The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-01-29
Criftenden's Compromise.

and sympathizing with the few Pop,
ular Sovereigntyites hereabouts who ex-
press willingness to swallow all the
professions they have for years made,
and determination to repudiate all their
imprisoned declarations relative to the
right of the people of the territories to
govern themselves, not only declares his
own acquiescence in the CRITrENDEN
Compromise, but attempts to lecture the
Republicans for refusing to adopt it
Our neighbor may be scared out of his
principles by the buster of Southern
traitors, but that is no reason why he
should insist upon Republicans following
his example, and if he is willing to allow
the South the privilege of taking the
Mexican way of winning an election af-
ter they have fairly lost it, he must give
Republicans the right to oppose the liz
noyalion, and TO insist that the ballot box
shall, as heretofore, be the umpire Of
parties and the arbiter of principles
One million eight hundred thousand vo-
ters declared in favor Of the principles
Of the Chicago platform, and over one
million three hundred thousand voters in
favor of the Douglas position against the
right of protection for slave property in
the territories, and only about ght hun
dred thousand followed the lead Of Mr.
BREcKINRIDGE, and stood upon his Slave
Code platform and yet the three mil
lion one hundred thousand are now asked
to give up the principles for which they
fought, and succumb to the eight hun
dred thousand, under pain of dissolu-
ton Of the Union. The demands which
these eight hundred thousand voters
could not procure by argument, they are
to get by force what they could moi get
from tie judgment they are to wiring
from The fears Of the three millions of
their opponents. And Democrats who
declared that never, never, would they
consent TO fasten slavery upon the PEG
pie Of territory, now, when backed by
tie sentiment Of more than two-thirdS OF
The voters of the Union, under the oper
alton Of these threats, lose their backbone,
and tremblngly acquiesce in the infam-
Gus demands. Was such despicable
cowardice ever before exhibited by men
who are opposing, and have the power
10 crush, q great system of oppression
The Civ'lian, to justify its advice to
the Republicans. says that they have
pteously bemoaned the abrogation of the
Missouri Compromise, and that they
now have the opportunity to enact one
If n similar character. 1t is true that
The Republicans did oppose and did dep
yecale the repeal of the Missouri Com
promise, as violation on the part of the
South Of plighted faith. They opposed
it because it not only opened up the
question of Slavery again after it was
believed TO have been settled, but gave
undoubted evidence that no compromise
that could be pade would long be res
pecled by the Slavery propoSandists,
and because it showed them plainly that
slavery was becoming holder in aggres
sion and must be met with uncomprom
ising hostility. 1t forced them to feel
and 10 declare that the day of comprom-
ise was passed, and having declared it,
they mean TO stand by the declaration.
But our neighbor can never have read
Mr.. CApTENDEs's Compromise, or he
never would have asserted that it is similar
in character to the Missouri Compromise.
The latter made free certain territory
north of the line Of $50, but imposed
SO restriction whatever upon that South
Of that line. Mr. CRIrTENDES's propo-
silioa, however, while extending the
line 10 the Pacific, fasteDs slavery upon
all territory now owned by the United
States South Ct that line, or whtch may
herectier be qcqnired. Thus, whatever
territory we may hereafter acquire, even
should it be the greater part OF Mexico,
where slavery is prohibited by law
CBlrrENDEH's Compromise sastens slaY-
cry upon i SO long as it remains in a
territorial condition. Is there any sim
ilariiy between this aud the old Missouri
Compromise Is the CtVilian ready 10
devote all the territory we may ever have
South Of $50 TO slavery? The prop
psition we conceive TO be monstrous.
But ahe Ciulian says that it and a
majority Of the Democratic party, do not
endorse the principle which sets up
partition across the public domain,
North Of which q Shareholder cannot
take his property. So orr nelghbor has
come clear over To the side of The slave
A II Al, s, nl,NlI np