Year: 1860

men and men Of intellect from position in
the councils Of government and the leadership
of parties. What does a retrospect of our po-
litical history for the past ten years show? The
Compromise of 1850 was measure conceived
and carried out in the true spirit Of politics al
wisdom that animated our foreGathers
in the declaration Of our independence,
the establishment Of the confederation. the
adoption Of the constitution, and the settlement
of sectional discords in 1920, when the Union
was carried to the verge of dissolution by agra
rian agitators and demagogues. In the battle
for Its acceptance, the giant intellects Of the
past generation, who had often stood in oppos-
ing array on questions of minor policy-Benton,
Calhoun, Cass, Clay, Webster and host of
colleagues fought side by side in the Senate,
and secured the victory for the cause Of politi-
cal wisdom and national statesmsnship. II was
the last great act of the last generation the ge-
neration of expounde1 Of the constitution.


Since then what do we find in the history of
our political development? The past ten years
exhibit only petty politicians, striving for
power through the devious ways of local and
sectional agitation. From the South there have
been sent 10 the balls of Congress only men
possessed Of one idea-that the institution Of
African slavery is the perfection Of all social
organizasion-and the measures they have ini-
tiated, and the policy of government they have
endeavored TO establish, have corresponded 10
this narrow basis of their public action. Their
constant talk has been about paramount
Southern rights" their policy has been
Southern league, their propagandism has aimed
at familiarizing the idea of dissolution of the
Union to their constituents. In the impractical
stipulations of the Kansas. Nebraska bill, In
the openly proclaimed policy Of Southern ex-
tension for the purpose Of extending the insti-.
tuition Of slavery, In IN insane advocacy Of
reopening Of the African slave trade in spite
Of the evident spirit Of the age, they have CON-
mitted Themselves, and the people they repre-
sent, to policy and measures that would be
destructive to their own interests II successful,
and which could not attain possible tempors-
~ success without violating natural laws and
influences which would overwhelm them with
ultimate defeat


A similar sbor.sightedness and want OF states
manship have created a like contracted and
transitory political growth in the North. The
statesmen Of old have been displaced by dema-
gogues Of one idea-that African slavery Is a
great moral, social and political evil--and
all their measures and oil their policy have
been directed TO the stimulating of political
warfare against il The halls OF Congress have
been filed with propagandists Of this one idea;
the people have been taught to believe that
their highest political duties consist In abolish
ing slavery everywhere, and the popular catch
words Of "free soil, free speech and free men,
have ripened into the declaration of an "irre-
pressible conflict the incendiary teachings Of
Helper, recommended by sixty eight Northern
members of Congress; the theory Of Spooner,
endorsed by Seward, that every slave can be
liberated by habeas corpus the raid Of John
Brown into the South. and the initiation Of the
reign Of terror from Virginia to Texas. This is
the course and tendency Of the black republi-
can party Not that every black republican is
a revolutionary abolitionist There are many
men among them who are conservative, with
WnOiu thf ltthIA VI ahh-SiaNNAg ~ Sthhmuhh
rather than principle Of political action; but
the ultra radicals and abolitionis,s have Sc
cured the control Of their party organization,
and are determined 10 exercise IL


These scctionaiists and extreme agitators do
not possess the support of the majority Of the
people; but the divisions among the conserva-
tive mas.es. through the selfish and personal
claims Of the narrow minded politicians who
have swarmed In all the political orgsnizations
are presenting the prize Of victory to the most
rabid and destructive Of the fanaucal minori-
ties II may be that the conservative masses
Of New York and he Central States may yet
save the government from the clutch Of the
aboli,ionists who are bent on making war on
the rights Of the S.nth- But the chance l. q
single one, and our own demagogues seem
bent on destroying IL II IL time, therefore, for
the men Of the South 70 consider what they
viii do In the event Of Lincolns election, and
the prospective administration Of the federal
government on principles Of irreconcilable
hostility 10 the social organization Of fifteen
sovereign States Mr.. Seward has announced
the programme Of Iincolns Cabinet In bis re-
cent speeches In Michigan, and there can be no
doubt Of what. under such guidance, the future
has in store for them.


The men Of the South should come at once
TO the consideration Of this question, not In
hot blood, not with petty and narrow minded