Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1856-01-25
THE ISSUE MADE.

Democracy in Ohio in the year of our
Lord 1856, has been defined. The watch
word has been received from headquarters,
and that word is SLAVERY! The Demo
cratic leaders in the State have foroordained
the exclusion of every man who cannot ut
ter their Shibboleth without lisp or stam-
mer.
The State Convention, held at Columbus
on the Sth inst, passed set of resolutions
which endorse the whole doctrine of squat
ter sovereignty; and which reiterate the
audacious lie, on which we have already
commented, viz: that the people of State
or territory have the right to introduce and
maintain slavery as one of their domestic
institutions. The resolutions to which we
refer will be found in another column. 1t
will be noticed that the second resolution
is in the precise words of the resolution Of
the same tenor passed in this county
Doubtless the form was sent on from Wash
ington and will be repeated in every county
in the State.
It will be noticed that these resolutions
do not in uords endorse the Administration !;
but this is a mere cheat. Ifthe Convention
of the sth could swallow the most repulsive
doctrine of the Administration, why need
they boggle at taking the whole dose?
1t is then settled that the next President
ial campaign is to be fought on this ques-
tion:-Is slavery sectional or national 3
Shall it be permitted to overspread the fair
and fertile regions of the West, or shall it be
confined to its present limits?
We accept tho issue. We thank the
democratic leaders that they have thrown
off their disguise and avowed themselves
the enemies of liberty, and the friends Of
oppression and the oppressor. We thank
them even that they have attempted to
cheat the people by pretending that the right
to make and hold slaves, was among those
sacred rights for which our fathers fought,
and which are asserted in the Declaration
of Independence. Such hypocrisy as this
works its own cure.
We cannot but inquire why the demo-
cratic leaders have taken this ground? To
an outsider it would seem that their true
policy would have been to denounce the
Administration, It's doctrines and practices,
and come out strong for freedom in the new
territories. And doubtless many who have
subscribed to the wicked and despotic creed
setforth in the resolutions passed on the 8th
inst, would have preferred another course.
But party drill and the influence of State
and Federal officials have been too strong
Besides the South must be saved to democ-
racy, and their hope now is that with the
whole South, and one or two Northern
States, they can carry the next Presidential
election. The leaders are trusting also to
the power of party feeling among the rank
and file, to bear them out in their desperate
course. They believe that the great mass
of democratic voters can be led to the polls
to sustain the attrocious doctrine that white
men can rghtfully enslaye black men on
the prairies of Kansas and Nebraska, and
that the Federal Government ought to al
low them to do so, and even aid them in
this iniquity.
We ask every honest democrat in San
dusky county, to consider well whether he
will sustain these men and their measures.