Page:The History of Slavery and the Slave Trade.djvu/639

 and dangerous consequences; and that all such efforts have an inevitable tendency to diminish the happiness of the people, and endanger the stability and permanency of the Union, and ought not to be countenanced by any friend of our political institutions.

"That the foregoing proposition covers, and was intended to embrace the whole subject of slavery agitation in congress; and therefore the democratic party of the Union, standing on this national platform, will abide by and adhere to a faithful execution of the acts known as the compromise measures settled by the last congress — the act for reclaiming fugitives from service or labor included; which act being designed to carry out an express provision of the constitution, can not with fidelity thereto be repealed, nor so changed as to destroy or impair its efficiency.

"That the democratic party will resist all attempts at renewing, in congress or out of it, the agitation of the slavery question, under whatever shape or color the attempt may be made."

The whig convention made the following declaration:

"That the series of acts of the thirty-first congress — the act known as the fugitive slave law included — are received and acquiesced in by the whig party of the United States, as a settlement in principle and substance of the dangerous and exciting question which they embrace; and so far as they are concerned, we will maintain them and insist on their strict enforcement, until time and experience shall demonstrate the necessity of further legislation, to guard against the evasion of the laws on the one hand, and the abuse of their powers on the other, not impairing their present efficiency;' and we deprecate all further agitation of the question thus settled, as dangerous to our peace; and will discountenance all efforts to continue or renew such agitation whenever, wherever, or however the attempt may be made; and we will maintain this system as essential to the nationality of the whig party of the Union."

The presidential contest resulted in the election of Mr. Pierce. The "slavery question" was now dead and buried — the democratic party planted itself upon the grave to "resist all attempts" at disturbing the body — the whigs stood by to "discountenance all efforts" at resurrection, "whenever, where ever or however the attempt may be made."

Mr. Pierce was inaugurated on the 4th of March, 1853. In his inaugural address he said: "I believe that involuntary servitude is recognized by the constitution. I believe that the states where it exists are entitled to efficient remedies to enforce the constitutional provisions. I hold that the compromise measures of 1850 are strictly constitutional, and to be unhesitatingly carried into effect." "And now," said Mr. Pierce, "I fervently hope that the question is at rest, and that no sectional, or ambitious, or fanatical excitement may again threaten the durability" of its repose.

Congress convened on the 5th of December, 1853. On the next day the President communicated his message. The dead and buried slavery question was again alluded to; and he declared his fixed purpose to leave undisturbed, "a subject which had been set at rest by the deliberate judgment of the