Year: 1859

There are pressing and importunate questions,
which, in spite of our wishes and our utmost
efforts to the contrary, will force themselves upon
u.s. and from which there is possibility of escape
The Hon. Robert c. Winthrop is sick of the
Slavery question He warmly concurs with the
Hon Hiram Ketchum, and the Committee of which
that gentleman is chairman in the opinion that the
Slavery question has been sufficiently elucdated
already that any further discussion Of it is in-
expedent aud that this subject ought not to enter
into the construction Of national political platforms.
In letter upon this topic, he suggests that the
attention of Congress and Of the Executive should
be turned away from the sectional aud irritating
discussion of the Slavery question, and should
instead be seriously directed to those great
" national interests, which the Constitution of the
United States was established to promote"


But in thus seeking to lead the country of from
the Slavery question, Mr. Winthrop and his con-
servatve friends at the very first step, plunge
headoDg into it. The question at once arises
What are the national interests which the Con-


stituton Of the United States was estab


lished to promote The shareholders insist, with
one voice. that Slavery is one of those ma
tional interests, and q leading one. The great
Republican party Of the North thinks other
wise. 1t insists that slayeholding is purely local
and sectional interest and in the spri. Of the very
injunction of Mr.. Winthrop himself it cannot avoid
resisting, with all its strength, all legislation on the
part OF Congress and all Executive efforts intended
to confer upon slaveholdDg national character.


But to come down 10 the more specific recon
mendations made by Mr.. Ketchum's Committee,
and indorsed by Mr. Winthrop. They propose to
drop the question of Slavery, and to take up the
subject of foreign relations including the question
Of the extension Of territory But does not thus
question Of the extension Of territory vitaly in
volve the whole question Of Slavery' Surely Mr..
Winthrop and Mr. Ketchum are well aware that
ell the extensions Of territory sought whether
the possession of Cuba or additional slices from IN
happy Mexico. are sought exclusively with view
to give new area to Slavery, and new extension
to the slave power. How, then, can these subjects
be discussed, without involving at the same time
the discussion whether Slavery il AZ institution
which it is desirable to strengthen and extend
So Of the other topics referred to--internh
improvements, harbon and rivers, currency
and q tariff Of protective duties. The dlsi-
sions Of opinion on these subjects have always
been sectional, and the dividing hne Of opinion has
always been pretty nearly coincident with the line
between Slave Labor and Free Labor. The Slave
States always have been and always will be, so
long a. their policy is determined from the slave
labor point of view, wholly Indifferent to the pro-
lection Of domestic manufactures; if not, through
local Jealousy, decidedly hostile to it. The tariff
controversy in its progress, assumed marked sec
tional character. It was from that controversy
that the first threats Of dssolving the Union came
and it was in that discussion, in the revival of
which, it is proposed to seek refuge from the dan
gers Of the Slavery question. that originated the
party in favor of setting up separate Southern
Republic, whose recent threats, in connection with
pending slavery discussions, have 20 frightened Mr.