Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1855-08-07
Abuilti0mism-- IsepubiIcan anism--Th
difference. tift


Aboiltionism- 4 sepubiucanism--Th
Diffcrencc.
The editors Of the Opposition journals,
who have bsen boring their readers for .
year past by increasingly -slang-whanglng
about Know Nothingism, becoming con-
WINGED taat they must either change their
theme or lose their subscribers. have very
recently discovered that Know Nothingism
is extinct; that it has been swallowed up
by Abolitionism, and that all who refuse to
support the miserable and ruinous policy Of
the present Administration, are Abolition
lists and Disunionists
1t is well for them that they have mol to
deal with readers of ordinary intelligence
Any scbool-boy, who has learned to spell
and define the easy words in the Dictiona-
~, would consider it an insult to his liter
ary attachments to tell him that Aboliioni,n,
meant opposition to the further extension Of
slavery--that an Abolitonist was one who
never sought to meddle with the "peculiar
institution" in the States; but who endeav-
ored to prevent soil once consecrated by
solemn compact to Freedom from becoming
polluted by the curse of slavery. We re-
peat that every little school-boy knows bet
ter than this Aboitionism is tenn APP
plicable in politics to those only who seel
to abolish slavery in the States of the Un.
ion, and A boltionists are those who agree
and sympathizc in sentiment 18th VIM
Lloyd Garrison, Abbey Kelley, Theodore
Parker, and such like fanatics.
The Republican party of Ohio stands pre-
cisely where stood Washington, JefTer on
and their compatriots Of precious memory
as can easily be shown by their writings ant
recorded speeches. So far from wishing t
abolish Slavery in the States, the Republi
can party proposes the doctrine that Con
gress has not the power to. meddle with tn,
institution in States where it already exist
that Slavery is purely a local or sectiona
Institution, for which the Slave States alon
are responsible that the General govern
ment should be entirely divorced from an,
responsibility for the existence of Slavery
BY excluding it from all territory over whicl
Congress has exclusive jurisdiction.
Not only did Washington, Jefferson AM
others occupy this ground; it has been tn
doctrine taught by all the great statesme
Of the Wing party, north and south, unit
very recently. Even Henry Clay-th
great emSodimento of Wing principles, stoo
upon this platform, and advocated Repub
lican doctrines. In speech in the Unite
States Senate, Mr. Clay once said:
Il repeat it, sir, / never can and neve
will, and no earthly power will make m
vote, directly or indirectly, TO SPREAD sLA
vsRY OVER TERRITORY WHERE IT DOES NO
EXIST. Never while reason holds her sef
in my brain-NEvER, WHILE MY HEAR
SENDS THE VITAL FLUID THROUGH MY VEIN
--NEvERp
Is this Abolilionism? Was Henry Cla
an Abolitionist? If not, why are those VIII
occupy precisely the same position in r.
ference to slavery called Abolitionists an
why is it that those who profess TO be Cla
Whigs hesitate about adopting the pril
ciples ofthe Republican party. Hon. Thon
as Corwin, who was once the idol of Il
Wing party Of Ohio, once said in speec
in the Senate that although he desired n,
to meddle With slavery in the Slave State
he wished to say tina. never would he vo
for its extension over another inch of OF
territory--that il there was, as had bee
asserted, territory where white freeme
could not live and labor, let white men sta
away from it--they had no business ther
It mattered not to him where the territol
was located, even under the equator, ST.
very should never be carried there by h
vote. Is Thomas Corwin an Abolitionis
We might quote from others, but it
unnecessary. If Washington, Jeferso
Franklin, Clay, and Corwin we're Abo
tionists, then we glory in the name--if pr
fering Freedom to Despotism is Aboltio
ism. then are we, together with the Repu
lican party Of Ohio Abolitionists II ne
then are our opponents, who style us sue
slandsrsrs and talJferr
On the subject Of Slavery Mr.. Chase pr
ftsses the sentiment Of the Republican pa
tyof Ohio-he may be regarded. in fa
as the very embodiment Of that sentimel
He is not now, nor has he ever been an A
olisoaist, and those who charge him wi
being such either mistake his position,
mistake the meaning Of the term A6olitic
" DRtrR or J. ]. MrLEs. This communi