The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1864-07-23
WHOLE No. 347.
SlaYery DestroYed.

/ QueSJiOAaDle. 90 severe JnaG MANY con-
slider that it is entirely destroyed; but there
is power still left in it, and wise councils
must prevail in the land to completely crush
it out. 1t has lately shown itself in Con.
gress, on the vote to repeal the fugitive
slave Anywhere the democrats voted in
a solid phalanx against repeal-and in the
effort to amend the Constitution SO as 10
prohibit slavery IN the country-where the
measure failed for the want of a two. thirds
vote. It will have strong party for a
long time, making every effort to save it.
That it will fall, before the country can
j have permanent peace, We entertain no
doubt; but 1t VIII require true and wise
men at the helm-men of nerve TO accom-
! plish the great work. The Missouri DEM
ocrat, in an article on this subject, discus
ses it thus:
''We have had in this country of late sew
eral convocations of politicians, who have
undertaken the regulation of the affairs Of
the nation. All these parties have met
with a formidable difficulty in the slavery
question. 1t has proved too large mat
ter to ignore, while taking position with
reference to it has required no small
amount of moral courage To declare
against slavery has demanded high order
of political heroism, and to declare for it un-
der existing circumstances, is looked upon
! by shrewd politicians as equally perilous
in this emergency-the embarrassment of
which can be readily appreciated--a happy
expedient has suggested itself to some of
the politicians-being nothing less than a
strategic movement for fanking the knotty
question, when it has been executed by de-
| claring that slavery is already DESTROYED"
Of course, if slavery is dead, there is no use
| of either taking position for or against it..
It's out of the way, and there is practically
no longer any such thing as either auti-sla-
very or pro-slaveryism. So to escape the
necessity of showing their hands-of avow-
! ing themselves either for or against the in
stitution-the political tribunes alluded to
have written it down in their platform, and
publish it to the world as "destroyed."
This they did in a convention recently held
in this city, where both protested anti-slav-
cry and pro slavery men met, their object
being to secure the support of both anti
slavery and pro-slavery voters. The same
thing was done in another meeting of re-
cent date in Cleveland, where the odds and
ends of several parties, which have occu-
pied very different positions upon the slav-
cry question, came together, and where to
take position one way or the other was
consequently extremely embarrassing, if
not impossible. So to avoid a committaly
they wrote down that ''slaYery was destroy
ed, which meaning nothing, was equiva-
lent to taking no position. The phrase in
itself is false, and its use, under the cir
cumstances and in the present crisis of the
nations peril, is cowardly, but then it is a
trick of politicians, and in politics as in war,
the saying is, that all's fair.
But little did those political strategists,
who thus placarded the demise of slavery,
while three millions of men and women
were yet wearing its chains, probably think
how speedily the contradictory would be
given to their words, in way which none
could misunderstood. The contradiction,
however, has come. In the Congress of
the United States two important questions
involving the existence of slavery has aris-
en-, and been decided upon. One was a
proposition for the repeal of the Fugitive
Slave Law, and with a single exception, ev-
cry Democrat-the Democracy having been
the pro-slavery party of the countrywide
ed against 1t, thus deciding to stand by
slavery for which, were it already destroy
ed, there would of course have been no
necessity The other was a proposition
for the amending of the Constitution, so as
really to destroy slavery, and aOhich was de-
feated by slavery's friends. When ne thus
see the institution welding such power in
the councils of the nation, what folly to
talk about it being destroyed %
No, no, slavery is not destroyed in this
country. 1t is now defying, as it has de-
fed for the last three years, the entire mil
itary power of the government. And even
if the army of the Union succeed, as we be-
lieve il will, it does not follow that slavery
is destroyed" So far from such being
the case, that party which is now known
as the Democracy, including not few Of
those who are now talking the most flip
PANTY about slavery being dead, will at
once insist upon the acknowledgment of
the right to hold slaves as one of the condi-
tons of sediment. This battle With slaV.
cry does not end with the rebellion. It ID
an institution which is not destroyed by
the breath of political convention, nor
even by the fiery blast of battle. It is won
derfully tenacious of life. It viii require
wise, prudent, brave legislation 10 make an
ending of it. Now in what condition viii
those parties be who have subscribed to the
doctrine that slaVey is already destroyed"
to engage in this contest They will be
like men who have thrown away their
swords. True, they may plead they meant
nothing by their assertion, but then why
make il +? It is dangerous to take a false
position in such vital matter. 1t may
deceive some-it may disarm others. The
truth would, under all circumstances, be
infinitely better. - Wisconsin, STATE Jour
nal.