New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-12-14
STEELE.

the Presidential contest of 1860, and never
gave nearly so large vote at any other cleo
ton as in November of that year. OF that
VOTE o majority was cast for Lincoln and
Hamlin against the combined strength of Doug
las. Breckenridge and Bell, representing all forms
and shades of hostility TO Republican priDci
pies. And yet John d. Steele the anti.Re-
publican candidate, was chosen to Congress at
that election, because the Republicans had
made the grieyous mistake Of discardiDg their
worthy and faithful Member, who bad served
but single session, and putting up another
in his stead. We do not doubt that Mr.. Sill
yester, who was nominated, is equally compe-
/ tent and worthy with Mr.. Kenyon, who was
superseded; but these biennial changes of Men,
bers, for no better reason than that another
wants the place, or another County claims its
| turn, are distastefui to many quiet citizens,
and for excellent reasons. Experience in Con
eress is valuable: an old Member has more
weight there than o new one; and II no better
reason is given for displacng than that b
will thus be gratifed, some voters will resent
The Dutchess District across the river, would
have been lost in Ike manner, had no. the
Republican majority therein been quite large.
Mr.. Steele's presence in Congress is the unior-
tunate result of this bunder of his opponents.
OF course, Mr. Steele must make a speech,
and, being Pro-Slayey Democrat, who never
voted for or with Abraham Lincoln since he was
born, and would oppose him to the death if he
were 10 be running for reelection next month, he
is particularly sweet on the President. HIS policy
is all night. while that of the Members of Con
gress who zealously supported his election, and
were chosen on the same ticket with him, IL all
wrong! Mr. Eliot of Mass "A very cautious and
conservative statesman-had just before explained
that he sought only the suppression Of the South
ern Rebellion, and desired the war prosecuted for
no other object. He would have Slavery treated
exacty like a house or tree that stood between
our lines and the rebels If il intorfrcd with the
efficiency of our batteries, Il il screened the ep-
proach or sheltered the sharpshooters Of our enc
mics, down with it. And he judged that the
slayeholdins rebels did derive strength and sup
port for their cause from the existence OF slavery
and from the Difference paid thereto by our Mill
tay officers: wherefore he favored the freeing OF
the slaves of rebels chcrerer The Jebd caH@ roHld
Be ncai,Hed by saeh policy.
Thus far Mr.. Eliot: now for Steele!
deny that sAys-y l. the al, ~, ard s,seri
that the uunec,s,Uy agitation o. the Slavery qesst. il the
tue ctgsc OF this WI"
John Il. is slightly Pathological but not trans
cendenty luminous. The Slavery question
is about a. definite NJ II he had said that an
excess OF philanthropy or beuevolence bad
ruined the country. There are hundred Slavery
questions, and may b. a thousand; but what
John would say if he thought II adyisable to
say anything in particular aud did not mistake
nebulosity for grandeur, would doubtless amount
to this: If everybody had consented to let
the Slave Power have its own way in every
Experimentation, Conquests, buying Cuba,
stealing Mexican provinces, planting Slavery III
all new Territories, rayaging Kansas, and hll'
ing her ballot-bOIes at the point OF the bowie
knife with bushels of fraudulent Pro-Slayery
votes, &c.-that dark Power would not have
undertaken to destroy the unon-at least, cot
vet. And We have little doubt that Mr.. Steeles
hazy assertion, thus clarified comes very near
the truth. The shareholders did not care to
overthrow the Federal Government 80 long as
it was puppet dancing as they pulled the
string. Let ,Ie1. Davis be President, and
Steele the Interpreter of his will TO the people
of New.York, who should meekly receive it M
GOSPEL. and Jea. would much prefer conIorla-
bic lodgings in the White House to lying cut
in the cold OF Manassas. The proposition is
solf-eydent
But look here, Mr.. Steele there are good
many of us who cannot see this matter III the
li0bt which it wears to you. To our view, it
would be impolitc, immoral, disgraceful, sui
cidal, in the people Of great aud free State
like New-York to connye at the extension and
perpetuation Of that most UNJUST, lnhulnan,
desoating system OF Human bondage which
orr fathers deliberately abolished, and which
has caused the South TO lag 80 fi,r behind the
North in the race OF i,nprOvement--;n the gen
eral diffusion of Intelligence, Useful Arts In
dustrial Efficiency, Refinement, Virlue Happi-
ness. In other words, we hold it our simple
,I.iv. following in he footsteps of Jefferson and
other cages of our Revolutionary era, to use our
best endcayors to keep Slavery out Of the COM
mon Territories of the Republic aud to cir
cumscribe lis miGchicls to the extent OF our
constitutional power.
OF course, yoa think difIcrently-we under
a II h.
other Free States have heard you, have heard