Arkansas true Democrat., 1860-09-22
The Irrepressible Conflict.

The Hon. w. Il. Seward Ill ms recent Detroit speech laid down in plain and un- mistakble language the programme of free soilism. His speech opens with the usual cant of the Union -shriekers about the state of the nation, but with more honesty than the constitutional union party!!! generally manifest, he does not attribute it to demo- cratic misrule, but to its true source-the antagonism of northern and southern civili- zations. We extract the principal points of his speech:
 Fr1Iow- CITIZENS: We claim that our political system is udcious one, and that we are an intel Epent and virtuous people. The gorernnlent ought therefore not only to secure respect and good ,cit obroad but also to produce good crder, contentnen and harmony at home: Y fai.s 10 a'tain these ends
 Are the people satisfied and content? Let theil several parties and masses answer. Certainly yo' inc republicans of Michigan, we'll as the renu- Ecans throughout the whole country, are not safs- fed But vouare interested in change of ad.n- istraton and, therefore, perhaps prejudicedl ASK them the constitutional Union men, few an mem cient indeed here, but numerous and enery'io e,se where. lney are not OtSdtiSHeu. II tlcy MY would not be engaged, as they are noy!n nope less temp to organize new partywi'hout any principles at all, after their recent tures 10 com pine such party on obnoxious es preiudioed ned
 like the republicans. Appeal % tTs to .ne demo, cratic party, which enjoys and t ."e 11a'roilaSe and pow CT of the federal goydi TL Even 1ne democrats are no less .d blicans, with the na are u,sT1.ssnu u;th own administration, with each other, and Nnr.h ;s e,e, a ly, with themselves of tha nD' hfs sa.snen Its masses want supf aa,s; s"e n,iio'l i sa,o c tr'ue' anu an .Iy yall the new and future States tue , e htes. The South is not satis- nay 'ute oo M whatever means and at what hou' 4 I;o Z establishment and protection erei so, ;a q, Territories, so that none of the ol s'ss S.o. '. m ,il to become slave States The S;aannt tted with the neglect of its fishery, 'as. .s e.,no ~ navigation, and the West is inn ..'a. s'.,S lfhe operation of national policy .i 'as,;' ,o if tsrcultura, mining and social devel- noa,ets hat government in the world but ours
 pn +bly refused to improyer rivers, construct
 Shp"n 's establish light houses for the protec- .a.oo mar oe ;sommerce? New and anomalous com ,f citizens appear in the North justifying oroo ood stgators of civil and servile war, in the Snntt evising means for the disruption and dis ".', ,ment of the Unon It is manifest that we
 
 Stae and that disorder anc confusion are more es Int among ourselves now u an ever before
 "
 yo me it seems that the last forty years have ystituted period of signal and lamentabe fail in the efforts of statesmen to adjust and estab- Ish federal policy for the regulation of the sub Get of slavery in its relations to the union
 I have understood that John Quincy Adams, the ,urest and wisest statesman I ever knew, died de- pairing of peaceful solution of the problem of lavery, on which he was so intently engaged throughout his public service. If we. may judge rom the absolute failure of Mr. Van Buren, Mir. Polk, MT. Pierce and MT. Buchanan in the respect have mentioned, and if we take into considera- ion also the systems which Mir. Calhoun, Mr. Ben nended, and which have subsequently, failed to be Ldopted, we may perhaps conclude that the difficult ies of establishing satisfactory and soothing policy have overtasked even our wisest and most eminent statesmen. They certainly have been neither incapable nor selfish men. No age or country has been illustrated by public characters of ,reater genius, wisdom and virtne.
 But, fellow citizens, to exempt our statesmen by tasting blame our political parties doesnot reach, ut only approxmates the real source of the All of these parties have been com ,osed of ctizens-not few, but many citizens n the aggregate all the citizens of the republic.- They were not ignorant, wllful or dishonest citi- .ens but sincere, faithful members of the State.-- The parties of our country what are they at any inc but ourselves-the peop'e of our ountry? Thus he faults of past administrations, and, of course, he responsibility for existing evils, are brought di- ectly home to yourselves and mysef-to the whole leoDle."