Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1856-09-25
In the PLAN Dealer of Sent. 10, 1s49.

In the Plain Dealer of Sept. 19, 1S49
is published also the proceedings of the
Lake county Democratic Convention
Among its resolutions is the one adopted
at the Cuyahoga County Convention, reel
ted above, yer5atim ct Hteratim; and ii
the same paper, among the resolutions
adopted at the Ashtabula County Demo
cratic Convention, is as follows:
'Resolyed, That we are opposed to the
introduction of slavery into any State ol
Territory, especially into New Mexico and
California"
This was almost the unanimous sentiment
among the Democracy prior to the election
of Frank Pierce. Even when the pet giant
of the Plain Dealer, S. A. Douglas, pro-
posed as a compromise, that as an offset
to the admission of California as a Free
State pew Slave State should be carved
out Of Texas and admitted, the Plain
Dealer in its issue of FEBRUARY Goth, 1850
used the following noble language condem-
natory Of compromises for the extension Of
slavery:
"Vote it down, say we. Away with
any compromise in this matter. The sub
ject is one that admits of no compromise
What right has slavery in the territories
acquired from Mexico! 1t did not exist
there when. we acquired them-it was pro-
hibited by law-it has not been reestablish-
ed. The Territories are free in law and in
fact, what is there to compromise? What
can slavery give in return for an abandon
ment Of the Territories to its accused pre-
tensions! Blight and mildew and blasting,
and external discord. The question is not
between North and South-for the citi-
zens of all sections have an unquestioned
and. unquestioDable right to settle in the
Territories, to enjoy equally their richest
benefits. 1t is question between Liberty
and Slavery-between institutions which
make the laboring man, property, and in
stitutons which seek to make him prop
erty-holder; between system which seeks
and promotes the interests of all men in
all sections, and system which tasks and
degrades large class, for the exclusive ben
eft of small class, to the detriment of all
other classes. This system which has no
rights save those created and guaranteed
by special law, Mr.. Douglas proposes to
tolerate in Territories now free by law and
in fact from its presence. And this is
called compromise! Away with it,"
This was then Democracy. Such were
then the sentiments ofDemocrats, and such
the avowed sentiments of the Plain Dealer.
But after feeding at the public crib for
some four years, the editor of that consis-
tent { y sheet has grown suddenly wise.
The film that obstructed his vision has
been pierced, and he now sees the error of
his ways, and says:
"We, in AS with most of our Democrat
ic friends North, were following our i'm
pulses in the matter. Now, with more
considerat ion and much better under
standing of our duty we are following the
constitution. "A wise man changes his
opinions fool never does.'"
But he somehow forgot to add what he
seldom fails to do to his editorials "When
man ceases to be consistent he ceases to
be honest" And yet this same Plain
Dealer characterizes those Democrats who
look in vain in the Cincinnati platform for
their time-honored principles find
not in James Buchanan an exponent of the
Jeffersonian Democracy, as "sore heads"
and of the ''sick list" and denounces the
club rooms of our city, where are tables
spread with newspapers from all portions
Of our country and Of all parties, and pub
lie documents of all kinds and where maps
of our country are hung upon the walls, all
to furnish information to the masses; and
all who choose to go and read and study,
and be informed in relation to the history
and condition of the Government, can do
so, as political brothel houses"
This will do for sucker of the public
teat while supporting for President the man
who would give to Southern postmasters
the right to open letters and packages, to
search for "incendiary publications" to make
bonfres of, but Democrats who have not
been a0ise (O enough to charge their love
of liberty to servility to the slave power,
will see in the Republican platform the
Democratic sentiments that they have
hitherto supported in reference to the ques-
ton of ofslavery extension and slavery restric-
ton, and will recognize in Fremont the
man to carry out those principles; and will
in November next roll up such a majority
for Freedom and Fremont as will set even
the editor of the PLAIN Dealer to inquire
into the expediency of making another
''charge," and following again his better
"impulses."