Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1859-07-28
Quarreling Over AbstraC-
GiOnS.

Upon one point the men of the North
and of the South, both moderates and ex-
tremes. substantially agree. viz: that there
is no prospect OF the extension Of slavery
to any Of tie free territory of the United
States. Such is the confession of Hon. A.
II. Stephens, in his recent speech to his
constituents, on retiring from public life,
and such is the concurring testimony ot
nearly every statesman, South or North.
who frankly speak upon this question
Upon the slavery extension question, as /.
now appears o. he era0a # American poll
tics, there Is no rree lcs. difference. bn,
this does not preveu, : quarrel over ab
stractlons, and a Els -jne fhe quarrel is
rs earnest and as fu.i II bitterness as ii
could well be if the ac uai extension OF
slavery to halfa dozen new States depend
ed upon it's decision
Mr.. Stephens tells us that the settlement
ofan abstract principles is quite Il, import-
ant as could be the dejcrminatioa Of live
issue. But he tells Us also that there is
little or no prospect that slavery can be ox-
tended 10 free territory, none whatever in
fact. unless some way can be contriyed 10
increase The nImher e he Alrican race
in this county, and therefore since he
does not venture 70 propose such increase
by direct importation, we are left to infer
that he agrees with Senator Hammond and
nearly all the leading statesmen at the
South, that there is 20 be no further cx-
tension Of slavery and that the institution
is to be restricted to lis present limits, with
such additions only as may occur through
the acquisition Of territory in which slave.
ry already exists.
With these admissions on the part Of
the South, aud the most thorough convic-
uon OF the correctness Of the position,
among the people of the free States. we
have Il constant war between the two sec
tons. over the abstract rights of the re-
spectivc parties, while both are convinced
that 10 practical results can possibly de
pend upon the decision Of the question one
way or the other. 1t is in some respects
a noble quarrel, for it may be said to be
one about principles. there being no in
terests involved in it. Bat it becomes a
question peril nentto the case, whether,
o'uNO tIiO ''Oubli upCS iiOb tubIClpdtc dlI
practical benefits. or look for an extension
of slavery, and since the North is conyinc
ed that there is not the slightest danger
to De appiehenGcd of any expansion of
slave Territory, the controversy is one
worth pursuing. and whether any such
issues depend upon it as shall justify the
people of ore section in CARRYING on tie
irrepres ssibe conflict. in the hope of exas-
perating the other, or whether the part7
which feels lis honor a stake. however lit
lie is real interests can b. affected. you'd
no. do better 10 1T Aboltionisls rave to
their hearts content trusting to their
rights under the Constitution, and the laws
OF and demand which must make slave
labor useful where it already exists, but
which can not promote its extension to ter
ritory now free Neither party has any
thing to gain by the Improbable controvcr-
sy. and 1t would not be prolonged sing
lie day, did 1t not in some way, fancied or
real. promote the success of. or at least
furnished food for. ambitious polilicians. =
.New York Journal Of Commerce.