New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-08
aYMPATuY WITH THE SLAVE.
EERLDERS.

HOLDERS.
Twenty-Five years ago, the shareholders occupied
the position of the spoiled and petted children Of
the Union. They were humored in every caprice,
they were gratifed in almost every demand Po-
htical p0rtes at the North ran race with each
other in pursuit Of slayehOldng favor. The slave
holders had only to get frightened and, even though
it were at nothing all the North sympatbzed with
their alarm. Did few men and women meet to-
sether in our Northern towns and cities to discuss
the moral and religious bearings of Slavery, the
North was quite ready to reassure our frightened
Southern brethren by calling great public meet
ings to sympathze with their terrors and to de-
nounce, as traitors and coDspirators against the
peace and happiness of the Union, those who ven.
tured 80 move 60 delicate question. Nor did this
PrO-Slayery sympathy stop short at mere words.
Riots and lynch law freely resorted to, and, all
through the North efforts made TO suppress, by
violence and terror, all discussion of questions
to which the sayehOlding interest was so sensitive
1t lie to be observed, however, that this sympathy
with the shareholders was not based on the assump-
tion now so general at tho South that Slavery is
good thing the extension and perpetuatOn of which
even by the great body of the shareholders them
selves that, considered Elm the abstract Slavery is
moral social and political evil, the existence of
which is heartily to be regretted and its extinction
to be wished for The discountenance and dis
cOuragement so generally extended to the Abolition
lists proceeded on the ground that Slavery was
exclusively local and domestic institutions that
~, IoI
already confined within certain fixed limits; that all
that could be done to any purpose by the Federal
Government to prevent the diffusion of this evil had
been done already; and that the States in which it
existed were the sole and exclusive Judges as to
what should he done with if there. 1t was argued
that as no moral responsibility rested upon the
North for the existence continuance of Slavery
within the Slave States and as the question of its
extension into the Territories had been already set
tied by a compromise, therefore, there was no
occasion for discussing the subject of Sayery-at
least, not with view 10 any political action upon
IT, The North, il was said had no concern with
the Slavery question:; and it was upon this assump-
ton hst the action of the great body of the Northern
people was based.
The shareholders, however, were not satisfied to
let matters stand in that position. They insisted
that the North did have something to do with
Slavery, and insisted that if should be done. They
were not content with the mere sympathy.and toll
ersnce Of the North. They undertook to demand
of the Northern States the enactment of slave
code which should put down the freedom of speech
and of the press, and, so far as the question of
Slavery was concerned, should establish among us a
perfect despOtsm, simarto that which exists at the
South. Neither were they content with the limits
within which Slavery was already confined. Under
the leadership of Mr. Calhoun, they sought to give
new extension to il by the annexation of Texas,
thus themselves challenging discussion Of the
merits and defects OF their institution. In this dis
cussiOD, they took new and extraordinary ground.
Slavery was no longer confessed to be an evil, in
conflict with the principles Of democratic govern
ment, and condemned by the rules of morality and
The precepts Of religion. On the contrary, it
was Landed as good thing itself; as the only GER
tain foundation Of social order and good govern
meDt; as sanctioned by the Bible, snd cOnsecrated
by religion. These views spread rapidly at the
South and speedily became the accepted doctrine,
This course naturally operated 10 deprive the
Shareholders Of a great amount of Northern
sympathy. Many who were willing to
sOndole with them under the burden of an evi
which they bad not the energy to shake of, and
with which they were too bitterly reproached,
we're Disguised to find this evil set up positive
good not merely to be perpetuated where il already
sIised, but to be extended into territory. So
n1od, however, had the habit become of yielding TO
tne demands of tho shareholders that, in hopes of
APPeasing their clamOrs, Texas was annexed. II |
was alleged in excuse for this concession that, as
slavery had been already introduced into Texas
ana iegaiIzed there, the annexation did not open
'py new territory TO Slavery nor give auy new e1-
ensiOD 10 thai institution Wben In an, or,,,.,,,