The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-08

their own masters they stand or fall. Had
they continued with us there is. in my opinion
no doubt that we should, in November next,
have effected the election of President favor
able to our views. That they are friends of
liberty, know that they will sustain the doc
trines laid down in the Democratic confession
of faith or vote for Pierce and King under the
circumstances attending their nomination, do
not believe. hope and trnst they vii pet feel
the propriety of again acting with us. But
while they are permitted to judge for them
selves they and all mankind will accord to us
the same rights. The members of our party
generally, entered upon an organization with
deep feeling and conviction that such an or
ganizaton was necessary. Time and expert
ence has confirmed us in that opinion. have
stated the basis of our doctrines: they are
permanent, eternal as God himself While
standing on those principles, we cannot be
wrong. The political and moral regeneration
of our country, the entire reformation of this
Government from its practice of sustaining op-
preston, slavery and crime, is our object To
effect this great and holy purpose, must require
time and perseverance. In what have said
and done on these questions have but reflect
ed the sentiments and feelings of those repre-
sent-indeed, among them are many, very
many older and better soldiers . than myself
That people, sir, will stand firmly, steadfast
and immovable, upon the doctrines and the
organization which they have adopted
am aware of the arguments so often used
to persuade Free Sellers to vote for this or that
man, for this or that party in order to gain
some supposed temporary advantage But, sir,
we organized for the maintenance of doctrines
important not merely to the people of a town.
Ship a county, or State, but to man wherever
he is found-important not merely to-day, at
this election, or next year, but an oil coming
time. Can we leave such position, to unite
with either Of the other parties in order to elect
this or that man to Office, while he stands
pledged to maintain slavery and the slave trade
in this District and in our Territories-to con-
| tinue the Infamous Fugitive Law - to uphold
and support all these measures as a final set
Element of the subjects to which they refer and
| to discountenance all examination, discussion
or agitation, as to the prOpriety of these meas
nres? Sir, were we to unite with either party
to elect a President thus pledged, we should
lose our own selfrespect-we should lose the
respect and the confidence of the world Po-
lltically, sir, we are "a city set upon an hill
which cannot be hid" Throughout the coun-
try our influence is felt In this Hall we WELD
a moral power far beyond our numbers. Let
no man charge me with indelcacy when | as
sert that the Free Sellers of this body exert all
the influence to which their numbers cntitle
them Wings and Democrats have confidence
that we shall in all cases be guided by judg-
ment by reason, and justice, and not by the
paltry considerations of party
The effect has been most salutary. Ten
years since, no man here dared separate from
his party. No matter what was the subject or
his own judgment, every member was compel
led to fall into line and vote with his party
leaders. Free-Soilers have set an example here
of independence The commencement of our
trials on this subject was severe We were
frowned upon, vilified, and denounced, but
thank God we had the frmness to bide our
time, and now for years many Wings and DEM
Ocrats have followed our example and dared to
vote as their judgments and consciences die
tate. In short sir, here party lines upon most
subjects Of legislation have become obliterated
This of itself constitutes great reform. Party
lines are also becoming obliterated throughout
the country, in consequence of the example and
influence of the Free Democracy. This wide
and extended influence must be surrendered, if
we vote for either of the other parties or their
candidates
nv u pOIliOil VI Tic w IllB party
contended manfully against committing them
selves to the Outrages and crimes of the Fugi-
tive Law and Compromise measures. In that
respect they did more than the Democrats
My sympathies and the sympathies of our par
ty and of all good men were with them.
And had the Anti-Slavery Wings in this
House and the Senate promptly and energeti-
oally met the supercous pretensions of the
slave power with decision and frmness have
little doubt they would have inspired feeling
at Baltimore which would have repudiated n
platform that has stamped indelibie disgrace
upon their party. In this Hall, the Democrats
have sustained the constitutional rights of the
free States more ably and faithfully than the
Wings have during the present session.
But am aware that strong effort is ma
king to induce our Free Democracy to sustain
the Wing candidate at the coming election
With the gentleman nominated | have long
been acquainted. To him nor to the Democrat
&c nominee have | any personal objection; but
if elected, he is pledged to maintain the out
RACES, the revolving crimes, pertaining to the
Compromise measures and Fugitive Slave Law,
to which have called attenton-to render
them perpetual, so far as he may be able--to
prevent all discussion relating to them. To vote
for him is to vote for this policy--to identify
ourselves in favor of the avowed doctrines which
he is pledged to support-to give proof by our
votes that we approve the platform on which
he stands. But sir, why vote for Scott in pref.
erence to Pierce! Of the men say nothing.
They merely represent the doctrines of the
parties who nominated them If there be n
difference between those parties it is on the
slave question. 1t can be found in nothing else.
The doctrines of the Wing party, as have
shown, pledge them and their candidate TO
maintain slavery the breeding of slaves for
market; the sale of women in this District and
in the Territories to uphold the Fugitive Law
in all coming time; to admit as many slave
States as shall apply from New Mexico and
Utah. and to silence discussion on all these sub
jects. This is as far, think, as human de-
pravity can GO If the Democratic party has
Owed deeper into moral and political putridity,
some archangel fallen must have penned their
confession of faith. If there be such distinc.
tion it can only be discovered by a refinement
of casuistry too intricate for honest minds to
exert Sir, suppose there were shade of dis
tnction in the depths of depravity to which
these parties have descended, does it become
men-tree men-men of moral principle of po-
litcal ntegrity-to be straining their visions
and using intellectual microscopes to discover
that shade of moral darkness No, sir let
every man who feels that he has country to
save character to sustain-that he owes
duty to mankind and to God-come forward
at once, and wage bold and exterminating
war against these doctrines, so abhorrent 10
freedom and humanity
But it is said that the Democratic party, if
defeated again by the Anti-Slavery sentiment
as they were in ls4s, will disband and the
masses will then unite with us in support of
Justice, truth, and liberty. The defeat of the
Democratic party might disband them, and it
might not. There is no certainty on that point.