The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-07-26
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

4
at the turn which events took in the Ohio Con
vention. Every one is aware that the Conyen
| ton was composed Of all shades of AntiSlavery
men and Anti-Nebraska men, including indie
pendent Democrats, Seward Wings, Wings, and
Know Nothings. The latter was one of the
strongest ingredients of which it was composed
and yet there is not plank in the platform
borrowed from the Know Nothing order. DIFF
fering in everything else, the Convention only
agreed in condemning and opposing the ag-
gressions of Slavery; and, like wise men, they
agreed to disagree upon other matters, while
uniting in solid phalanx upon the platform OF
Freedom. Each section of the Convention
gave up its distinctive name, and waived the
assertion of what was peculiar in its organiza-
ton, in order to form the great Republican
party, with Freedom for its central and con.
trolling idea. But the Know Nothing feature
being left out, we did expect that the Admins
tration organs in this city would have given
vent to their feelings in the most extravagant
terms Of graduation. But it seems that we
were mistaken. They are unwilling to admit
that great party of Freedom has been organ
lied, and they have scarcely permitted the
word Republican to enter their columns. Like
Reynard, in the fable, they are disinclined to
invite a more hungry swarm of enemies, by
driving away one which is nearly satiated with
blood. Better" they think, to suffer the ills
we have, than fly to those we know not Of"
This miserable attempt to ignore the REpUBLI-
CAN PARTY will not last long. 1t has been sue
cessful thus far in this quarter, notwithstand-
ing the splendid victories which have been
achieved under its banners within the last
twelve months. 1t is now the leading idea in
the free States, around which the friends of
Freedom are rallying, from Maine to Kansas /;
and yet, can it be believed that not one man
in ten in Washington has so much as heard of
it? Liberal newspapers, such as the Era and
the Tribune, are at a discount In Washington ;
and the consequence is, that the great mass OF
the people here have not the faintest notion OF
the state of things in the free States They have
confused idea of the growing power and inau-
ence Of the Aboltionists, but they confound, in
their imaginations the names of Garrison,
Gerrit Smith, Seward Chase, and Sumner, in
one undistinguishable mass. The organs of
public opinion here have never had the frank
ness TO explain, if they know how, that the first
two gentlemen named, while differing widely
from each other, differ still more from the
statesmen whose names follow, and who may
be regarded as representing the opinions en-
bodied in the Republican organization.
Mr.. Garrison and his friends, such as Mr..
Wendell Phillips, hold that the Constitution is
thoroughly Pro-Slavery-that it is " covenant
with death, and league with hell :" and hence
they are disunionists, open and avowed They
show their conscientious devotion to their prn.
ciples by consistent refusal to hold office or
vote. They voluntarily disfranchise themselves,
in obedience to the dictates of duty.
Mr.. Gerrit Smith, whose life of elevated
piety and philanthropy " has won golden opin-
ions from all sorts of people even from the
slaveholders-is regarded as the leader of an
other small party of Aboltionists, whose views
of the Constitution are the very antpodes of
those OF Mr.. Garrison. He and his friends,
such as VIM. Goodell and Mr.. Spooner, main
tain that the Constitution is thoroughly Anti
Slavery, and that the application of its princi-
Piles requires the abolition Of Slavery in all the
States by the Federal Government.
We believe that we shall do no Injustice to
either of these parties by saying that their
numbers are extremely small, amounting to
only few thousands in all the country We
believe that, in 1852, Mr.. Smith received less
than three thousand votes for the Presidency ;
and the party headed by Mr.. Garrison is per.
haps not more numerous. Both are highly
respectable for the amount of talent, energy.
and zeal, they display, and for their disinterest-
ed devotion to principle; but we feel assured
that their numerical strength, if it could be as
certained, would be less than the onehundredth
part of the voting population of the free States.
But the great Anti-Slavery party of the
North-for it is now in the process of crystalli.
zation around the Republican banner-has
been gradually formed from the chaotic ele-
ments of the old disrupted parties.
It's leading and distinguishing principle may
be briefly stated to be this That Slavery is a
great moral and political evil, based on princi
piles utterly repugnant to the Declaration OF
Independence and the general spirit of the
Constitution that the Constitution tolerated
its existence in the States, from a political ne
cessity, but gave it no word of appreciation
that it is merely local State institution-de
ponds upon the local law for support, and where
that is withdrawn, it falls to the ground as q
nullity. Hence, it cannot exist in the Terrific
ries or in the District of Columbia; that Sla
very being against natural right, all clauses O
the Constitution, which are supposed or claimed
to be favorable to it must be construed strictly
that the clause relative TO fugitives from labor
if it refer at all to slaves, institutes compac
| among the States, but confers no power on Con
gress to legislate in the matter Or it may be the
opinion of others who have joined the Republican
ranks, that Congress possesses a constructive
power of legislation relative to fugitives from
labor, which must be cautiously exercised, with
a sacred reference to those invaluable guaran
ties of personal rights which secure to ever,
person the writ of habeas corpus and trial b,
jury.
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY claims n,
] right to touch the institution of Slavery in tn