The national Republican., 1860-12-31
THE NORTH UNITED BY THE LIBER
AL OFFERS OF THE REPUBLICANS.

1t is gratifying to see the evidences, that
public sentiment at the North is being conces
trated in favor of sustaining the Union, by the
prompt, liberal, and magnanmous conduct Of
the Republicans in Congress.
Although it was and is the universal belief
at the North, that the South has nothing to
apprehend from the administration of Mr.. Lin.
coin, yet, considering that contrary apprehen.
sions prevailed, to some extent, at the South,
the Republicans, in noble and conciliatory
spirit Of patriotism, have come forward and
volunteered every guaranty of Southern safety,
which can reasonably be asked for.
They have proposed
First, that the Constitution be made incapa.
BILE of any future amendment, which shall per.
NIT the Government to meddle with slavery in
the States.
Second, that it be recommended to the State
Legislatures to re.examine their laws, to the
end that all laws shall be repealed, which are
found to conflict, either with the Constitution,
or with acts of Congress.
These propositions cover the whole ground
of fair complaint, or fair apprehension. He
believes, that upon reflection, they will be ac.
cepted as satisfactory, by every real friend of
the Union at the South.
At the North, the effect of these liberal prop.
ositions, has been to satisfy all the really con.
servative classes, that the Republican party is
governed by prudent, patriotic, and national
spirit, and if these propositions are finally re-
jected, as we cannot believe they will be, the
North will rally with unanimity under the Re-
publican standard.
The Pennsylvania Neps of the 2sth instant,
always extreme in its reputation of abolition
doctrines, and an organ ofthe Peoples" party,
as distinguished from the Republican party,
says:
at is proposed to guaranty the preservation
Of the Constitution from amendments affecting
slavery in the States where it now exists, and
also to pass an act which shall give effect to
the constitutional provision for the reclamation
of fugitive slaves, and also recommending the
repeal of personal liberty laws now existing in
some States.
"This proposition covers all tie pretended
ground Of complaint on the part of the South,
if we except the secessionists, who declare that
they will make no compromises unless they
are allowed to enter the Territories with their
slave property, and have it protected there
The complaints against the Peoples party have
been, that they intended to exterminate slavery
sooner or later. Such guaranty from those
who are considered the extremists of that
party ought to be satisfactory. The opponents
of Mr.. Lincoln from the North can certainly
ask no more, for they have been able to adduce
nothing against him or his party, except that
they intended to interfere with slavery in the
States. The alacrity with which the Peoples
party will accept this proposition, may do much
to disabuse the Southern mind of apprehen-
sions caused by false statements of our designs
and position. We have hopes that this com.
promise will be accepted.
"We cannot expect that the disciples of a
slave code or the per Sc secessionists, will agree
to this compromise. Yet, we believe that such
are in q minority in both branches of Congress.
The conservatives of the border slave States
will undoubtedly favor the proposition, and we
should be 10th to believe that any Northern
man would oppose it. We await, with some
anxiety, the result Of this the first apparently
feasible scheme of compromise that has been
presented to Congress-"