Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-09-07

the southern coast. Does any sane man suppose
such a measure could be adopted without doing
violence to the rights and usages of the south!-
Did they ever imagine they were giving any such
authority to Congress! Look, indeed, at the
spirit of the whole programme! How can par
ty,sbased on such platform, expect to attain
national character! How can 1t hope to aspire to
anything beyond narrow, sectional, and epheme-
Iral existence. 1t may succeed in q particular
State, or section Of State, for time, by con-
tnued appeals to sectional prejudice, but it cannot
hope to endure, or to stand the scrutiny Of an en-
larged, patriotic and statesmanlike mind. Sup
pose man elected to Congress on such an issue!
Suppose delegate holding such views is in
National Convention. How can that man hope
to possess particle of influence, or advance any
good cause!
We know that many conscientious men think
some good will be accomplished if union on this
basis is formed but we must beg leave to dissent
We think it is evident, from this letter of Mr..
Giddings, that somebody is bound to be cheated
Our Wing friends think the FreesoiIers are COM
ing over to them, and the Freesoilers are sure
that all who go into this ist'fusion" movement will
have gone over to the Freesoi faith Perhaps it
will satisfy both sides for this year; but next fall
when members of Congress are to be chosen,
these questions will arise, and the candidates
must answer them in the affirmative: care YOU
| opposed to the fugitive slave law: will Won vote
for it's repeal! Will you vote for the Immediate
aDoltlon OF slavery in the District of Columbia1-
win you vote to prohibit shareholders from carry
ing their slaves by sea from one southern port to
another! Will you vote to prohibit their passing
throngn the w. ). territories with their saves!"
Inese and other similar questions must all be
answered in the affirmative. If man wishes to
60 to Congress, he must go there pLedoed to be a
sectional, radical agtator. He must be sectional
lie can hope to do no good, as legislator for the
general interests of the country. All his time
and talents must be devoted to the consideration
and discussion ofplans and means to cripple and
harrass and annoy the South, without the least
possibility of accomplishing the objects of his
mission, and with certainty of stirring ND and
keeping alive feeling Of sectional bitterness and
. i'll will.
Now, how many Wings desire to stand in this
position at the present time! How many ofthem
desire to join new party, that has for its basis
this sort of foundation! Perhaps there are more
than we suppose. But we again decline to deliver
ourselves up to any such sacrifice. We nnay be
Edefeated this year, unless we come in. Very we'll;
.. we can't help that. We know of god MANY
= things that would be worse than defeat this
year. We have been soldier in the ranks long
: enough to be very sure that defeat does not de-
stroy that truth crushed to earth will rise again.
and that the man or the party that is constantly
on the lookout for expedients, for temporary ad-
vantages, &c, will find, in the end, that both
: character and success have been sacrificed, and
for very small consideration.
. We repeat, somebody is bound to be cheated in
this ''fuson' operation, We wish to show our
! friends what Giddings and his friends expect to
! come of it. If they prepared to face this sort
u of music, we have nothing to say. With knowl-
! edge of the facts they alone must be responsible
= for the consequences.