The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-07-29
@ttama fire. Graoer
To Our Patrons.

Trader Office, 10 Mr.. VIM Osman. The es-
adjustment passed into his hands last Mon.
day, and the paper appears this week under
his supervision. The newspaper accounts
will be settled by HIM, and the accounts for
advertisements now in the paper, up TO the
LIST of October, by ourselves.
Our readers will no doubt be pleased to
learn that their old friend Osman is once
more installed in the editorial chair, which
he has filled for 30 many years, and with
such ability as to place him among the first
journalists of this state You all know him,
and he needs no introduction from us. His
democracy has been tried, and we expect he
will be found now, as ever, battling in the
foremost ranks, for those fundamental prin-
oiples Of true republication, which at the
present time are being seized hold of by
ruthless hands, as if to rob the people of
their last vestigc of rightful sovereignty
We lay down the honors of the profession
withou, any heart-achings and as We make
our editorial exit, we would only say, that
whatever connection we have had with our
patrons, has been of an agreeable nature,
and our newly formed acquaintance We
hope to cherish in the future.
July "a, 1864. G. ii. AVERY.
Book Agen.
BY the above too complimentary card Of
oar friends Avery, it will be seen that we
again occupy our old seat in the chair cdito.
rial Of the Free Trader. In making our bow,
we hope, however, it will not be necessary
that we should indulge in an extended OK
position Of our principles, or give new list
Of pledges as to the manner in which we
propose to conduct the paper. 1t must suf
fee to say, that we shall make it our aim as
we always have cssayed to do, to cherish
and support those fundamental principles Of
the democratic party, the steady adherence
10 which has ever secured the strength and
prosperity Of our Union, and the departure
from which has ever produced discord and
disaster.
There is one question however on which
the occasion seems to demand that we should
At this time be more explicit A measure Of
great national importance, not new in itself,
nor involving, as we conceive, any new prin-
ciplc but presented in anew aspect, is now
agitatng the public mind, and it is due to
tho readers of the Free Trader that our posi-
ton on the subject should be clearly defined.
The main and only important principle n
volved in the Nebraska bill we conceive to
be simply that Of popular socersignty; wheth.
er the people about to settle and found the
institutions Of new territory, like our faith
crs in laying the foundations Of our republic,
shall be allowed to establish such institutions
as their cxigencies and circumstances seem
to demand, or whether the general govern
ment shall say to the people living on one
side ola certain parallel of latitude, that they
shall not have the privilege of choosing in
stitutions for themselves which are not de-
MED 10 the people on the other side Of such
parallel Of latitude? The discrimination
seems to us to have no foundation in justice
or common sense We cannot but regard
it as odious and wrong. The principle that
all the territories should have an equal right
to choose their own institutions commends
itself to our judgment as just and equitable,
rs lying at the foundation Of all just govern
ment, as obedience To tho law of God. which
requires all men, in political as well as other
matters, to decide all questions Of right and
wrong for themselves, and will not permit
the people Of the territories to plead that the
general government has lcgalizcd and is
therefore responsible for their SINS if they
commit any. ....
We submit, also, that the principle is, and
always has been, that of the democratic par.
ty. The doctrine of non iaterrcntion by
Congress on the subject Of slavery, whether
in the states or territories, has been at.
frmed and re-afiirmcd at every democratic
national convention that has been held, and
has ever been maintained by the democratic
party, in opposition to all the attempts Of
the kind in or out Of congress. The great
contest of 1852 was decided on this question,
and al We can say to those who deny that
in supporting the compromise measures this
WAS their understanding, is what Paul told
the Athcnians, that they worshiped the
god ignorantly then that is now declared un.
TO them.
Assuming conscientiousy this ground for
ourselves, and rescrving the liberty on all
occasions in decent and temperate spirit to
maintain it, if We choose, we cannot however
permit ourselves, in the spirit Of some Of our
wsllmeaning contemporaries, to prescribe all
taose good democrats, with whom we have
hitherto fought side by side, and who, al.
though they may differ with US in reference
to this iestion, are earnest in their desire
to preserve the integrity of the democratic
party. Sincerely and earnestly deprccating
all fusion with whggcry or aboiitionism as
most hcrctical, impolitic, and suicidal, We
are disposed to look upon the Nebraska is.
sue as thing that for all practical purposes
is essentially settled, and to regard it as UNI
necessary and unwisc 10 insist upon il as a dis
tracing element in our Political contests
After all, there are but two great parties in
this countryside democratic party and the
opposition; and to join that opposition, on
an issue admitted to be impracticablc, can
cventuate in the end only in the overthrow
Of all the other cherished principles of our
party, while the only practical result will be
TO place our enemiesin Office, where, for the
purposes for which we have aided to place
them there, they would still be powerlcss. Let
fusion and confusion reign between whig
gerry and abolitonism, if their tastes incline
that way but Ms for democrats, they must
shun bad company If they would remain un.
tainted.