Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-10-17
From the New Bedford Standard, Sept. 20
Mr.. ELI rFhnye,..

In one of the six Speeches" of Mr.. Eli
Thayer, NJ. c., from the ninth district, we find
the following sentiment =
1t think that this slavery question is alto
gether too small question to disturb so great
people as inhabi, the United States of Amer
lea"
The reading of this sentiment struck us with
astonishment, That man educated in New
England, familiar with the history OF our cour-
try, protesting to be 4 sincere republican, and
having himself had, from his official position
II better opportunity than most Of us enjoy, to
witness personally the influence and the e.
fects OF slavery, and to estimate its power and
tendencies, should ever utter such a sentiment
as that, is certainly very surprising.
The republican party is founded on the idea
that slavery not only is not a "small' ques-
ton, but that ON the contrary it is Il great
question, the question of the age involving
most impot tant principles the construction
which shall be given to the constitution, the
character OF our legislation, the Interpretation
OF the laws, the consistency OF our republican
Institutions, the ultimate prosperity, peace and
happiness OF every portion of the land, and at.
iectlng not only the personal liberty OF over
four millions Of human beings, with their right
to the earnings OF their labor, the guardianship
OF their children, the sanCtty Of their marriage
relations, their moral and intellectual elevation
but also the character, the manners, the pros.
perlty, the civilization, the political ideas of
those states where the institution legally eX.
lists, and to great extent indirectly il not di
rectly, those OF the people Of the tree states,
who are connected with them in one political
confederation. And yet Mr.. Eli Ibaver saws
it is "smal question"
Under the influence of this conviction. the
people OF the north have been gradually awak-
ening to sense of the evils Of slavery, and
to the ruinous tendencies OF the policy tor its
extension which has controlled the country
for the past forty years Becoming more and
more awakened TO the danger Of allowing this
policy to prevail, they have united to oppose
it in a party which has been increasing in
strength in geomctric ratio.
In the presidential election of 1910. about
iUOO ant-Slayerv votes were cast; in 1874
over 62OOO; IN lS4o, 29l 900; in 1852. it had
diminished to 5000, but IN 1856, alter wit
Messing the atroclous administration of Pierce
,334,OO votes were cast for the republican
candidate for president. Since then we have
had the administration of James Buchanan.
and II that OF his predecessor served to swell
the anti slavery vote from l5S, 900 to 3340O0,
his own, III the same ratio, would embrace al
most the entire vote Of the free states Yet
in the face OF these facts, showing how pro
foundiy the American mind is stirred by the
subject Of slavery, Mr. Eli Thayer says it is
a Small question"
The founders of the republic considered
slavery a great evil, and were desirous TO see
it abolished. Jefferson, in view of it, trembled
when'he reflected that God was Just All the
great men of that day entertained similar SEN
timents. Henry Clay and Daniel Webster
were opposed to the extension Of slavery
The leading men in the republican party, those
whom the people of the free states have chos
en- to represent them, have in the halls of CON
gress, and in their public addresses. borne en-
phatc testimony to the evils of slavery, and
have one and all, until the advent of Eli Thav-
err considered the question one of lnomentous
importance But he is wiser than Seword
and Sumner and Blair, and Clay, and host
OF other republican statesmen not to speak of
that noble band OF men who, standing outside
of our ranks, have done more than all others
to awaken the American people to the impor-
lance OF this subject and he considers il
small question"
The history of this country for the past
forty years is II continual and abiding testimo-
ny to the importance OF the slavery question.
Ever since the repeal of the Missouri comnro.
mise, the fioodgates Of slavery aggression have
Deeh opened what Shall we say of the re.
peated attempts to crush out The right of noti.
ton, OF the annexation of Texas of the Mexi-
- - " 'ie compromises OF loOO, OF the
fugitive slave law, Of the repeal of the Nilsson.
ri compromise, Of the efforts of the last ten
years to extend and strengthen slavery at ey
cry point, OF the infamous attempts To make
Kansas slave state, with all their attendant
horrors and cruelties, of the confirmation of
slavery in Utah and New Mexico of the reyi.
val of the slave trade, of the bred Scott de.
cision, Of the demand for congressional pro.
lection to slavery in the territories, with the
thousand accompanying incidents too numer.
Gus to recapiluae, which have characterized
the two past democratic administrations
And yet Mr.. Eli Thayer says it is u Small
question"
But one other thing can surprise us more
than such sentiment from man calling him.
self republican, and that will be- to find him