New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-05-06

n wa. ocly when il came to be question: w.
mon the country-not by them but D! the D'ni =,
81. ,.rtv-wbether the Right of Petition should
be maintained or suppressed that they 'nan'',e''1
,nv interest in those petitions; and even 10 u''"
that they took csrr-John Quincy Adams hiii'f''
.. ,mpbaticallv a. any of them-to discia'ih my
Dcr.onal or political responsibility for the 'ugse'
ron. contained in them In struggling q that time
for the right TO discuss the question OF SLAYER! ~
Corcrass the Northern Representatives had
rather in view their own rights ss members oil 'H''
body. and the rights of their cousttuen'' 10 uece"
Treatment. than any intention 10 push lir DISCUS
.ion further than might be absolutely necessary
70 establish these two points.
80 again. in reference TO the Immense ssilauoh'
excitement and discussion which gre" ou' Vi tHe
enactment Of the Fugitive Slave act OF lSJo' iha'
was by no means an agitation and discussion lorc"u
by Oppo-iton politicians upon the Democratic
uarty. but on the other hand, the natural ana III
syitable result Of the action Of the Democratic
marty in forcing that act upon reluctant conmu'
ni,y who believed it directly in conflict Win the
constitutional rights Of the States. the constIu-
tiona rights Of individuals, the requirements oil
iustirr. the dictates Of humanity, and the la" oil
God The politicians were ready to submit 10 'ha'
act: it is the people who have refused to do go
Itwas thc same with the still more recent dis
cussion and ventilation of the Slavery question con-
seournt upon the notification of the Missouri COM
nsct first by Congress and afterward by the
Supreme Court, in the bred Scott case Inc at
teunt 70 create new Slave State west OF Missouri
first under cover of Squatter Sovereignty, and,
when that did not operate SIS had been expected,
BY resort to Border Ruffanism-was from the
beginning 10 the end of il, Democratic operation
entirely. and if the consequence was The building
Up and concentrating of new opposition Based
to certain extent, upon the question oil slavery
tbst Was not because the members of this new
party sought out and created such an issue, but
because it VAS forced upon them IN shape III
which it was impossible for them to avoid or
escape it,
The fact is that, as at the beginning, this Slavery
agitation was blown up BY John {. Calhoun Tor
politics PURPOSES Of his own into violent fame,
which. however if left to ITSELF would soon have
burned out; 50 from time to time it has been sup
piled with new fuel TO the occasions OF other
schcmng Democratic politicians, who bad fish OF
their own TO fry 1t has thus become fixed habit
among the politicians of that party to get up an
Anti-Slayery discussion preliminary to Presl-
Dental election. At present, however, there is no
immediate practical issue before the country in-
yoying that question unless il be the revival OF the
African slave.trade upon which topic they are not
ready to commit themselves; and as the Opposition
are not inclined TO discuss any but practical ques-
tions they have been driven to the necessity OF get
ting up, as preliminary to the Charleston Convention,
separate discussion among themselves. The point
in debate is this: IF shareholders, with their slaves,
remove into any Territory of the United States,
and if the Legislature of that Territory neglccs or
refuses to enact laws for the security of slave prop
erty-and anybody may see, by examining the stat
utebook of any of our Slavehodng States, that the
secure enjoyment of that species of property is
thought to require an abundance of legislation
what is TO be done in such case Shall the slave
holders be left to take care Of themselves Shall
Congress interfere, and enact slave code for the
Territories? Or shall the matter be left to be
re- guated BY that shareholders humble servant, the
Supreme Court of the United States!
We have said that this is not practical ques-
ion; but in one sense il certainly s-since upon the
answers given to it seems to depend not only who
hall be the Charleston nominee, but whether the
Convention shall nominate at all