The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-09-27


i my own recollection, has the perpetuity 0
II the Inion-the institutions of our countr,
seemed to be in such imminent peril. Ii
: ne sure tins Is not the first time in the his
n Tory OF our country that sentiments have
oeeh avowed by portions Of our citizens sub
: 'eisi'c o1 our constitution and government
Our country, like most others, has had it:
snare OF Zealots and enthusiasts, defamer:
ana declainers against its laws and institu
S tons, out the number Of these turbulent
5 souls have been small and their infiuenc.
r mas been felt comparatively in few place:
; and IN small circles. The men who have
e cared to denounce the constitution and 60
Verhinent OF our country in shameful and
2 ABUSIVE language in pseudo conventions il
: certain localities have been few and con
tcmptble-Doth themselves and their prin
: ciples have been held in contempt and deri
sion by the great mass Of the American pco
pie. Under these circumstances, sir. who
would have believed that the time would
! ever come when We should see these very
men, as we do now, leading the van of a
great and destructive party in this Republic,
the very standard bearers of the so-called
Repubhcan party Of this great nation, Who
would have believed that We should see men
all over the North and West in political alli-
ance with such men as Giddings, Garrison.
: Anson q. Phelps, Wendell Phillips, Gerrit
Smith, and other fanatica desperadoes OF
lesser magnitude but of like determination :
And especially that we should see so many
from the hitherto great national whig party
that party who have for so MANY wears
stood fast and fearless by the constitution
and thc Union, and who have with the great
democratic party 5 ably and so successfully
administered the affairs Of government
fa-,,, I. 1. 8. ! Z
our cCaEtrt-aing themselves in disgrace
iul columns under the mutilated flag OF the
nation. No, sir, | should not say the flag Of
the nation. Theirs is no longer the ensign
o! the naton-it is a poor, despoiled, pi:ii-
bic thing, tItly embemaiic of the work of
dcsolation proposed by those who muster
under its fd.ds. What less than discorI and
dissolution can such demonstration mean.
DO these men know what they do, Have
they fully considered the consequences of
joining hands with such men as | have
NAMED: y ouid they tear away from Us the
best constitution that ever the wisdom Of
man devised, and destroy the best ns:ltu-
tons that ever blessed a happy and enligLt-
oned people? Would they break up the
brotherhood Of this great nation-crcate
strife. discord, and dissention? Would they
destroy capital and commerce, and introduce
wrCtcheiness and waiiing and zoe into all
parts Of the land? Would they yex, exas-
pcrate and provoke 10 deadly hostility the
hitherto peaceful and happy citizens Of this
repuJl c? In word, you'd they involve US
in all the untold horrors Of q civil war?
Would they DO il: Their ends and aims
favor that dire result But, sir, ! vii not,
| cannot bel eve that such is 10 be the end
of the hitherto brilliant career Of this great
rolubic-a republic brought into existence
after 30 many years Of patient endurance Of
hardship and tJi!-after such a prOtracted
ana desperate struggle for liberty, and at
/ the cost Of so much blood and treasurc-a
republic preserved Proy.dentiaiy after so
many pcriis in the past and so hopeful for
the fGture-so often and so earnestly PRAYED
for by the good and the pious throughout
the length and breadth OF the land. In my
humble opinion our country viii Le preserved
for a higher destiny. Liberty, humanity ard
reIigisu demand ii, and may not add the
nations Of the world demand it-,hcv need
the example Of our republican institutions
as an encouragement to them in their strUg-
sies for republican government and free
constitution. Would to cod then that my
fellow citizens would pause here and reflect
riousy-tLink Of the consequences of this .
hasty zeal in the support Of party whose
success, as seems to me, will be attended
with the most disastrous consequences both
to ourselves and our posterity. The candi- .
date IN nomination for the Presidency by the
Republican party It is well known is not the
candidate of any portion Of the Southern
people of this republic. He is exclusively /
the candidate of northern party-nomi- /.
mated only 10 carry out sectional views and /
interests, and known to favor measures OBJ T.
nox!ous to all the Southern States As such
then It can never reasonably be expected /
that the South will submit peaceably to his .
adrn!nistration-hi elevation to office would I
appear TO them an insult which they would /
repel at all hazards and at any sacrifice /
Why then urge upon them so fearful an a. /
tentative? Success might ruin you and .
them. You hazard everything dear to an
for what: What mighty achievement is
possible upon such venture? Is it TIE |
abolition Of slavery and free territory: .
Not a bit Of it You may dissolve fellowship
with your sister States, but you wont cman-
cipate slave in one Of them. You may
secure free territory in Kansas and NebraS-
ka, and so you might 10y safe ard prudent .
measures-patlence and forbearance would .
accomplish the result better than arms and .
ammunition. The laws Of nature and of
God would make these countries free with
out the horrors of bloody strife. In my
candid view, great as the sacrifice which you
seem willing to make, you will not promote
the interests of humanity thereby. You
may tear down the fair fabric of our const-
tuition but you will erect no monument to
Freedom. The poor slave will still toll on
in his bondage, and you will go down to the
grave, if not under the execrations of many
of your countrymen, at least with the con-
sciousness of having recklessly put your
country in peril. Is it not possible that you
are deceived? Have you not been mised
by the syren song Of Liberty! Freedom.-
sweet terms-as dear to me as they can be
to you; but how prostituted and abused
when floating upon banners with one half of
the stars and stripes of this nation blotted
out-like the sun under an eclipse-o me
as dark and as dismal. | grieye to see it;
is no longer at home and abroad the ho-
nored and respected flag of the naton-it is
the emblem Of a despoilcd republic, a weed
of woe floating over the grave of my coun-
try. Take not from me the sunny south
uive me my country Is it is-my whole
country--from the great lakes on the north
to the great gulf on the south, from the
broad Atlantic on the east to the mighty
Pacific on the west; or give me an asylum
in some foreign land where | shall not feel
so sensbly my bereavement. l love to look
upon this broad land where grows the cotton
and the corn, the orange and the apple, and
call it my home and the home of my children.
''Esto Perpetus" is my motto. Let what !
may betide, stand firm for the constitution
and the Union. The party that most cordi-
ally do this l feel bound to support be it call
ed what it may; and believing, sir. as do,
that the Democratic party do adhere to these
sentiments and the Republican party do not
my duty is clear. ! must 60 with those who
90 for the peace and the perpetuity of the
Union.
Cuch cir a.o b.;aAv my views and my |