The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-06-02
THE PENNSYLVANIA OPPOSITION.

1t is with equal surprise and pleasure that we
find in Col. Forney's Philadelphia Press the
following well-timed admonition addressed tc
the Opposition in Pennsylvania, which is tc
hold Convention at Harrisburg on the 9th o.
June. Col Forney warns the opposition, which
embraces Republicans and Americans, against
the folly of evading the Slavery question. He
says:
ave are not surprised to notice that some
excitement prevails in the ranks of the Repub
licans, Americans, and others, constituting
what is understood as the Opposition party, il
reference to their State Convention, to he held
at Harrisburg, on the 9th of the coming June
and we have watched with some interest the
progress of the discussion. The position oc
cupied by the Press, in reference to parties
entities us to claim to be an impartial observer
of events. We may we'll regard the assembling
of such body, therefore, as eminently worthy
of consideration. Having most resolutely oppos
ed all infractions upon the Democratic creed by
an Administration elected by Democratic votes
and for this having awakened the malevolen
attacks of its dependents who conceive that nC
Democrat can object to the acts of derelict AID
ministration without being on the instant ruled
out of what they call the party, we are not, o
course, Indifferent to the determination of any
other body of our countrymen, when they as
sert their own views, and take their own posi-
tons on great public questions; in other words
having objected to the shortcomings of those
whom we contributed, not immaterialIy, to ele
vate to power, we cannot be consistently blinC
to the dOings of those whom we have heretofore
opposed. Holding ourselves ready to do jus
tice to any organization that may assume g
disinterested position, we feel bound to resist
and expose all attempts to ignore or to destroy
great fundamental principles and if the State
Convention, which is to assemble at Harrisburg
on the 9Th of June, shall squarely march up t.
the expectations of the people, it will give us
pleasure to honor it for SO doing. But is it not
clear that an organized movement is making
in the ranks of the so-called Opposition party
to the Democracy, so to put principle out Of
sight as to bring every ism and rally every pre-
judice under the flag of a common antagonism
looking only to the patronage of the General
Government? Is it not evident, that certain
partisan managers foresee that they cannot as
sert devotion to great principles without i'm
perilling their political prospects? Now, there
are few measures more endeared to us than
that which looks to the protection of the inter
ests of Pennsylvania, and to the general wei
fare of the section in which we reside: but
there are far greater issues than this. There
are principles which lie infinitely deeper than
the expediency of raising revenue, and the
questions growing out of its consideration. Ii
would be folly to deny that the public mind is
much more concerned upon other doctrines
and that the tariff question, however important
to us, must be of transient consideration in
comparison with that fundamental truth which
may be said to lie at the very basis, and to
vitalize the very heart, of our republican insti
buttons. The leaders of the Opposition party
are expected TO meet this issue, and they are
expected to meet it by the masses of the Op
position party. We can well conceive how
gentlemen, anxious merely for success, should
be DESTROYS of avoiding declaration upon a
question which may dissipate some of their
hopes of success. To capture the offices and
patronage of the General Government has ad
died the pates of partisans before this; but the
day has come when the American people look
less to the defeat of an unpopular Administra
ton, than to the protection and establishment,
of enduring principles. The idea, for instance
that the Convention which is to be held at Har
risburg on the 9Th Of June should fuse itself
into party bound simply to oppose another
party, or to put down an offending Administra
ton, is neither more nor less than new prepa.
ration for the success of men, not principles
No less short-sighted would be the alternative
Of attempting to make the tariff question the
only issue in the campaign of eighteen un
dred and sixty.
We are no less aware of the fact, that there
is an eager spirit at work among the leaders
of that Opposition, so to stretch their creed
that others may come under their flag. But
all such men deceive themselves in the belief
that because there is a strong protective tariff
feeling among their associates in the South
and in most of the free States of this Union
| they can therefore make that the main basis Of
national organization, and, under the clamor
thus excited, ignore grave and important issues
They deceive themselves, too, in the belief thai
because there is widespread feeling of dis
gust and disappointment against Mr.. Buchan
ans Administration, they may organize and
marshal this feeling so as to succeed at the
polls in 1860, upon the expedient of 'any OF
no platform All such leaders have failed tc
read the signs of the times intelligently. The,
are the sheerest of Bourbons."
That there is a controlling portion of tbs
Opposition party which has always stood read,
TO overlook the dehnquencies of the Genera
Administration, hecaHse that Administration
has pandered TO the fre-eaters of the South
we have no doubt and that this section vii
attemp; TO coneilate Southern support by igno
ring everything like an assault upon the Terri