Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-07-27

& EAWaru Everett.
One Of the most singular facts ID American
politics is that q large majority Of the nation,
agreeing, as they do, on the one paramount
question of the day-the extension Of slavery
cannot unite In their opposition to it, but
must remain divided. Webelieve that three
-ourths of the Republicans, one half Of the
Douglas men and two thirds of the Bell men
Of the North substantially agree on this
question; yet one portion Of these men are
now about to support ticket whose candidate
for President, Mr.. Douglas, advocates an ultra
pro-slavery doctrine, and boasts ofhis services
in extending slavery over free territory; and
whose candidate for Vice President, Mr.. john
son, recently used the following language:
II believe that it is the right Of the South
to demand, and the DUTY OF CoNdREss 10
EXTEND, PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY
(lNcLuDNa sLAvRRY) IN THE TERRITORIES
DURING THEIR TERRITORIAL STATE" ar..f
And another portion of these men in other
States (not in Iowa) persist in running =
separate ticket, composed Of men who, in the
main, agree with the Republicans precisely
upon the slavery question. In proof Of this
assertion, we offer the annexed letter Of Mr..
Everett to Mr.. Borden, Of Massachusetts,. II
Mr.. Everett does not therein take IS strong
Republican ground as Mr.. Lincoln or Mr..
Seward ever dared to, we do not understand
the English language. We undertake to say
th.t Mr.. Everett has gone further in his
answer to the interrogatories Of Mr.. Borden
than William H. Seward or Abraham Lincoln.
He answers afirmatively "thot hs Is opposed
to tho admission into the Union Of any nsa
State, tho Constitution Of which tolerate'
sloos,y." Neither Seward nor Lincoln ever
went that far. We do 60 that far. We say
that . new State with . slave constitution
does not have q republican form of govern.
ment. and to admit such State into the
Union would be to violate Article ~, section
v, of the Constitution, which says that "the
United States shall guarantee to every State
in this Union republican form of govern
ment;" and we are glad to find ourselves ir
such good company as that Of Mr.. Everett
Certainly any man who can support Mr.
Everett can support Mr.. Lincoln.
It seems that in 1887 the following resolves
were adopted by the Massachusetts Legis
lature:
R>,oloed, That Congress has, by the Con
stitution, power to abolish slavery and tn,
slave trade in the District of Columbia, ane
that there is nothing in the terms or circum
stances of the acts Of cession by Virginia ant
MARYLAND, or otherwise, enforcing any lega
or moral restraints on its exercise. ~ --
Re,oleed, That Congress ought to taxi
measures for the abolition of slavery in thu
District of Columbia.
Resolcsd, That the rights of humanity, tn
claims of Justice and the common good allk'
demand the suppression by Congress OF tn
slave trade carried on in and through tn
District. -.
Resolved, That Congress has, by the Con
stitution, power to abolish slavery in tn
Territories of the United States.
| Resolped, That no new State should hereafte
be admitted into the Union whose constitution
Of government shall permit the existence
domestic slavery therein.
| Resolcsd, That Congress has, by the Con
stitution, power to abolish the traffic in slave
between the different States of the Union.
Rssolved, That the exercise of this power
demanded by the principles of humanity ant
justice.
In 1889, the Hon. Nathaniel Borden, O
Massachusetts,, propounded to Mr.. Everett tn
following interrogatories:
LIST. Are you in favor Of the immediat
abolition, by law, of slavery in the District Q
Columbia, and of the slave traffic between tn
States of the Union?
I'd. Are you opposed to the admission int
the Union Of any new State, the Constitution
Of which tolerates domestic slavery?
The following is Mr.. Everett's reply:
WAsnINeToN, D. c., Oct. 81, 1889.
| DEAR SIR:-On Saturday last, onl.
received your letter Of the 18th, propoundin
to me certain interrogatories, and earnestl
requesting an answer.
| You are aware that several resolves on tn
subject of these inquiries and their kindred
topics, accompanied by very able report
were introduced into the Senate of the Com
monwealth, year before last, by joint com
mittee Of the houses, of which the lat
lamented Mr.. Alyord ives Chairman. Thes
resolves, after having been somewhat enlarge
by amendment, were adopted by the Legis
lature. They appear to cover the whole groun'
of your two interrogatorles. Having respect
fully CO. operaied in thu passage of the resolpsl
concurring in tho general report By rhic
then soere sustained, and in the posoegtu
report Of the Chairman Of thu Committee,
respond to both of gour inquiries IN tn
affirmative. The first Of the subject
enbraced in your inquiry is the only one Q
them which came before Congress while
was member. voted in the negative Of
the motion to lay upon the table the petition
Of the American Anti Slavery Society for tn
abolition of slavery in the District of Colum
bia, and on other motions Of like character
introduced to stave off the consideration o
this class Of petitions. L -.g 1854.
am, dear sir, very respectfully,
Your friend and servant,
! EDWARD EVERETT.
TIE RADICAL ABoLITIoNlsTs. = w. W
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