The Wilmot Proviso

As the delegates to the National Democratie Convention wül shorlly be selected n this State, the principies they will advocate in that body, nnd the candidates tliey will support, becoine matters ofthought and discussion ín thal party. - The Wilmot Proviso, although formally snñctioned by a majoritj' of the Legislatura, and approved by several Democratie papers, is not yet hkautily espoused by any considerable poriion of the Demoersey of the State. Tbs " Old Hunker" portion of the party, who are in the Cáss interest, nre especinliy desirousof nipping the discussion of this subject in the bud: nnd hence ihch orgnn at Detruii, the Free Press, hissounded the key note as follows: " It should be a part of the creed of everjr goud c'cmccrat, loenst out any man who atiempts lo introduce oto politics isy quèstinn hot properly dividing political partics. The Wilmot proviso question has nothing to do with the politica) partios of ihe day, ns they are at present oiganized." " We hope to see evcry democrat set bis face a$ai nst ihe inlroduciioii b'fnew issues." This bulletin of the Siate Paper will probábly be received with general submission and obedience by most of the party papers and politicians. We mucli doubt whether the minority will have numhers, influence or resoluton enough to take the stand in favor of Freo Terfitory vhich lias been taken by the Young Democracy of New York. Shouj.d they take such a stand, however, and be able to maintain il, it wonld throw the destiny of the whole party into their hands,because the. party car.not succeed any more hpre thah elsewhere, unless it be united. Sbould, iherêfore, only tvo or three thousand Democratie voters say, " We will not support ior President any man unIrss he be an avowcd advocate of the Wilmot PVoviso principie," and adiiere to it. the ninjority of tire party must yield to their (Iemand, or the electoral volé of the State would go for the eleclion of o Whig candidale. Thére can be no mistake about this. The nierest lyro in political arithmetic can perceive the correctrvess of the proposition. I3ut yte do not anticípate any demonstration of this kind. Not because there are not mony thousaüds in the party individually fiiendly to the principie, bul they are not so miich att.ichoJ to it ns to make it an indispensable requinte to the bestowment of their sulTrnges. They will yield with only a feeble struggle, or par? haps without any, to the dictation of the pa.My leaders. Slill theissuingof such a 'pronunciamento" by the Stale Paper was rather a hnzanlous, though it may prove a suCceísful experiment. Il was equivalen! to s;iying, "We can and we will crush the minority on this matter, h sliall not even be discussèd in our meetings." Notv the Free Press ij probably better acquainted ihan we are with the exact drgiee of püability which characterizes the party : but siirely nothing could be belter adnpted lo rouse up the spirit of resistanco nnd independence in the minority, than such an insolent and domineersng edict frem liead quarters. Whether the members of the party are so fargone n slavish stupidity and slotli ns to permit even the 'igh.t of discussion in tlieir public conver.tioris to be taken from tberri by such bare-iaced efl'ronlery, will shortly be scen. The True Democrat, of this village tlic oi'gan of tHe Young Democrácy oí thisquaiter,does not seetn to like the Gag at all. That pope f says, in commenting on ihe precéáing extract from the Free Press, - "We take the above parngraph frorri a lale nümber of the Free Press, and we are bound to say it isa specimetpof cool impudence and dictation; nnd not in accordance with thé usual prudence and good taste of the state paper. Thomas JefFerson was the author of thé substantial proposition contnined in the Wilniot proviso, and if he were ntiw alive ho would see. ín the parag.-aph above extiacted, an int ïnrintion tbat he was abont to be read out of the ranksofthe JëfTersoniai) Democracy." The True Democrat then gocs on to argue that the limitation of Slavery is no "new issue" in the party that the Ordinanc'e of Í7S7 was in principie the same with the Proviso: that on the acquisition of Louisiana Territory, wliere Slavery already existed, the free Slate oflowawas rescuod from its dominion ; Rnd all that the Wilmot Proviso Democrats proposed was oppoiti on to the introduction of the curse of Slavery into lerritory where it did now exist : thnt this principie had been sanctioned by the legislatures of eleven northern States, including Michigan, and was advocated and approved by our Representatives in Congre-s, McClelland and Stewart; and adds in conclusión, - "But we suppose Messrs. McClelland and Stewart, ánd their constituents, the Michigan legislnture of 187 and iis constituericy, and the mnny able dimocratic newspopers of Micihignn wtiichliave expressed setitimeíils favorable fe the same principias, and their subscriheis must all walk the plo.nk at the bidding of the staie paper (or having the temerity to advocafe these oncient republicen Soctrinés, which sóme are now disposed to stigmatize as "néto issues." No; theso gentlemen and these papers will not all " Walk the plank." That is not necessary. Thoy are only required to keep still! Unless they do this, the leading paper of their party assure9 them they will be " cast out" ! !