The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-01-20
WHY THE GREAT ISSUE CANNOT BE
AVOIDED. \

argues alamentable ignorance ofthe nature and
relations of Slavery. Ii shows that, notwith-
standing the experience of more than half a
century of the malign workings of this great
social and political evil, Notwithstanding the
repeated sectional conflicts growing out of it,
Notwithstanding the phlanthropic, eeclesiasti-
cal, and political movements in relation to it (;
after all the books written the speeches made,
and the resolves adopted, concerning it, the
popular mind generally has overlooked certain
of its essential attributes, which render it in
evitably perpetual source Of dscord, danger.
and agitation. Now, il assails on the floor of
Congress the right of petition, and proposes to
subject the mails TO inquisitorial examination.
People become excited, but their wise men tell
them that these offensive demonstrations are
merely the result of temporary resentment on
the part of high-spirited gentlemen against the
impertinent assaults of Abolitionists. A por-
ton Of Mexico is settled by American adven-
turers, who, in defiance of the local laws,
establish Slavery; in process of time, they re-
bel, set up an independent Government, and,
by coup de main, ere the People Of the Uni
ted States have had time to say yea or nay, the
new State takes its place as a member of the
American Union, bringing an immediate ac
cession to the Slave Power, with provision
for the undisturbed perpetuation of Slavery in
vast Territory, out of which four new States
are to be formed. The People are excited for
a moment, rather indignant that shareholders
should be so domineerng and ambitious, but
gratifed on the whole by the augmentation of
the nations territory and resources, they look
no further, and soon sink down into their ac
customed apathy.
War is waged to acquire Territory for slave
holding purposes-the People are aroused, de-
termined this time that Slavery shall not tri-
umph. Sixteen Legislatures announce their
resolve in the form of the Wilmot Proviso. A
sharp struggle follows-the Proviso is abandon
ed-the Slave Power triumphs. Well, say
they, what is done cannot be undone-every-
thing is settled-ths at least is a fnality-we
shall have peace now.
Thus aggression follows aggression, each
provoking a spirit of resistance, noisy and ap
parently vehement, but infrm and evanescent.
In the end, the People give way before the
steadlast purpose and concentrated energy of
the Slave interest, and resume their wonted oc-
equations, without having learned wisdom by
experience, or provided any safeguard against
future aggression. The men who continue
their resistance to Slavery as an everb rooding
Element of Mischief, they denounce as agita-
tors, fanatics, monomaniacs, disturbers of the
peace; and while they are thus setting their
faces against agitation, the very Power which
they imagine has been appeased by submission,
is insidiously plotting some new aggression
upon their rights.
VIII the conservative men of the North,
shocked at the breach Of faith involved in the
repeal of the Missouri Compromise, and yet
alarmed at the idea of being found associated
lately with the Republican party, attend to few
considerations, which have hitherto escaped
them?
SidreJy IS NECESSARILY dGgressice This is
the very law of its existence. 1t does not ask
merely TO be let alone it demands homage
and supremacy. Whatever its pretences about
Non-Intervention, it recognises that policy unly
when Intervention might interfere with its de-
signs
1t is necessarily aggrcssice, for three reasons
which, always operating, render its aggressive
ness "nintermining and perpetual.
l. 1t is an exception in our social and politi
cal system-an abnormal condition--which the
general workings of our normal political and
social institutions tend to reduce and ultimately
remove,
The principles Of Christianity proclaimed from
the pulpit every Sunday are against it. Every
appeal to the Declaration of Independence is
against it. Every declaration of rights in every
State of the Union is against it. Every act of
Government involving an assumption of the
brotherhood Of the human family. or an ac-
acknowledgement Of the common origin of men.
or recognition of the rights and interests of
the masses, is against it. TO sympathize with
! Humanity anywhere, struggling against Des-
potism, To protest against unusual oppression
in any country 10 rescue a human being from
the clutches of a foreign tyrant, is against it.
All benetcent laws, all wise policies. all asser
tons of Democratic doctrines, are against it.
Were it inert and passive, il would be swept
away. This was the faith of the authors of
the Federal Constitution. They knew that.
IN the system they were putting into opera
ton, Liberty was the Rule, Slavery. the Excep.
tion-and they believed that the Rule would
prevail, and the Exception cease If we have
not killed Slavery was the remark of one of
them, We have given j; its death blow--it may
linger for a time, but its doom is sealed.
But they overlooked another fact. of great
Importance in calculating the consequences of
Institutions, viz that Exceptions sometimes he.
come Lars. One vice viii sap the foundation
of many virtues. A single breach serves to let
IN flood of evil. One exceptional Institution.
driven, by the instinct Of Secpreservation. to
watch and work increasingly against the zen.
eral tendencies of the system OF which il is =
part, more than balances, at times. by its ex-
traordinary action, the normal operation of
that system. Those whose interests are identi.
fled with it, know that il can be maintained only
| by extreme vigilance and exertion. They an.
| ticipate threatened danger - they set them
selves to work to counteract the spirit of the
| Constitution that barely tolerates t--thev seek
10 appropriate TO themselves the powers it con
ters, that they may shape them so as to
strengthen, rather than weaken. their excep-
tional Institution. In this way. while the masses
of the People are trusting quietly to the work
lngs OF Natural Laws, and the tendencies of q
system generally conformed to them, without
active exertiOns to enforce them, those few,
Sleepless, ever-active supporters of an Institu-