Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-12-28
The Democratic Party and slavery

The sew York World thus defines the posi-
ton OF the Democratic party on slavery;
The Democratic party has Arrays beer op
posed TO slavery; but il has always had sense TO
distinguish aud discriminate between different
kinds of slavery. and TO assign to each Us proper
rank and subordination in the scale OF moral
wrong Slavery may consist in the subjecion OF
one individual man to another individual man
Which is the lesser form; or il may consist in the
subsection OF a COLLECTIVE community to another
collective community, which - the greater and
worse form. Our revolutionary fOrefatheIs
fought agans, the one kind OF slavery, while
they tolerated the other When they took up
arms against Great Britain, domestic slavery ex
isted in all the colonies, but they deemed il Of
paramount importance 60 redeem their freedom
as communities, aDd postponed the mitigation
and removal OF domestic slavery to more con
venient season
Ii conforms 20 the general sense Of mankind
that the freedom OF communities ia ofinfntey
more consequence than the freedom of indis idu-
ala. The sympathies OF every manly soul 10
Ohfstandom has been freely given for a century
20 suhjugated Poland; while either a tepd inter
est or no interest az all. has been manifested in
the fate ~ the Russian seFis, more numerous
more degraded, but. IN the estimation of man
kind, by lar less oppressed The supeJiority OF
yduals il the constant lesson Of history, sane
toned by universal commcn sense. u is only on
this principle that men are forced into the army
by compulsory drafts and sent To meet their
deaths The freedom, and even the hfe, of the
individual Is always relentlessly sacrificed 20 the
presumed good of the community.
The Democratic party has steadily adhered TO
this sound view. which lies At the foundation OF
all rational politics 1t has opposed the greater
slavery with more yehemence than II has the
less because the greater is both worse than the
less in itself. and includes IL Ii you enslaye
community you may do what YOU please with It's
separate members, who then lie at your mercy
You may strip them Of their property by confs-
cation you may conscTipt them into your
mics !; yeu may grind them 10 the dust with tax
alton YOU may punish them without trial you
may cause men of other communities 10 live 5y
their unrequitted toll. Tue Democratic party il
the only truly anti slavery party that has ever
existed in this country by which We mean that
il is the only party that has stouty opposed the
ensiavemsat Of communities New York n
free community. abolished chatte slavery within
her limits and her Democratic citizens would
feel unfegned satisfaction IA seeing other free
communities following her humane example.
But they feel TO satisfaction IN seeing an attempt
made 20 enslave communities for the sake of
comforting doubtful freedom individuals
They will oe no party 20 a proceeding which
seeks 70 give stability 10 the pyramid OF freedom
By placing it on its apex If domestic slavery is
a moral. political, aud social evil, the commune
ties in which il exists will sooner or later find
out and abolish H. II you do not divert their at
tention TO greater evil by rousing them TO de-
iend their freedom az communities
It IS needless for TO say after this exposition,
I'VE had trusted il was needless for Us to say be.
fore that the hope of the Democratic members
OF Congress will vote against this proposed con
sttutionsl amenI ment for the abolition of slave
ry The very proposal Of such An amendment
is A confession that our government was con
structed on a basis which made the States free
communities, with complete control over this, as
a par. Of their purely domestic concerns. We
are not for enslayiDg any OF these communities,
oGt Tor compelling them to observe the compact
into which they entered BY their adoption OF the
Constitution
But if the Democratic members oppose the
constitutional amendment merely by their votes,
they will 50 il seems to US have discharged their
whole duty must be strangely blind TO
the signs ot the times To think that the amend
ment can be defeated in the next Congress
WHY then. should effort be wasted. and public
TINE consumed IN iruitess opposiuonl Before
the Democratic party can. BY any possibility. get
control OF the government. slavery will have be.
come so shaken that il can never be rehabilimted,
even if the States could regain full political con
troll over it. They would be obliged 70 say:
''Should We wade more
Returning were a. tedious a. 20 DER"
The Democratic party will never give over the
battle for the freedom OF the States "a separate
political communities: bnt this great cause will
gain strength by complete observance from dead
or odious ISSUES.