Daily national Democrat., 1860-03-08

contrary. 1he Douglas Democracy now oe-
cupy this same position. They look upon
the question in political point. Of view
solely and deal with it as creature of mu-
nicipnl authority, in no manner requiring
any further recognition from the General
/ Government than the mere acknowledgement
of the validity Of the local laws establish,
ing and protecting theinstitution and man.
| in order to be u Democrat, need Lot believe
necessarily, that slavery is right. Indeed it
was at one time very common thing in the
South for the leaders of the Democracy there
! to declare their conviction that slavery was
an evil, and that it ought to be abolished. 1t
is idle to deny that the sentiments Of Thomas
jefferson were opposed to the institution.
The abolition of domestic slavery" said JEFF
ferson in his Notes on Virginia, lis the great.
est object of de-re in these Colonies, where
it was unharpily introduced in their infant
state But previous to the franchisement Of
the slaves, it is necessary to exclude further
importalions from Africa" "Nothing is more
certainly written in the book of fate" he
continues, ethan that these people are to be
free; nor is it less certain that the two races,
equally free, cannot live in the same Govern
ment Nature, haiti, and opinion have
/ drawn indelible lines Of distinction between
them. 1t is still in our power to direct the
process of emancipation and deportation
peaceably, and in such slow degrees as that
the cvu will wear off insensbly and their
places be- pdri pdssu, filled up with free
white laborers. If, on the contrary. it is left
to force itself on, human nature must shud-
der at the prospects held up" 1t is well
known also, that Thomas jefferson, in the
draft Of the Declaration of Independence
which he submitted to the Revolutionary
/ Congress, cited as one of the grievances of the
Colonies against England that that Govern
mcnt had planted slavery in the Colonies
The clause was stricken out by a majority
vote, but none the less expressed Jeiferson's
views. Many other Southern gentleman
of distinction agreed with jefferson in
his opposition to slavery in the abstract.
and ayowals of such opinions were unhesitat
ingy made in the halls of the State Legisa-
lures. Il can scarcely persuade myself"
said Mr. Powell in the Virginia Legislature
in 1852, that there is a solitary gentleman
in this house who will not readily admit that
slavery is an evil, and that its removal, if
practicable is a consumnation NEST devoutly
l., =, b.,t..
expect to hear voice raised in this hall to
the contrary" So far from hearing voices TO
the contrary. Mr.. Powell was supported 10y |
members of the first families in the State
then occupying seats as Legislators. The |
question of gradual emancipation was at this
period freely discussed in several of the
Southern States.
What does all this prove and why do we
cite it? 1t proves, aud we cite it to show,
that, until recently nobody ever thought of
making it a test Of mans Democracy that
he should absolutely believe that slavery was
a good aud not an ecH 1t is not necessary
thut there should be any such test, and it is
dangerous to attempt to establish the Demo-
cratic party VI on such basis Y ct the at
tempt is being made Southern would-be
leaders Of the Democracy declare that slavery
is positive good and that it ought to be fos
tered and encouraged ty the General Gov
ernment as national blessing. MIR liam.
moud said, in the Senate, in his celebrated
Mud Sill speech, in 1858, respecting slavery
Fortunately for the south, she found
race adapted TO that purpose to her band
We use them for our purpose, and
call them slaves. will not char
aeterise that class at the North by that term; !;
but you have it It's there; it is everywhere; :;
it is eternal; in short, your whole
hi. cling class Of manual uborers and "ope-
ratlYes,' as You call them, are essentially
StaceS. Our slaves are black Of an
other and inferior race. Yours are white
ut your own race; you are brothers of one
blood lis doctrine was that slavery was
necessary, and that if Society did not have
black slaves, it must have white ones. The
idea of the ldGOliug classes being ,quals of
the non lHLoring he hooted at us ridiculous
Startling MS lhs doctrine is, it is maintained
10y leading public journals OF the South
iIom which wecould quote, if we chose. The
same doctrine is substantially supported, too,
by Senator Brown, of Mississippi, Senator
yerson, of Georgia, and other Southern
leaders now figuring conspiouously in the
political arena.
1t is the design we say, of such men as
these, to place the Democracy, If possible,
upon platform which distinctly recognizes
slavery as a good, righteous, wise and benefi
centlnstitution, and consequently to render it
impossible for man to be a Democrat who
should think that slavery was, in the abstract
wrong morally, politically or socially Sen
ator Hunter, of Virginia, not long ago. in n
speech alluding to the former anti slavorv
opinions Of Gov. Letcher Of that State. re-
marked that the political thinkers of Vir.
ginia bad changed ground, and did not en-,
teriain the opinions formerly avowed by her
great men on this question Of slavery. They
now thought that slavery was blessing to
the country, and not an evil. and that it
ought to be fostered, built up, encouraged
and extended. Senator Doolittle, of Wiseons
sin raoontI,- o1fndo1 - tI;, rar,a.T- # NJ