New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-10-01
PLAYING ,POssUM.


The Opossum is not very large, very strong, very
formidable nor very brave 80 he has to rely on
his cunning. His last dodge, when in the power OF
an enemy, is TO drop stiff and still, with his eyes
shut, and pretend that he has been dead some
days. His enemy touches him, smells OF him,
turns him over, aud leaves him. scOrning 20 war or
prey on putrefying corpse. The moment the
deadly peril seems less imminent, Mr. 0pOssum
opens one eye about an eighth if the coast seems
clear, be opens it little wider until he assures
himself that his enemy is no longer regarding him;
when, presto! ne is as lively as bag of feas, and
wbisks out of harms way in no time.
Slavery Extension has been driven at last by
dire necessity to playing pOssum. 1t has no
olher remaining resource. The People are hard
upon it, and die it must-unless it can avoid that
catastrophe b. merely seeming to be dead. Hence,
all the Northern Journals in the interest of the
Slavery Propaganda are nOw ringing the changes
on the cry that Slavery cannot be extended-that
its limits are reached, its destiny attained aud
that the Republican party is fighting chimera-
or, rather, pretending to fight one, in pursuit Of
sinister eLds.
IL if true, then, that the great National Demo
cratic party has broken square 10 two about moth
iyg that its two factions are now pitching into
each other for mere moOnshiEe? The record is too
plain and too recent t, permit any dispute doubt
a. TO the fact that the last Democratic National
Convection burst up on this precise question Of
Slavery Extension, or the rights Of the Shareholder
in tie Federal Territories. Does any man believe
that this fatal quarrel was got up on a mere ab
straction about right that nobody designed or
desired to exercise? DO parties commit suicide
on such limsy excuses az this
Ten years ago. Mr Webster very positively
asserted that Slavery never would nor could go
into the vast Territory Of New. Mexico, because
forbidden by climate, soil, elevation sc. There
fore, Mr.. Webster protested against any Congress.
iOnal prohibition of Slavery in New Mexico, which
he pronounced "reGnactng the laws of Cod
as if this were not Just what human laws should
mainly do. Yet, in 1859, the Territorial Legisla.
ture of New Mexico passed " An act to provide
" for the protection Of property 10 slaves which
is as atrociOus and Internal a SlayeCode as Ala
bamA or Texas ever had BY this act, a colored
man found in New Mexico is TO be at once arrested,
imprisoned and advertised for six months; if an
owner appears within that term proves property
and pays charges, he may take away hs cbattel;
if not, he is sold to pay the costs; so he is bound
to be slave hereafter if he never was before This
is but sample of long act, which concludes
Sec. 25 The Emancipation Of Slaves within this Territory
tof1iy prohibited
This act, the Republicans in Congress tried to
repeal last Winter, and succeeded, so far as the
House was concerned-Yeas "a; Gall Republicans
Nays o9-(74 Democrats, s Americans, 6 Aut-Le-
compton Democrats, aud Eli Thayer) The Sen
ate Of course. refused to act thereon, and let the
bill die on IFS table. And ttereupOn Mr. Stephen
A. Douglas bOastfully said
lFron Mr. DougIdts Spseoh in the Senate Nay 49, 1860
But. we are tod that the necessary result Of this doctrine
nouttrvenon which gentlemen by way Of throwing dicus
u IT, call squstter sovereignty is to deprive the South all
United stsea That the ground which the
Mississippi r Dsy predated his opposition the Compro
mise Measures Of 1850 lie regarded refusal repeal the Mex
lean law Is equyEe to the Wmot Poyo refusal to recog
nile by en- Nc, Of Congress the right carry slave there a.
eoulyset 10 the Wmoi Poyso refusal TO deny to Terri
ohs legislature the hght exclude Slavery equivalent to
Al xeuson lie believed At that time that this doctrine did
amount TO denial Of Southern phts be told the peope Of
so but they doubted Now let US aec how far hi.
bsory M have been verified infer that he tod
The n.ope of Mississippi for he makes II charge IN his bin
NJ Indictment against me- that hostile Southern night,
bceeuie gave those votes.
Nv what has been the RESULT Ny view. were nccYpora,ed
,I Csmprsnr Mesauro, OF 1880 aud his were rejected
he, t soath lse excluded IoU III Lo Territory lused on