New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-04
PIERCE AND SLAVERY.
A PRO-SLAVERY FREE TRADE, ANTI
HOMESTEAD. ANTI-SCHooLn' AMI
STATE RIGHTS ADMINISTRATIONS.

IT'S ONE REDEEMING FEATURE A MEho''" WV
rowrp FROM THE " HIGs-FIRsT APPEAR
ANCE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
IN ITS PRESENT FORM.
The era of present party alignment and nonieh-
c,ature beeins with the Administrative period
March T. 1853. to March 4. 1857. when the
Democrats were in power. with the Ioi''"'"e
Executive organizations:
President--Franklin Pierce. OF New Hampsnire
Vice President-David r. Atchison, OF missouri
President pro tenn Of the Senate the VIC
Preside intellect having died before ihstaAa
ton into office. Two years later, Jesse -.
Bright, of Indiana DemocraD, President pro
tenn Of the Senate.
Secretary of State-William L. Marcy. OF New
York ~ -.
Secretary Of the Interior-Robert McClelland. OF
Michigan ,. 81.
North Carolina
Secretary Of War-Jefrerson Davis, Of Missis-
sppi. 80
sylvania.
ATTORNEY -Ce1eral-Caleb Cushing. OF Massa-
chusetts.
II was during the four years OF President
Pierce that the Wings disappeared from Amer-
can politics and the Republican party sprang
into being.
President Pierce was elected by the extreme
pro-slavery and State rights Democrats Of the
United States. as against General Winfield Scott,
Whig and John p. Hale, Free Soil. He was
backed by a Democratic majority in poth
branches OF Congress. In his inaugural ADDRESS
President Pierce favored the strict limitation OF
the Federal Government to its Constitutional
powers, careful observance Of State rights and
protection to naturalized citizens abroad He
declared the slavery compromises OF lSDO con-
stitutional and to be carried into effect unhesi-
tatingly He reaffirmed in diplomatic language,
the Jacksonian doctrine of Ito the victors belong
the spos," by saying that offices can only be re-
garded as aids for the accomplishment OF the
objects of an Administration. and that political
hostility and partisan prejudice would be suf-
ficient reason for removals. On American indus
try he was silent. The President gave his sup
port to scheme for the annexation OF Cuba in
the interest of slavery. then favorite idea with
Southern Democrats. by darky intimating the
Importance of the acquisition of certain pos
sessions not within our jurisdiction"
The year of 1853 Of quiet prosperity
in the United States under the moderately pro-
tective tariff of 1876 and of freedom from viO-
lent political agitation. At it's close the XXXIIId
Congress assembled at Washington for its first
session. There was then no premontion Of the
storm which soon to break forth. The SEES
sion began December ). 1853, lasting until Au-
gust I, 1851 The composition Of the two houses
politically, as follows:
Senate-Whigs. 81; Democrats, 81; Free Sellers
>; vacancies. =; total, ~.
House-Linn Boyd Dem.. Kentucky, Speaker
Wigs, Il: Democrats, 49, Free Sellers. /: total
1:54.
The Presidents Message to Congress dis
coursed upon foreign relations and domestic af-
fairs in a general way and made a few specific
recommendations. The President reported that
the tariff had brought surplus to the Treasury
then amounting TO S14,630.OO0: and he made
this pretext for recommending reduction of
the protective tariff. at the same time favoring
an abandonpent Of the policy Of internal i'm
provements. which would necessarily have dis
posed OF a part Of the surplus As in every one
Of his four annual messages he had much to say
in favor Of state rights and reserved powers
under the Constitution" and he referred TO the
Union as compact between sovereign States
and once spoke OF 1t as the "Confederacy." His
Message was interesting as favoring Government
aid to "A railroad from the Mississippi River TO
the Pacific Ocean. a project then beginning tn Inc
much discussed. owing TO the discovery OF gold
mines in California and the rapid settlement of
that coast.
PUBLIC LANDS AND HOMEsrEAps.
Two contests took place at this session
leading to serious consequences and pre.
cipitating the extinction OF the Wings AS a
political party. One related to the public lands
The Democrats had always favored a policy
which enabled Southern planters, capitalists and
spectators to obtain possession Of large tracts
OF the public domain. in the interest OF a landed
aristccracy and negro slavery. Slavery required
large plantations Ii could not flourish on