The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-12-10

steady ard sales limited Freights firm, while
cagemcnt were moderate.
Tho Slavery Agitation-TAc Issue Before
Congress and the Country.
What is the meaning of these exciting de-
bates at Washington, of this alarm In the
South, and of those recent conservative move
ments in Philadelphia and Boston for pouring
oil upon the troubled waters. "What has
caused this great commotion?" What is the
issue before Congress and the country! What
is the danger. In brief sentence, the issue is
the overthrow of slavery in the slave States,
and the danger is disunion.
Three years ago the slavery agitation be-
tween the North and the South, in Congress
and in our political elections. was confined to
the Territories, upon the still unsettled test
question Of Kansas. But in 1855 the law Of
popular sovereignty" having substantially
determined the Kansas struggle against slavery,
our modern republican party, founded in 1856
upon that zone idea," was in danger of being
left high and dry. So, in our State election of
last year, Gerrit Smith having set himself up
as an Independent radical abolition candidate
for Governor, our republican managers be-
came alarmed, for there was danger that Smith
would carry off sufficient fragment of
the radical antislavery republican vote to give
the State to the democratic party. This would
never do. Mr.. Seward was called to the
rescue; and to reclaim the deserters, and to
prevent any further assertions to Gerrit Smith,
he issued that Rochester manifesto, proclaim
ing the new republican programme of an
"irrepressible conflict" with slavery, not in
the Territories, but in the slave States.
Thus by taking the ground from under the
feet of Gerrit Smith, he was reduced to the
pitiful vote of some five thousand, and Nor
gan, the republican candidate was triumph
antly elected our Governor. Such was the
direct object, and such was the effect of the
Rochester speech of Seward. It kept the abo-
lition elements of the republican party in the
camp, upon the broad and comprehensive issue
of a perpetual war upon slavery in the slave
States. Thus the foundation was laid of the
present formidable superstructure of Northern
abolitionism- defensive, as before, but
aggressive, even to the employment of the in
struments of war.
Next in order, and following close upon this
Rochester declaration of aggressive war against
slavery, we find Southern renegade, of the
appropriate name of Helper, and his incendiary
g Impending Crisis" brought into play We
find said incendiary and reasonable book en-
dorsed, approved and recommended by some
fifty odd republican members of the last Con-
gress, including Sherman, their present candi-
date for Speaker and we find that an organ
lied republican movement for the general cir
culation of said book has been seconded by
subscription of one hundred dollars from Go
vernon Morgan, and similar subscription each
from Thurlow Weed and Horace Greeley, the
two principal trumpeters of the republican
party. This party thus became clearly implicat-
ed in and pledged and committed to the SIRE
pressible conflict" as put into shape and form in
Helpers plan Of Southern servile and agra
rian insurrection.
The theory of the "irrepressible conflict"
being thus reduced to scheme of offensive
operations, nothing was wanting to put it
into practice but some Puritanical and bold
and fearless fanatic, ready to sacrifice himself
to inaugurate this revolutionary movement
From the camp of the disbanded Kansas free
State border rufians the most fitting volun-
teers for this service came forward under "Old
Brown" and of all men Brown, from his re-
ligious principles as an abolition cutthroat,
from his indomitable pluck, his consistency and
constancy in his kansas work." was the man
for this horrible experiment of martyrdom.
He and his band Of desperate followers have
thus been sacrificed. Our Northern republican
politicians are using 'Brown" as they made
use Of the dead body of a counterfeit Morgan
some twenty-five years ago; but this time they
have been OVERRIDING their work Stewards
''irrepressible conflict" Helpers Impending
Crisis" and Browns Harper's Ferry raid,
taken all together, have very naturally driven
the South to the question of safety, either
within or without the Union.
The issue before Congress and the country is
the abolition of slavery in the slave States.
We know that Mr.. Seward pleads the plea of a
constitutional crusade; but we know that con-
situations and laws can be twisted into any
shape by designing and reckless men. Helper
and Brown are the true interpreters of the cir
repressible conflict" 1t means an aggressive
conflict against slavery, q conflict of abolition
forays from the free States, of servile revolts,
of agrarian conspiracies and the subjugation
and suppression of slavery and the "slave
power" by terrorism, and by fire and sword.
Such are the results and tendencies compre-
hended in the new programme of the republi-
can party, adopted since the practical settle
ment Of the slavery question in the Territories.
The war is transferred to the slave States, and
''the blood Of the martyrs is the seed of the
| church"
With this dark and terrific picture, drawn
from the events, movements and Developments
Of the day, we can appreciate the critical posi-