The American House of Representatives has taken a decided stand
against slavery. It has not only made progress with a bill for establishing a territorial government in New Mexico and California without slavery, but, in a resolution condemning the traffic in slaves within the central state of Columbia as "in- human," has ordered a bill for its suppression. The men of the South were summoned to attend a consultation by Mr. Calhoun, who advised defiance and nullification; but soberer counsels pre- vailed, and it appears to have been resolved simply to oppose the anti-slavery measures in Congress. Opinion against the bad and anti-republican institution gains ground in the American Par- liament, and the time seems to be rapidly approaching when the Northern States will take a firm stand upon the broad principles of justice.
It will be desirable to accompany any proceedings against the institution with an 'earnest resolve to effect the redemption of the republic from its stigma with the least detriment to existing in- terests or hurt to social feelings. We believe that a rash process would be most calamitous—the signal for a jacquerie of the most horrible kind, arraying an inferior race against oppressors almost of an alien species. We believe also that a wiser and safer pro- cess is to be discovered by a sincere diligence. The greatest of all questions that await the Model Republic is, how to abolish slavery with the least infliction of injury ; and that question should engage timely and earnest attention. Various ways might be devised; we incline to think that the best would be gradual, self-developing, and tending to remove the emancipated Blacks from the neighbourhood of the Whites. No enterprise more honourable or profitable could be undertaken by the patriots of the American Union—the leading statesmen of the Western hemisphere.
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