The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-02-20
DR.. Robert j. Breckenridge
NEGRO SLAVERY AND THE CIVIL WAR.


The Danville (Ky) Recieac for Decem-
Der contains an article covering forty-three
pages, on Negro Slavery and Civil War"
In this article DR.. BRECKiNRIDGE protests
against the Proclamation Policy of the
President, declaring it unconstitutional,
uncalled for, inexpedient, and dangerous.
He also proclaims his unalterable devotion
to the cause of the American Union, and
his faith in the overthrow of the Ubiquitous
rebellion.
The loyalty Of DR.. BRECKINRIDGE is as
indisputable as his ability; and in the ar
ticle under consideration he has shown how
earnestly man of fervent patriotism may
deprecate the course of the President on
the slavery question. Abolitionists, and
Democrats, may well study the Doctors
views together. The former would find it
profitable to ascertain that it is not neces-
sary to be slavery destructionist in order
to be a loyal American citizen; and the
latter, that no mistake of the President,
however serious, on the delicate and irri-
tating issues growing out of the negro
question in the civil war, furnishes the
slightest excuse for the semi-treason that
would embarrass the warlike operations
OF the government, and promote fatal
peace based on disunion.
We quote some Of the most remarkable
passages which relate to the question of
slavery as effected by the action of the
President:
eve are not able to see that some of
the most material recommendations of the
President about the black race, can have
any tendency to secure the great object
which the nation has in view. We are
not even able to see that the securing of
that grand object depends upon any ques
ton that in any way involves or affects
the black race. The nation is fully able
irrespective of all questions about the
black race-yea, is better able without
than with most of those most intricate
questiOns-tO conquer its rebelliOus citi-
zens, restore peace and public order, and
put an end forever to the doctrine and the
practice of secession. So that it is the
furthest possible from being true, that any
feeling like Indifference as to the fate of the
war, or like doubt of our ability to main
tain the American Union, underlies the
profound conviction we have that the anti
slavery policy and principles of the Presi-
dent npnoIa ms tiOp nf Santonohor
and of his annual message of December 2,
1862, can have no beneficial effect what
ever, Of the kind which he designed. This
is far from being the only ground of ex-
ceptiOn to the anti-slavery principles and
policy of those State papers-as we regret
to be obliged to point out.
"Mr. Lincoln is the successor of Mr..
Buchanan-and whatever else his election
may be thought to signify, we have already
said it was protest of the American peo-
pie against the extreme prO-slavery doc
trine and policy which eliminated under
Mr.. Buchanan's administration, and alb
sorbed the National Government as thor
oughly in a national attempt to extend
slavery, as there is manifest danger of it's
being now absorbed in national attempt
to abolish it. We are in the midst of the
extreme reaction of the nation, against the
conspiracy to make the National Govern
ment special organ for the maintenance
and extension of slavery-and for the de-
struction of this nation and the erection of
new nation if the conspiracy should fail.
The conspiracy exploded, and we are now
measuring our strength with the conspira-
tors on the question of the new nation.
But does it follow that we must fly to ex-
tremes as violent on one side, as those
conspirators rushed to on the other? Must
we subvert and abuse the Constitution in
one direction, because they subverted and
abused it in the opposite direction9 Be-
cause they chose to see no just, wise, and
| safe condition except that in which slavery