Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1860-10-10
MISCELLANEOUS.
HON EsTY Is THE BEST POLICY.

HON ESTY Is THE BEST POLICY.
There are, we know, very many democrats
at the North who frankly admit that the plat
form adopted by the national democracy at
the Mary land Institute, in recognizing the
constitutional rights of the South ir the Ter
ritories, does that which is strictly lust. but
who, frightened By the growing proportions
of the anti-slavery fanaticism that surrounds
them, believe that it is iRezpedient to assert
those rights, constitutional though they be,
because by doing so. the democratic party at
the North may lose votes IN the coming elec-
tim, and give additional strength to the black
republicans.
These men comprehend and admit the JUS
tice of the doctrine of the equality of the
States, and there few of them who would
not stand by and defend it against the at
tack of the black-repubiicaus. were not the
half way house of squatter sovereignty, or as
1t is sometimes called ''non- Intervention, :"
opeueG to them, in which they lszily take
refuge. falsely believing that, because they
have shirked the performance of their duty
to maintain the law as it is written. they have
checked the project of those who object it,
is to abrogate the law altogether. They im
agine that by accepting the squatter-sover-
eIguty compromise between aggressive alb
oltiouism and the manly assertion of the
Constitution, they draw the fire of the a9ol-
itionists and deprive them of their arms.
Fatal, criminal mistake. As well might the
sentinel at the out post of a camp OF a fort
ress believe that he could stay the advance
of the enemy and save the CITADEL by ad-
mittiue him within the exterior lines which
he was appointed to defend.
To those men who thus from laziuess or
weakness. have allowed false expediency to
blind their perceptions of truth and justice,
who decline to do what they believe III their
conscieuces is right aud just, because they
are afraid to do so;-we address few re-
marks of honest AID respectful admonition:
First we would tell them what it is that
our platform asserts, and on what ground it
makes the assertion.
The platform says in effect, that :his u
MON is composed or sovereign States, cnqual
and CO. ordinate, and that the Territories are
held by the Government in trust, for the use
and benefit of all these c@qual and co-ordi-
nate common wealths. LII says that the peo-
pie of these coequal States have night to
90 into the Territories. and take With them
when they go there, every description OF
| property which was recognized as such IN the
States iroui which they came or by the Fec
eral constitution. 1t says that Congress mas
not only po power, but Is distinctly forbidden
to do any act which eau damage or destroy
th Is ripht. aud that, therefore, the territorial
government which Congress has thought prop
er for It's own convenience 10 create, cannot
| have the power which is expressly deuied to
! its creator. Thus the owners OF slaves have
the constitutional right to 60 into the Terri
/ tories, TO take their slave property with them,
aud since Congress cannot deprive them OF
! their property or prohibit their settlement In
| any Territory, the local legislature cannot do
| it, 1t SAYS lurther that it Is the duty of the
| Government to protect property OF all sorts.
| and that if il should appear that the present
laws are inadequate to the full discharge Of
! that durv, the deficiency should be immeoia-
tely supriied These principles are founded
! un the constitution of the United States
| This is the platform and such Is Its founda-
/ tion No honest man can object to It. Inc
followers of expedieney do not object to It,
| They only say we have agreed to 'non-ln-
teryention. that is, that Congress cannot pro-
| hibt or establish slavery In the territory; we
are pressed everywhere by the abolltlonists at
home, and if We asset that southern men
have right to hold their slaves IN the Ter
ritorics aud to BE- protected their possession,
we shall hear such howl from the black re-
nutl,can abolitionists, as will make US trenl-
HE. Therefore, why not let US take shelter
from the storm, try 10 check the abolitlonists
| nv meeting them ON the half way ground OF
sauatter sovereignty, while we apper TO stick
IN uon-interyentiun Let Us get by the Dred
Scot decision. and our agreement 70 abide by
il bv saving it is no decision at all, aId that
| when on some future day, some future Judge
| of the Supreme Court repeats the decision.
we shall abide by it. Do notpress US, South
ern friands If you let US dodge our agree
ment. and make non-in.eryention mean that
Congress has no power to prevent Its crea-
ture from violating the Constitution; ahd IL
vnn will cousent TO allow your rights to be
i a;srso,rd,d aud yourselves to be insuted,
W.. can get along admirably; we can work
harmoniously together
]. TO what else than this does the expediency
doctrine amount, in which the South is asked
j 10 concur? We tell those gentleman In all
m,lduess. but with all the posItIveDess ol
truth that, although they may not thiuk so,
when they prefer expedieDcy to truth, and
| tamper pucilanimousy with anti-siavery IA
,at,c,su. rather than throttle 1t in its lair,
thew eoupive at betrayed of the Constitution
and of their own solemu pledges, aud are a:
much traitors to their duty as If they were Il
become black-republicans. They may no
yield as matter of choice They may not
and doubtless are not wllfully disobedIent t
tIeir own sense of right; but whenever the.
hesitate. waver or tremble In their marc'
against black-republicanlsm,, they lose th
battle as etfectualiy as if they deserted to tn
enemy.
We ask these followers Of expediency I
place themselves In Imagination III the pos
ton of Southern men. Let you fancy your
selves in a numerical minority, their propert