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The Whigs And Abolition

The Whigs And Abolition image
Parent Issue
Day
28
Month
April
Year
1845
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Last week we made various extracts í rom Whig papers, that were discussing the connection which that pnrty oughtto have with Abolition. We quoied the position final ly assumed by the Tribune, that the Whig party oughtto countenance no antislavery proposilion that would involvethe action of General Government. This of course, must be satisfactory to the proslavery portion of the Whigs, as it placed rhe Tribune in direct antagonism to the Liberty party. But whatcould be said for the Albany Evening Journal and Syracuse Journal, which had come out openly with the invitation to the Whigs, "Let us raise the Standard of Emancipation"? The Tribune undertakcs to be spokesman for them, by what authoriiy we know not, but we suppose it is to save them the mortificaron of Kpeaking for themselves. It puts forth the following miserable and lame apology. We should suppose they would be ashamed toacquiescc in so barefaced a misrepresentation."Tus Whig Party and Slavery. The natural indignation and alarm of Northern freemen at the initial triumph ofthe Texas Conspiracy in Congress, in view of the real objccts and probable results of tliat conspiracy, have ibund utterance through the Press in expressicns imminently liable to misapprehension. - 'Let us raise the standard of EmancipationP said the Western State Journal, referring simply to the case of Texas, and implying no more ihtn this, 'If Texas is lorced into the Union against our urgent remonstrances and in violation of our Constifution and the faith of Treaties, let us take care that Slavery shall not be fortified, or our responsibility for it ihcreased, by this great wrong. 'Let us insist that Texas, if she come into our Union, shall rid herself ofthe curse of Slavery;- and if we cannot carry this point at the outset, Iet lis renew the war on every occasion aflbrded us by the application of a new Texns State for admisión into the Union.' This and no more was intended by the Whig journals which have been falsely held up to the Union as counseling a dissolution of the Whig party and an enlistment of the North under the banner of Political Abolition. They have intended nothing Jike hat." So that the aum of the matfer seemsto be, that the antislavery porlion of the Whig party are to succumb, at least for t!e present, to the proslavery portion. In the meantime, we notice that some of the majority are busy in looking Qp suinblo condidates for the Presidenpy- There are serious objections to discussing the matter so early in the Whig camp; but f the party can bn committed to the nominationofanot!.:r slaveholder on the natiomi! ticket, it vü! "tend to preferve Ibéhr oíd lönömarfca. Jdge Menean, of Ohio, lias been named I for the Pres■;i tV' á ■■ makmg 10S. Gazette, haa a Unter from "oneof ilie most prominent VVhigs of the Union" at Washington, wliicii says, - "It is grnlifyingto observe at lliis ëa'rly day, with wliat singular unanimity Whig opinión hns already póinted to a .standard bearer in ilie pereop r so great nnd so good a man as Justice McLean. Myfirm oeïief is Umi Ite ioill bc the opm and recognizcd candidato af the party befare the close of the present year." Tliis coincides vjth pcevlous inlinuitions wliicli we have seen. Por ice President, vVnj. C. Rivos.u Virginia slavnholder, a nained. Is it not üt range the Whigs should bc so parlial lo the race of "Virginia Absfractionists"? Mr. BerW on, a Georgia slaveholder, has also been suggested.Thisdiscussinn in the Whigpart', brief as t has beeu. ivrll be of great advantngr to the progres of Liberly principies. - Thousamis of nntblavory Whigs have hitherto adhered to lic party, wkh the hope that alter the late Presidential eieqtion it might be induced to take the ful! antislavery ground. All these must now seè the folly of cherifjliingsuchons. Those friendly ío such a move have been unceremoniously put down for the present, and attcmpt are mjking to bind Ihcm and the wholc Whig party, for Iburyears Jonger, to the support of the Slave Power; and the testoftrue V. liirjgery is to be found in shouting for the nomination of axother slaveholderí - This result, wc say, will be favorable to the Liberty party, becausean openly proslavery coursc on the part of the Whigs wil] leave the Liberty principies lo produce iheir legitímate eflects, without being trcmmelled by !iypocritical pretensions of fiiendship on the part of their deadly enemies. We can fyr bctter witlistand open opposition than treachery concealed under a friendly garb. All weask isa fair and open field, and tho ullimat result will be triumphant to the cause of Human Freedom.(E? We have been nibrmed thnt sevpral i our recent articles on the charactèr of Moi ern Demociacy have been considcred by son of our readers os rather pungpiil and biting - as unnecessari'y spvere. We woiiltl hnve ihem all understund that we have never made ony agreemont with eilher pro-s!avcry party to spnre themin their inconsislencics or wickedness, or to blame tlicm only to a rértniö extent. The avoweJ nnd barefaced subjeci on of the Democratie party to the Slavh Power Is surely na doservin fexposuiè as ihe doublé deaüng, falsehoods and forgenes of thu Whig.-?. We shall not spare. Bnt we nlend to advance nothjbg ngainst dither party Whicll ÍS not BTR1CTLT TRUK. And WO would respectfully eay to ttibícribers uho are members of that party, or uho have prediloc tions for its policy, as we did to the Whigs last year - if you find any 6tatcrnnt in the Signpl reepecling tiiat party which you think to bc false, Jet us know it, and we wiil eitlier subatantiale it or retrnct. Errors miy sometimos unintentionally appear in all papers: anu' an Iionpst editor will ever stand ready to correct ihem. But apart from these, we hold ourselves amenable lo no lirnitaUonsbut those of propriety and of truth.CJTbe Slate Journal says that if the Liberfv men of the Sccond District had vuted fór Ilenry W, Taylor, nn Anti Texas Whig-, he woiild have been rlected in place of "that Locofoco snvage, Chipman' Perhopd he wou.'d. But what of it? Was tic Libcity party organized to secure Vhc eleclion of Anü-Texas Wliigsl Whs that ilsobjcii The Editor of the Journnl crives Liberty men a long leelure because they did not vote for Tnylor, Giddings, Slade, Adams, &c. They had the best of all rcasono fcr as they diti: bccause evcry mie of these men was and is opposed to Ihe Liberty party - to its objecls, measures, and even ito existence. We mif ht as wel! ask whv did not the Edilor ar:d hit fnends vote for Polk nnd DnlJas?The Liberíy pnrty has no connection with Whigorery or its candidatos. Wo coincide wiih most northern whigs in oppositiun to Annexation; but that is a mere incidental qucttion in our plan. Texaa in or out, c thall labor for the Abolilion of Slovery, and the extensión of Equal Uiglits 10 olí. And now vve wouJd like to ask, once for all, why thcre Í3 socli an everlasting v.hining for Liberty votes? What claim or demnnd liave you upon Liberty men? We wish no conneciion with you. Why then nill you be íbrcver n wooing ua witii altérnale snarling, coaxin, whecdling nnd iro'vling? Why not let U8 alor.c? We ask these questions with all due respect; huí t (loes appeur to lis that if the vviiig papers could see fhe course they ere pursuing in its true lighf, their ovvn feeüngs of pride and self-respect would ciusc them to abandon it.

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Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News