To The Whig Reformers And Anti-slavery Whigs Of Michigan

The fact ciniVit lie cïi-g i is d iliat much of d'iuht nd diasatisfnclimi exis's nmoiig niany mem'-ers of onr partv, nn'J ;lso of the fsocsUed) De nocntic ;ar!jr. There is a feil want of sonnet hing, an ospiration townids somo grent public, god, which the leaders of iielher nrty nr willing to recognize. Pnrly bond", in C"iisequencp, nre growiiig wraker ; faith i i t!ie p ver or the iil of this or tiint mrty, to do nny public go d, is dying out. - Members of bolh pruiies nttend tbs polland vote the '-regular lickoi" ;'S usü.'iI ; but, in a large portion f both, this is done moro froni hnbit and lor nn outwnrd show of consistency, than from any olbei leeling or principlp. There is no longer any harmony of sentiment or unity uf aims tl eilher VVhat is ihe cause of this ? Is it no: ttiat both parties have outlived the issues lh.it gave them birtli ? Both appenrto be uiterly incnpable of adapling themselves to the present exigencies of the country. Neither has a nuitary principie, a living 'idea, ora living fnith. Both are living by shifts and lurns, nnd striving ly dexterous management of pelty expedients to keep their heads above water. White the saving virtue of high ana holy principie - a sncred regard for the rights of huminity - for the jast claims of the wo ik ing millions - for the pooi mul the opprtssed - nnd for the Divine Low wliich CHnmandeth peice, chniiiy, and good will amnng men - these tilinga, I hongo dpar to ;il. righl-mindecJ men, nre l'urbidden snbjects - except for vngne and empMy dpiamation. These grand idoas, old as the past elernity and yet forever new, - these fixed stars in the heaven of man'a mind, hnve been lost siht of, and our country has lost her icay ! Both of our groa' parties, wilh eyes turned earthward, are groping on in the dark - blind leaders of the blind- urfloundering in the quagmire of selfih interest. Need I irouble u with proofs of these averments 1 1 write for the thoiightfi.il, who nre able to observe nnd judge fur theniselves. 1 repeat, thnt the Whig and Democratie parties have outlived the issues t'nut gave them birth. A nntional bank i.s confessedly an "obolete idea." We havo a good currency without it. The banks of the commercial ernporiurn of a country will nflvrd a currency of uniform vahie in the whole rogion whose trade centros there. Could any bnnk paper be better for our whole western country than the paper of the New York and Masa-!'ii-etiJ triít? r Wliatof the ta. riff? The mai iu fajare rs of our country have made astonishing progre.ss within a few years past. Some branches appear to hnve become independent of the protective policy. Our cotton goods compete with those of England in the markets of the world, nnd thecoarser woollen fabricsof western New York find a market in the British province of Canada. - Our manufacturera have survued the larift'of 1846, fwliich, by the way, aifords pretty libnral protection) and most, f not all branches, have been rapidly extending, nnd all incline to think tliey were never in a mora prosperotifl condition than at this moment. Besides, the exigencies of the govemment will demand, for years to come, as high a tarifF ns the manufacturara could desire. The tanfl bas ceased to be o practical question. Then, as to the iiaproyemenl of harbors and rivers. V7e all know that this is not wholly a party qution. The only difficulty is in our unfortunate accident of a President. That obstacle will exit until his time expires, nnd there is not the remotest probability ihat any man of similar views will be Mr. Polk's successor. We should a!so remember that while meinbers of Congrcss of both parties vole anay the people's money by the hundred million, to corry on the work of wholesale murder in Mexico, Ihere wül be no funds to provide for saring property and life. Dolh it not behnove our VVhig champions of barbor improvements lo put b speedy siop lo this necursed war, by stopping the suppliea, in order ihat theiv may be funds in the treasury lo be applied to useful purposps 1 The present position of our party ia bnd in ninre respects ihan one. There is the intelligente 10 see nnd liie condor to declare that Mr. Polk'i war is unconsitulional, unjust, nnd consequently murderous ; bjt there is not. the mora) Courage, there is nol ilie lorce of conscience lo withhold ihe means for its proseculion. - We condemn murder, - but - we will not forbear to provide the meane Tor its perpetration! Bow can such a position be reconcüed with the most obvious merality t Hy the lasvs of ni) civilizad States such pnrticipaiion, by ihe private einzen, in acknowledged crimes, is punished as felony. The rosnlutions of our late State Convention on slavery, ore good, as far m thpy go. They appronch the position of the VVhigs of Masnchusetts. VV rejoice at tlii odvance as ;i(Tording at least a pi'omise nf furirer progress. The VVhigs of Mnssnchuselts, at their iecent SlHle Convention, adopted more decided anjiislavery and anti-war resolutjonr. : bui tnken in connoction wi'.h tSe'r 'hole :■- lien, wliai d'i tliey uitmunt Ifl ? Kt tne following brief ttntement froin tlie N. Y. Tribune nnswer : "Hon. D.imel Websier made sj eecli an hOOT nnd a halt' long, mul detined ti i = ponition slroiigei' lhnn ever on i)v Mexi CBn war u)ii slaverv qe-siions. He was I) favor of l he Wil mot Proviso, nnd ol Coimnss nut votiiig ogaiwit suppltest the ariny and Pr tlie war. "The n'sol'jtinns of the cmvention, whii'h were ndo)teJ uivmimouslv, wei'e s ï-ong ngn nst lie Mesican War anil Slrnery. Tlie last two relnted to Mr, Wahsterj tlie fir.-t spe-iking in his prnise, am! the second rpcomniend ng hirn to Ilie Whig Nntional Conveniion as the lirs1 olio'ce of Ma-sicliusetis lor President of ihd United States. Ho. John C. Potfrey ofitred tlie fullowing ns on ndditionnl res lu'.ion : Resolved, Tiiat the Whigs 'if Mnsachusetts vvill suppoit no man for the oñices of Pr-sident and Vico President of ihe Uniieii Otates, hut such as are known by iheir acts or decla'-edopiniuns, opposed to the extensión of slaverv. "This was discnssed in a spiritrd and nble mannpr by Messrs. Pnll'rey, W nthrop, C. F. Ad'.ims, VVm. DwiglH, S. C. Philips, and olhers. Mr. VV uil) p-op was the only one who spoke againsl Ihe resolulion. Il was finally rejected." The war is denounceci in good sel terms ns in tlie highest degree criminal, and a man noininritej for President who is in favor of voting the supplies for its prosecuiion. Slavery and the exie"sion of slaverv denouneed, and a resolution to support no min for President who is not opposed to the extensión of slaverv, i rejected ! Alas, for ihis "wicked war" hetviefti prof ssion and prnctice ! Alas, for the g.issy qualiiy of resolutions that vaiiish in l li i ti air wlien brought to i practical IfrSt ! And if lhis is the postior: of the Wliig pany in tlie strong anti-slavery Stale of Masachuseus, what eau we hope in Michigan ? The truth is, we are encumbered by a host of Anti-Reform, pro-slavery poliiicians, who hang like a mill-stone about the neck of the party. They miwl be either roformed or shaken of!". Tne Wliig party must take more thoiough Reform and Anti-Slavery ground, or go to pieces. Il is time the people began to inquire in earr.est, what is the use of our army and navy except to aíTord profitable situnti ns for the sons of slaveholders and po. liticians by trade ? What is the use of paying our President 825,000 ayear, and our Congressmen eight dollars a day ? Üur governmeut has represented „iho ari&locracy oí capital long cnough. It isj time e luid a go%'ernment to represeiiU ihe peoplc whose labor creaos tt!l the weallfa of the country. It is liine to inqune why we should submit to iho (bul disgrace of a slace-market in the vicini'v of our nntiont'l ca)i;al, and why it should be the cl.ief office of our naiioiiiil givumment lo support ard exteiid t'úe iu.stitB of slavery ? It seeins to mp, that as independent American citizens we are entiiled to rlemand of any pnrty,as the condilion of our support, au avowal in favor of the following principies : lst. The repeal of nll federal lawsthat in any way recognize or sanction the institution of slavery. 3, The refusiil of nll supplies for the prosecution of an unjust and muiderous war. 3. The reduction of n 1 1 salaries, &c., state or federal, to naar the standard of productive industry. The Wliig party is not vet on this ground ; it is fir from it. Until it npproaches nearer tlns platform, I must forego the satisfaclion of giving it iny vote. I presume not to urge olhers to lake tln's course, but wish every one to ronsider ts propriety for himself: But I know no better way to bring ihe party upon this just and reasonnble ground.thnn for the ñiends of the nbove measuies, in the mean time, to withhold tlieir votes, or vote with tbe Liberly parly. An Anti-Si.avery VViiig. P. S. Since the nbove was put in type, 1 find in the Tribune of n later da!e an extract from what appears to be nn nccurate report of Mr. Websier's speech, in which his views on the supply quesiion appear somewha' different from the repreeentntion of the above exiract. The fnllowing sentences wil! show : 'I sny at once, unless the President of iho U. S. sh.ill make out 8 cae, which sliall shnw lo Congreso that the war is prospcuied fir no purpose of ccquisiiion 'ir dominion, fur no purpose not connected direcily wiih ilie aafeiy of t ! is Union. then they ovghl not to grant any furlhc.r supplies. )f we deport fpona tbat, if wr ,-ay ihat on the propriety of a war, or mi the necessity of a war begun or to be begun, Congre.ss has do voice, no constilntional power, we oblitérate the Constitution." But why was not tliis point considered at the last spssion of Congress ? The President ihen said ihat Ihe war was nol prosecmed for purposes of "acquisition or dominion," but that indemnity in territory would be demanded - and Mr. Wenster voted the supplies. Will he do diflerently at the next session ?