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Present Position, And Future Prospects Of The Liberty Party

Present Position, And Future Prospects Of The Liberty Party image
Parent Issue
Day
9
Month
January
Year
1847
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

For the Signal of Liberty While the late elcctions in some State show a small increase of the Liberty voto inothers, wc have to deplore a decrease, probably the cause at large is nbout stationary. Tliis State, after an extra eiTort in behalf of the oppressed, has cast a diminished vote. How such a result is to be accounted for, is a question ofdeep interest? Why do the great mass of men sny that Slavery is wrong, thatthey are opposed to it, & still tenaclously pling to their parties and vote for Slavery, bv voting for Slaveholders and their abettors ? The writer's individual opinión is, that want of principle is the great, and at present, insurmountable obstacle in the way of progress. Democrats and Whigs, in private conversation will admit ihat slavery ovght lo be abolished. But when the so called Democrais are in the iscendency, individuals delight o much in being with the mnjority, that they leave heir principies, (those that have any) at ;iome on election days,The New York Tribune, and other Whig papers, for the ex press purpose of keeping their party together, and preventng individuals from joining the Liberty party, liave published considerable abolition matter, and claim to be the true abolition party, while ns a State, or a national parly, they have not passed the first resolution, or done the first thing to alarm 6c oflendslaveholderi!. Such dtiplicity Ins had ils designed effect. Henee we are brought to the conclusión that about all the VVhigs and Democrats that are onlightned on the subject,and have suflicient candour to see that ïheir parlies ahvays have, and for aught that yet appears to the contrnry, alsvays icill s'ipport Slavery, and nll that have principie enough to vote forjustice, instead of the party, have already taken their position on the side of Liberty and ngainst óppressioru It ia a deplortiblc fact that multitudes of profesing Christians seem to think that religión, or conseience, orjust and righteous principies have no place at the ballot box, and mny be snci'ificed for the parly. What Minister teaches his hearers that they are accountablo to God for the manner in wKich they vote, as much as for other religious duties ? But if the Liberty cause has become stationary, it must not be abandoned. - What course shall be taken to give it a new impetus, is the great question ? The plan proposed by somc for the party to define their position on the politici! measures of the day, is of very doubtful utüity. Adopt Whig measures and the Democrats already with us vyill desert. Embrace those of the Democrats,anu lormer vv nigs will do llie same. - Besidös, Whigsor Dcmocrafs who care more for their party measures than they do for the emanciparon and elevation of 3,000,000 of their feüow bejugs, would not "stay converled," unless the party was likely to be in the asccndcncy soon. Probably those that have left us had cxpected to elect a Liberty President in 1848, and have become discouroged. - There is no present indicaiion that cither of the larger political parlies will disturb the institution of Slavcry, whichever may be in the mnjority, and it is evident that while they retain their organization, a third party cannot gain the ascendency with all the South against them. Justicc, self interest, humanity and sympathy for the slaves, all demnnd that the north all become one party, let the name be what it may. They may then all belong to the rigl.t party, and what would have great influence with many, the stroitgesl party ; if a unión should be effected before half of Mexico is annexod. But some would be shocked at the idea of having one half or part of the union arrayed at the ballot box against the other, or the norlh against the South ; when all must sec and know, that are not wilfully blind and ignorant, that the South for a long time if not from the organization of the Federal Government, have for all purposes of local self interest been united, in one solid phalanx against the North. And Southern papers are now fruikly and boldly tulking of annexing enough of Mexico to get and keep the ascendency over the north ; and northern Whigs and Democrats are yet doing what they can to assist them. They have for yenrs been making the fetters for their own limbs, and now they seem about quietly to hold still to have them riveted on. Will not, or cannot the North be aroused before it isforever too late 1 The writer would proposo that a Northern Convention be held as soon as the public mind can be prepared for it, to be composed of equal numbers of delegates from the Democrat, Whig and Libertypartios, fbr the purpose of discussing the subject of a unión. Sympathy for the poor slave should prompt to union, but if that isnot a sufficient motive, it would seem that our own rights and thoseof our posterity would bc. Leaving the slaves out of the question, the North has suffercd more injustice from the South, than theColonies did from Great Britain before the revolution. And now they are taking our money and sacrificing the ives of our citizens ior the avowed pur3ose of conquering additional territory, so as forcver to be able to rule over us.