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The Whigs And Liberty Party

The Whigs And Liberty Party image
Parent Issue
Day
22
Month
May
Year
1843
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Several Whig papers of this State have eferred ut different times to what they conceive to be an unwillingness on our pan to acknowledge the sincerity of tkeir expression of antislavery srntiments. They represent us as desirous of monopolizing the claim tooi] the philanthropy and nnii-slavery feeling in the community. A few thoughts in e.xplanation of our real position may not be priate. 1 . We do not deny to some of the papers of ihat party, and to a considerable pottion of its nembers, nn interest in the cause of humanity every where. Ilowever mistaken they may be in their piactice, webelicve that greatnumbers have the welfare of man in every country sincerely at heart, and desire to see him elevated and improvcd in his civil, uitellectual, moral, and social relations. 2. We do not deny that many have an interest in behalf of the slave. They sincerelydesire his libcration. They are opposed to slavery from principie. Tbey also desie that theslave power ehould be overthrown on account of its mnate wrong, and becnuse of its ruinous effectsupon tlie moráis, finances, reli. gion, and military strength of our country We tlo not deny that many of tbem have not onlyvisbed its overthrow, but have labored for it iu good faith. They have putforth eFforts to hasten the day of emancipation. Of this class are Adams, Giddings, Slade, Gates, aj)d others. These men were sincero. They have not actei1 hypocriticaily. We have not irnpeached tlieir integrity. The saine may be said of thousands of others. who have petilioned CoDgreps and the State Legislatures, and have bestowed their votes on tuose cnndates of pro-slavery parties, whom they supposed to cherish anti-slavery sentiment?.- Here was anli-slavery action, frorn good motives, Ihough efficiënt only to quite a limited extrnt. We cheerfully admit these thing?. But we deny Is That the Whigs, as a party, are more favorable to the overthrow of the slave Power than Uie Demócrata. Look at the action of the Whir Congres?, and compare it with its predeecssors. Look at the recent actiou of the Legislatures of Maine, Massachusette, and Ohio, and you will find the Wliig pretensión ofbeing the most favorable to Liberty, ifit were ever true, is true no longer. 2. We deny that slavery will be abolished by a party governed by Flaveholders. Suppose Mr. Clay should be élecied, what would be the amount of Kis anti-elavery action?- What would bc the characler of his cabinet? But it is uselees to argüe so plain a matter. Every vótc given for hiin is a vote toate thc Slave Power, and help it U ride ruugh shod over the inteiests of the free States. 3. We have ndmitted tliat ihere are sincere friends of thc slave among the Whigs; bnt we deny that they can permanenlly benefit the enslaved by bestowing their voU-s and inflaence tor adliering Whig.- Their votes are ot only throsvn away, bul they lend to ttrengthen the enemies of Li'erty. 4. The Whigs as a party, have never avowed ikeir belief in a single anti-slaveryprinciple. If the Whigs are an anti-sluvery party, why not sáy sol yet the Advertiéër, Journal. Juckson Gazet te, and Marshall Státesman, wonld have Liberty men support the Whig party on account ofitë anti-slavery character. To test the value of i heir proposal lel us try it practically. Suppose that 'Honcst Jukef should be the Whig candidato for Congre-s from this District, and the nino bnndred liberly voiers of last year should assemlile iü o body to confor willi liim. We soppose Mr. Howard óiight iddreís them, vith truth, sóhiewhat likethis: 'Gkntlkmkn,- You are ' abolitionists i Yon wish slavery and the infernal Slave Trade nboüshed in the Federal District, in óur dé' më8tic trafile, and in Florida, and theinfiucnee of the Federal Government brought to benripon theaccurseil sysiem. Now, gentlemen, fyou wish to petüion for these objects, 1 will )retent your pelitions faithlully as 1 have done ' befo re. Shóóld they ba tlirown under the ' ble, I shall not say word again-t it, as some ' afilióse Süiitheni bullies raight insult me, or j cut my throat. I am opposed to every one of, your projects, at present, and shouM tlioy be j brought up by oihers, I shall of course vote j againat them, as I go for Ilenry Clay, who übliors thptn all. then, tliat II shall go for vcceiving every anti-sluvery j tion; nnd then vote for rrjkctixg ils prayerl As their reception ie doubtless abmit as much as yon can expect, I presume you will vote for me on anti-slaveiy groiinde, in preference to ; the Loco foco enndidate, who will disfrace vou by not even receiying your requests." Now we appeal to the Whigs, nay, to Mr. Iloward himelf, if tliis iá not a fair, lionesl slatement of the case. And this is the encouragement on which the Advertiser and its colleagues ask for the votes of Liberty men! They must think they are to be biight cheap. It will thus be seen that our position is not that there is no slavrry feehng among the VVhigs, but that it is all swallowed up by a devotion to C)ay and lite 'otlier great inter ests,' and is thus made to uphold and strengthen the reign of the Slave Power. We maks this candid statement of onr V'ëws respecting anti-slavery Wliigs, because we conccive that we can demónstrate the absurdity and wrong iu which they are involved while acting in conjnncüon with a pro-slaven, gag-manufacturing party, without cherishing towards thema spirit of hatred :nd ill will. - We would cultívate, betveen those who differ in politiical view?, a fceling of kindnes and good will for each oilier. We hope to see tbebitterncss of party feeling done away. The warfare between Whigs and Democrats of late has had much of that spirit formeily cherished by the Scotch and Englisb, when they were hereditary enemies, as bronght to view in the tntn words of the Scotch song, Fie, fee, fo, fmn, I smell the blood of an Englishman, Dead or al'tve I will have somfi!:' In our estímate of men,all prejudices against them on account of their country or their party should be discarded, and each person be valued according to the goodne-ss of his lieart, and the strength and vigor of his intellect.

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News