may therefore be understood as ia
voring the sort of non-intervention which is
proposed by the Washington Constitution, and
which renders Congressional intervention I'M
necessary, by assuming that the Supreme Court
has already decided the question in favor of
Slavery. Mr.. Hunter has lost ground with the
ultras in another way. He is the friend of
Letcher, who, it is now asserted on all hands,
owes his election to his Free-Soil antecedents
1t would seem, from these causes that Mr.
Hunter will in future be less the favorite of the
/ md lauc oh ions 70 h. Al.
heretofore But the truth is, that nothing is so
uncertain as the position of Southern politi-
clan six months ahead. No people are so un-
stable in their theories of Constitutional con
struction as the champions of Slavery. They
are always true to Slavery, but to the constitu-
tional theories by which they defend it, they are
unstable as water. They are ultra States
Rights and ultra Federal by turns, as the occa-
sion requires.
We commenced this article, for instance, not
doubling that there could be doubt as to the
position of Gov. Wise. His thirty column let
ter, and the daily issues of his organ, the En-
qHirer, for six months past, had placed it be-
yond doubt, We had supposed that he was in
favor of Congressional slave code for the
Territories. What, then, is our establishment
at finding In the Enquirer of Saturday last
plump disclaimer of any such heresyl Will
wonders ever cease? Who, after this, will pre-.
tend that the Ethiopian cannot change his skin,
and the leopard his spots?
The Enquirer of Saturday has an article with
| tbe caption and Introductory lines following:
"CARDINAL DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES ON THE
! SLAVERY QUESTION: Absolute non-interfer-
ence by the General Government to INTRODUCE
or to exclude slaves in any of the Territories of
the UniaR.
"No Federal siaye code No Congressional
discrimination in favor of slave property in the
Territories, and no Congressional discrimina.
ton against 1t.
In the same article it quotes the resolutions
| following, and states that they were unanimous
| " adopted at Cincinnati by the Virginia dele,
CATION The Enquirer endorses them as the
| true doctrine
" ResoIred, That the Territories Of the Union
are common property in which the States have
equal rights and to which the citizens of every
State may rightfully migrate with any property
recognised as such in any of the States of the
Union, and in the Constitution of the United
States.
Resolved, therefore, That the Congress of
| the United States has no pOtcer to abolish or
prohibit Slavery in any of the Territories of the
United States, and such power pertains only to
the people inhabiting the same, when in the
exercise of rightful authority they form their
State Consultation with view to admission into
the Union"
But softly let not the unwary Northern disci
pie of popular sovereignty be deceived. The
Enquirer presents another chameleon hue. 1t
says, in the same connection:
"Wheneyer, in any of the Territories, the
safety of slave persons or the right of slave
property, or the right or safety of any descrip-
ton of persons or property, is unconstitutionaly
assailed, it is the poWer and duty Of Congress,
not less than of any and every other depart
ment of the General Government, to exercise its
proper functions, for the security of eqstal pro
lection TO the rights end safety Of every species
of persons and property"
1t is said that rose by another name will
smell as sweet. The Enquirer and Governor
Wise have ascertained that their favorite hobby
is less popular in the free States than they
had hoped to make it. They have seen 1t re-
pudiated with Indignation in Northern Demo
cratic Conventions, and hence the necessity of
4 giving new name to the odious thing They
are not in favor Of 6 Congressional slave code
for the Territories. Oh mol But they insist