The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-04-13
The basis of a ton for the Re-
publican Party.

publican Party.
Politics, just now seems to be in q state
of chaotic confusion. The policy of the
two leading parties is a matter OF doubt.
Neither have an ACKNOWLEDGED head-a
leader whose words give tone to its senti-
ments, and embedy its ideas upon nation
al policy. Now as ever, slavery and how
to deal with t, is the one subject which in
interest ove,shadows all others.
A short time ago, the Democratic par
ty supported popular sovereignty, while
the great majority of Republicans insisted
upon the right of Congress to shut out
slavery from the territories. Well, popu-
lar sovereignty gained the day, and owing
to the superior enterprise and energy of
the North, it was likely to gain by popu-
lar sovereignty all the results which it
asked for OF expected from Congressional
Intervention.
The South has become alarmed at this,
and Senators Browl, Davis, Mason and
others now discard the doctrine of popu-
sovereignty and boldly demand congress
ional intervention an favor Of slavery
Thus they have adopted the same princi-
pie so earnestly contended for by the Re
publicans, viz: the right OF Congress to
decide an this matter. The only differ
ence is in the application Ct the principle.
Brown, Davis, Mason and those for whom
they speak demand that Congress inter-
fero for slavery; Republicans demand
that it interfere against it.
On this question the Democratic party
is divided. Douglas, Pugh and other
leading N Northern Democrats still deny the
right of Congress to interfere in the mat
ter, and demand that the settlement of
this question be left to the people in the
territories.
We do not see how the Democratic
party is to be united on this question. If
the South adopt the policy advocated by
Northern Democrats, under its workings,
they see that they must lose all they have
been struggling to gain. If the Northern
leaders of the party acquiesce in the policy
advocated by Brown &C.,, their power
and influence is gone. a5i
In view of this significant fact it becomes
an important question to the Republican
Party, "wbatpolicy shall it adopt!" Cup
on what issues shall it conduct the next
national canvass!" This question admits
of two answers.
Ho 1st. The advocates of 'non-intervention'
admit the legal right of Shareholders to
carry their slaves into any territory, and
then the people shall decide whether such
alledged property in man shall be sustain
ed by law. They say to the South, you
shall have no legislation by Congress
We ask nothing for ourselves, and shall
give nothing to you. They claim, and
doubtless correctly, that the result of this
policy will DO to give the political power
to men of the free states who will shape
the institutions of the new community in
the spirit ami law of freedom.
End. Another portion ofthe Republican
party would give to this question broad
er and more conclusive answer. They
would say that there can be no property
n man, that the very idea of slavery is
fallacy and its existence sin, and they
would demand, in regard to the territories,
not only that the chances be in favor of
Freedom, but that slavery be positively
prohibited by Congress, SO that if slave
but step his foot within the territories that
step shall make him free.
Now this seems to us to be the grand
er and more correct idea-the idea upon
which the Republican party is based
the idea which underlies all genuine, eff
Gent anti-slavery action. But when we
come to practical action, it is easy to sec
that Congress, will not as yet pass such
a prohibition. Around this high point
a sufficient force can not yet be rallied to
carry general election. 1t seems then
that we must unite on the ground of non
Intervention an .faror Of SLAVERY, while at
the same time we may hold faithfully to
the conviction that we have the right to
interfere in favor of freedom, and when
we have the power we will give to these
convictions the emphatic form of the law
There must be unity of effort and action
on the part of those who believe in abso-
lutte non-intervention and those who be-
lieve in it only as app,ied to slavery
Upon the issue now presented oy the
Souh we can conquer, and while we
would not lower the tone of the Republi-
can party, or weaken any opposition to
slavery, not only as an evil, but as a sin:
we would wish to gain the end now, and
when we are able, give to our convic.