The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-02-11
The Opposition Most Efectual.


1t tseems U be everywhere conceded that
the sentiment of II large majority Of the
people OF the United States, is strongly
opposed to Slavery. If we may take the
private professions Of our political oppo
nents as true, they are generally rs
hostile to that Institution, rs the Republi.
cans. Why, then, has i! been permitted,
with scarcely any interruption, to control
our national policy, since the foundation
OF the Government? There can ba but
one answer to this queslion--the people
OF the North have never fully compre.
hended the issue before them and, un
I'll they do fully comprehend that issue,
and NEE; it fairly and openly, their oppo
sition lo Slavery can never be made ef
feclual. The whole history of the anti
slavery enterprise demonstrates not only
the justice. out the political expediency,
Of the so.called uiirs policy OF the Rrpub-
lcan party. II is the very miIdeot policy
that can be adopted. consistently with the
idea Of etfectuai opposition 10 the aggress'
ions Of the Slave Power.
There are several classes Of opponents
Of Slavery. Our Northern Democrats,
although disliking the institution in the
abstract, like blind followers Of the blind,
keep voting to foster and extend it. The
| Garrsonians content themselves with
moral opposition alone, refusing to avail
themselves Of the e'elective franchise-that
ineslimable privilege which is guaranteed
to them by the Constitution they SO much
abhor. Gerrit Smith and his followers,
who believe the Constitution to be anti
| slavery, and who also believe in political
action, will not vote with the Republicans,
because they have arrived at their con-
clusions by another course OF reason
ing. And there are several differeu,
kinds of Republicans. Some are opposed
to Slavery, on account OF the injury it does
to the pecuniary interests of the North
We. hope there are few Republicans o
this class. Though they are more philo
sophical than The Cotton Hunkers Of New
York and Boston, they cannot be perma,
nently relied upon, for they are too apt 10
change nth the money-market, Others
seem to view the Slavery question solely
from political tand-point, and as {
mere question Of policy. These mer
value the success of the party above ever,
other political object, ,but,in their zeal 20 at
tain il at every hazard, they would sacrtic
all that, as Republicans, they should hol
dear. Expediency is their only watch
word and, il they could control the actio
of the party, it's platform of principles, S
. far from being permanent and uniform
q would be made to vary with every TEN
d porary change OF policy by our opponents
!, This has been too much the case in time
= past, and hence the comparatively slo'
t progress OF the Free.Sol enterprise.
a There has ever been too great dispositio
manifested on the part OF auti slavery mel
to abandon sheir own distinctive Platform
il and take their position upon the groun
>, occupied by their opponents, when Il
IS Slave Power bade them leave il for
II bolder and more formidable attack upc
" Freedom and the Constitution. We ha'
= an instance Of this, in the admiration whiC
e rome Republicans are beginning TO feel (,
e the vilIanouS cheat of Popular Sovereigni
1l IL is high lime for ami slavery men
J. bs done with this halting and hesitalin
rs between evils. doubling which TO choos
10 when they should be doing some good I,
d their country and humanity. Are o.
s principles wrong, that W. need to conce
N or dis uise them? No; bur, on the ca
= tr"ry ,Ihey have but 10 be sererAlly unde
= stood. and they will surely triumph.
s. It's only VIXEN acting WI this aNsuranc
u that we make the most eitectual o
position TO Slavery.