Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-03-09
from the New York World, Feb. a5th.l
The Democratic Party and sIav-


53s cry.
Some observations on this subject, which
we deemed 1t prudent to offer a few weeks
since, have drawn out from all parts of the
loyal States, responses which show that we
were fortunate enough to strike the key
note of widely diffused public sentiment.
We have found our views echoed, with
more or less abatement, or more or less ex-
aggeration, In the loyal press of the coun-
try, In Congress, and especially In numer-
GUS letters Of Endorsement from men of in
flucnce and standing in the Democratic
party. This favorable impression and these
J warm Endorsements are certainly not due
to the novelty of our views, but only to their
timeliness. If they had any merit, it con-
sisted merely In an apt application to pres.
ent circumstances of time-honored princi-
pies to which the Democratic party has al
ways assented., ,Wehave notmade converts
~ new Filth, but only led the way In the
application Of old principles to a new
problem. .A-....,,.+.....-t lttt
While the main drift in public Sentiment
In the Democratic party is toward simple
andlunqualitied Endorsement of our position
precisely as we defined it, weobserve that
very few persons and presses, who seem
to mistake that position for an innovation,
fall into lines OF argument which evince, on
the one side, something of the exaggerated
zeal OF new converts, and on the other,
little of the defensive vehemence natural to
men who fear that their party is cutting
loose from old moorings. These are points
on which we do not think it wise to have q
controversy with any class of men who de-
sire the success of the Democratic party;
especially, as the general sense of the party,
which has been so widely expressed, is In
nrnftr
argument wechoose to make on the subject
is.simply to relate our position, leaving the
statement to make whatever impression
{ may be thought due to its intrinsic weight.
- 1t has for some time been the cue of the
adyersaries of the Democratic party to stig-
matize 1t as pro-slayery party, and to eX-
cite prejudice against it as the patron and
apologist of an institution which Is con-
demned by the civilization of the age. That
this is an unjust imputation on the Democ-
racy of the Northern States, is demonstrate
ed by the broad and undeniable fact that
slavery was abolished in all the Northern
States inSwhich it eyerdexisted with the
warm approval and hearty concurrence of
all the people of these States without dis
tinction of party. No Northern Democrat
ever proposed or wished its re-establish-
ment. The head of family who takes the
most careful pains to train up his own chill
dren In the principles of Christian virtue
gives the strongest possible evidence of his
approval of those principles, even though
he may not think It his duty to interfere
with the domestic. discipline of his intidel
neighbor. If that neighbor happens to be
his partner in business, the fact that they
are members of the same firm confers upon
neither any control over the household of
the other, however strongly he may disap-
prove of its management. But can there
beno virtue unless It be of that meddle-
some and intrusive kind which violates the
sacred right of distinct families, or distinct
communities, to be exempt from the Off
cious and censorious surveillance of neigh
boring families, or neighboring communi-
ties? Does a man cease to be virtuous be-
cause, in addition to other virtues, he prac-
tices the discreet and peace-prOmoting vir-
tue Of minding his own business?
Besides the great cardinal fact on which
we insist, that northern Democrats have
proved their adherence of slavery by assist
ing in expelling it from their own States
and bolting the doors against its return, they
have expressed public and constant satls-
faction at all movements toward its aboli-
ton in. other States, byathe people of those
States, and equally decided depreciation of
the arrest of such movements by imperti-
nent outside interference. We could IL ne
cessary, fill our columns to overfiowing
with citations from the documents, speeches,
and writings of Democratic statesmen, In
which 1t was urged as a strong point against
the abolition crusade of the last thirty years,
that it had put back emancipation in the
border slave States. Is this a species of ar
gument to be used by men who approve of
slavery and desire It's continuance? ~ "A.
The pro-slavery stigma attempted to be
/, fixed on Northern Democrats Is a caluhny;
1t has always been repelled as a calumny
throughout the heated controversies which
have prevailed since the annexation of
Texas, Among southern Democrats the
slavery issue was early merged in the high
er issue OF. the right Of the States to control
their domestic affairs, and as 1t was only by
attacks on slavery that this right was assail-
ed, they were led to defend the outpost as.
if it ,werestlie citadel itself, and thereby
furnished a pretext for the calumny against
the Democratic party. But the Democrats
of the North, in repelling this calumny
have steadily asserted that it was not slav-
cry which they wished to uphold, but only
the constitutional right of each State to de-
terInine for itself (as the Northern States
had done) when it would abolish slavery, or
whether it would abolish It at all.
The facts we have here stated are of such
{ general notoriety that no person tolerably
! acquainted with. our political history will
/ be likely to deny them. 1t only remains,to
apply the principles which underlie them
& to present issues. a4oS
e keep in my house small aquarium and
few canary birds, and my neighbor,
whose taste differs from mine, is snake
fancier. He keeps;a cage, of poisonous SER
4 pents, whose breath infects the atmosphere
Of his apartments and impairs the health of