The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-15
PITEOUS APPEAL OF A NORTHERN
DEMOCRAT.

PITEOUS APPEAL OF A NORTHERN
DEMOCRAT.
The following article, which we find in the
Philadelphia Press, presents a graphic picture
of the intolerable suferings of the Northern De
mocracy in the cause of the South. We con
fess that we have often reflected upon the hard
ships to which the Northern portion of the
party have in years past been subjected by
their Southern associates, and we have often
pointed out the tendency of the extravagant
demands of the Southern politicians to dissolve
the party; meanwhile the Northern Democracy
seemed, until within a year or two, to rejoice
in their bonds, and to go into battle with an
have at length awakened to a consciousness oil
their folly, when it is too late to retrace their
steps, too late to reinstate the party in its old
safe, and conservative, if not just, position
They speak to deaf ears, and appeal to stony
hearts, when they now call upon their South.
ern friends to be moderate and liberal in their
exactions. They will insist for still further
and greater sacrifices of prejudice and princi-
pie on the part of the North and the result
must be the dissolution of the party.
From the Philadelphia PENN Press
APPEAL TO THE SOUTH.
In the United States, at the present time,
there exist two classes of our fellow citizens who
are doubtless mentally and morally deranged.
They are to be found in both sections of the
Union. The crazy sentiment of the North has cul-
minated in the distinguished John Brown, whilst
such men as Ex-Governor Adams, of South
Carolina, represent the other class. AS yet, the
disease has not spread to an alarming extent ;
but when the Presidential contest shall wax
warm, it is feared the whole country will catch
the alarming distemper. No matter what form
the disease assumes, it seems to drift to the
same result, viz: the dissolution of the Union.
Now, what does all this senseless gable about
a dissolution of the Union mean? Fellow
Democrats of the South, what more can we do
for you?
There was time, when your ablest states
men, your Jeffersons and your Madisons, were
opposed to the extension of slave territory /;
and hence, when Virginia came to cede her
immense domain, called the Northwest Terri
tory, it was stipulated, as a condition of the
grant that Slavery should be forever excluded
therefrom. At that time, the public sentiment
of the whole country was against Slavery, but
ished. Various causes operated, in the course
of time, TO make slaves and slave labor more
valuable, when your whole people seemed to
change their views upon the subject and they
then began TO see, that while the slave States
had been restricted and limited, the free States
had gone on increasing so astonishingly, that
the S0uth must soon occupy a second any posi-
ton liz the affairs of the General Government
To countervail this state of things, you asked
for the admission of Texas. Many of US in the
North we're opposed to annexation. The Wing
party was unanimously against the measure.
But you wanted Texas and although we knew
it would weaken our party here, we went in for
annexation, and Texas, already slave State,
came into the Union. But that measure was
hard blow to US in the'States of New York
and Pennsylvania.
Afterwards, when it became necessary to
buy slice of Mexico, the Wing party in the
North, as an offset against Texas, sought to
attach to the grant the " Wilmot Proyiso. y
The history of that event shows that we stood
by you faithfully.
Then it occurred to you that that old law Of
| Congress-, called the " Missouri Compromise
act was unconstitutional and unfair, and YOU
asked to have it repealed. WE'LL we agreed tc
| 1t, and it was repealed accordingly. And ther
we came to definite understanding with vol
about this troublesome question, and agreed
| that there should be no more restrictive laws
but "hlat the people Of the Territories, ak
those Of a State, shall decide for hemselUe
,chether SIaUeJy shall or shall not erist scithi,
their limits"
We then inquired whether that was all vol
wanted. You answered, no; that your slave
ran away, and that Congress ought to provid,
some machinery by which they could be recap
tured We said, very well. And then the flu
| gitiye slave law was passed.
1t would seem, therefore, that you have hac
1t pretty much your own way and now, VIII
| Is 1t that some of you are going to dissolve tn
| Union?
You say you want additional guarantees Al
favor of Slavery that an instruction has beer
organized at Harpers Ferry, and that you
dearest rights have been wounded in the person
of the State of Virginia.
What additional guarantees can YOU have
We have declared, in all solemn forms, an,
Congress has so enacted, that each State is SOW
erign, so far as the institution of Slavery is con
cerned, and that the people of Territory shal
regulate the matter to suit themselves. This
the law; and if John Brown or ANYBODY els
shall seek to deprive the people of Virginia O
their slaves, it will be an unlawful act. But
is not in our power to protect Virginia. Sh
must protect herself against the John Browns
the same as against any other lawless individu
ais who menace the peace and safety of her cit
zens. There are no guarantees against sue
individuals.
The truth is, and the people of the Sout
ought TO know it, the only guaranty of anythin
like peaceful enjoyment of slave property is
guaranty Of non-interference. That you hav
now; and while you stand on that rock, 20
| col mo- he vo1 Al
heart is with you, and the people will stand b
you forever.
But slaves are precsrioUs property. Unfol
tunately for their owners, they have brains t
think, and arms to strike, and legs to run, an
are more liable to plan, and hide, and run ava,
than any other property in the world. And
slaves get away from you, aud you lose then
1t is your misfortune, and not our fault.
Hitherto the Democracy of the North bay
stood by the South, and have conceded all tn
South has required. They have stood by tn
south until they have impaired their influenc
and power at home. For this, our enemie
have denounced us as Pro-Slaveryn men. a
; truckers to the South" as doughfaces +" i
the hands OF Southern politicians. While W
have been fighting for Texas. against the Wi
mot proviso, for the adoption of the Kansa,
Nebraska act, for the fugitive slave law: Will
we have been fighting side by side with Soutl
ern men for Southern measures, under the lea
of Senator Douglas, all the elements of oppos
ton have been marshalled against us. unit
State after State has slid from us, until the d.
mocracy is in the minority in almost ever
State from Maine TO the Missouri. And no,
just when we had supposed the Democracy hs
planted itself finally upon platform that cou
stand for all time to come, you demand ne
guarantees. You propose to take up the pls
! form, and insert q new plank-"th that Slaves