The weekly Louisianian., 1872-08-24

- Il
ISIANA, SATU II d A J
rights but for their own, or they mus
basely give up the contest. Jas. G. Bir
ney was nominated on platform declaring
for free speech, free press, the right o
petition and for the localization of sla
very.
! Our "reformer and abolitionist," this
constant opponent Of slavery, gave nc
countenance to the movement. He sup.
ported w. 81. Harrison for President, q
man who as Governor of Indiana had ia.
vored the retention of slavery in its Dor.
tlers after it was admitted to tho Union,
who had opposed the Missouri Compro-
mise by the same arguments advanced by
Mr.. Calhoun in 1850, when he claimed
that slavery was protected by the Consti-
tuition over every inch Of National terri
tory. General Harrison was, Us we know,
elected, and largely by the influence of
Mr.. Greeley.
Now, many men, who were afterwartl
earnest Abolitionists, and who are to-day
good Republicans, voted for General Har-
rison, but they aud their friends aro not
claiming votes on the ground of their un-
impeachable anti-slavcry record. Anti
slavery men whose memories reach buck
10 those days will remember that Mr..
Greeley's vituperative powers were exorted
upon them with as much force as upon
the Democratic party. Between times he
would soften in his language and write
abolition articles; but the opinion was
widely prevalent that his anti-slavery talk
was more intended to induce Abolitionists
to enter the Wing ranks than to affect
slavery.
In 1874 the Annexation of Texas was
about to be consummated. The Democ-
racy, always bold until now, were openly
in favor of annexation, for tho reason, as
Mr.. Calhoun avowod, to allow tho slave
holding States to maintain their control
of the legislation Of the Nation. Mr..
Clay professcd IN opposition to it, but not
because Of slavery, but because he feared
war with Mexico. In his famous Ala
bama letter he declared that 80 far from
having any personal objection to the an
nexation Of Texas, I should be glad to see
il. do not think the subject of slavery
ought to affect tho question ono way or
the other"
In fact the annexation of Texas WAS a
forcsone conclusion. Mr.. John Tyler, in
the closing months of his official term,
had completed all the preliminaries, and
nothing remained to Mr.. Polk but to an
nouncc it as an accomplished fsct. Much
could havo been done by the election Of
an anti-slavery President, or by polling a
heavy anti-slavcry vote, to secure the new
territory for freedom. So far as Mr.. Clay
and Mr.. Polk were concerned, the chances
were the same. They were both slave
holders and pro-slavery men.
In this view of tho case the Liberty
party nominated Mr.. James G. Birney,
and resolved to cast as heavy q vote as
possible for him, that it might servo as a
protest, both against tho annexation of
Texas and its conversion into slave
State.
They received no sympathy or nil from
Mr.. Greeley; on the contrary, the columns
Of tho Tribune tcomed with articles
abusing them and their candidates.
Among tho trials to which anti-slavery
men were then subjected, tho constant At
tacks of tho Tribune must he counted.
The annexation Of Texas brought on the
war with Mexico; and through that war
We acquired vast territory, capable of
being subdividcd in q score Of States.
The shareholders. compact and united
from tho first, determined to force the
Nation to accept Mr.. Calhoun's dogma,
that tho Constitution protected slavery
over every inch Of National territory.
The Liberty party, now transformed
into Free Soilcrs, nominated Martin Van
Buren, and Charles Francis Adams, on |
platform declaring for Free Mon, Free
Soil and Free Speech" Thousands Of
slavery men had grown rcstivo in the
ranks Of the Wing party, but were de-
tanned there by Mr.. Greeley's influence,
and cast their votes for Gen. Taylor, q |
whose opinions upon the |
question at issue were concealed. The |
Convention which nominated him laid |
upon the table three times resolution in
aorsing the Wilmot Proviso, General Tay-
lor was elected, but died after serving one
year, making way for that facile tool Of
The slavery propaganda, Millard Fillmore.
When the election Of 1852 was approach
ing, the Wings nominated General Scott
upon platform endorsing the Fugitive
Slave Act in special terms, and pledging
he Wing party to efforts to renew the
.gitation of tho slavery question. At that
ime the North was one vast hunting
round. The most radically anti-slavery
were selected in which to
orce the obnoxious law. Scores of men
vere imprisoned and rendered bssgars by
he prosecutions carried on by the Govern
acnt, President Fillmore asserting that
he law should bo enforced il it required