Washington sentinel., 1856-07-26
THE GRE TRIAL.

10 ordinary times the voters Of Amrrlca 20
10 the polls to decide between the relative
merits Of coniending politicians the strife is
merely in regard to men and the petty spoils
Of Office; victory is without profit, and defeat
unattended by loss. Under the Providence of
God, however, we of the American Union
have drifted upon one of those extraordinary
crises which distinguish either the rise or the
decline Of nations. Our glorious ship Of State
has strayed from its revolutionary harbor; We
are borne onward by one of those fierce, un-
relenting tempests, which, eighteen hundred
years ago, overwhelmed the ark of ancient
political liberty.
vote cast in 1856 for a Presidential candi-
date will be no empty tribute to personal merit;
it will be a blow for or against personal liberty
for or against American civilization, for or
against the grest principles of enlightened
Christianity. Whoever shall vote for JAMES
BUCHANAN will indorse the doctrine of the
right Of man to govern himself, and to worship
God according to the dictates of his own con-
science; whoever shall cast his vote against
him, will use dagger on the living, and in
suit the memory of the glorious dead.
We are indulging in no personalities; our
remark relates to principles, not TO men. The
election of JAMES BUCHANAN is demanded by
considerations higher aud holier than any
which can find parallel in the whole history
Of the past. The triumph Of John c. Fremont
would not be mere triumph of the recognition
Of the political value Of the Mariposa claim,
though it is obvious to the common sense Of men
that the supposed possession of uncounted acres
Of gold, dictated the nomination of Col. Ere
mont for the Presidency. We might bring
ourselves to overlook the vulgar and sordd
motives which were the immediate agents Of
bis notoriety. When we speak Of Col. Ere
mont, however, We forget everything but the
prominent and unquestioned fact, that bis cleo
ton would insure dissolution Of the confed-
eracy Few have taken the pains TO look at
this subject in all its bearings; let US for a
moment lift the veil, and glance over the
troubled and fearful area Of a sectional admin
istraton.
The civil wars Of ancient Rome would furnish
no prototype for America distracted by frater-
nal strife; the French revolution itself could
afford no adequate picture Of the horrors Of
the Anglo-Saxon dagger, drawn for the avow
ed purpose of shedding Anglo Saxon blood
when Greek meets Greek, then comes the
tug Of war"
Elect Colonel John c. Fremont to the Pres.
dency, and dark cloud will cover the brightest
heritage Of God; night Of gloom and tempest
will burst upon Us the land sacred to freedom,
will become the home Of the Caucasian slave;
the dag Of the Revolution will lose half its
stars aud all its glory; tyranny will become
the rule, and liberty the exception; the dark
demon Of religious persecution will be re.
instated upon his ancient throne; another Ma
rius and another Sylla will live; the descen-
dants of the noble dead Of Bunker Hill and
Yorktown will meet upon the banks Of the
Ohio. not to crush foreign invader, but to
test the relative strength Of the Northern and
Southern columns Of American chivalryl Who
shall picture the desolation of such an hour?
Who will be ready to excuse the deeply-dyed
traitors that will enter the front ranks Of civil
strife, and fatten upon the life-blood of their
assassinated country2 No let us awake from
our slumber let US grid on the armor Of our
patriot sires; let US meet the shock, however
rude. and trample down the foei let us not be
deceived by the miserable professions of the
ignorant, the cowardly, or the bigoted; let the