The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-01-23


Strange political elements meet upon
the floor Of Congress. We find there
the Southern " FIRE eater" the Northern
fanatic, the intolernnt Know Nothing,
the National Democracy and a remnant
of National Wings associated with them
When the two extremes-the South
erD secessionist and the Black Repub-
lican Of the North meet, dignity and
courtesy are forgotten-country and the
Union laid aside, in the heat of passion
and sectional rancor. The extreme of
the South is represented by such men
as Keitt and Boyce, who boldly urge
that the Constitution of the United
States carries Slavery into ali the Ter.
ritories, and that it is the duty of this
Government to protect it there They
deny the right to pass compromises, or
to restrict Slavery in the Territories in
any sense.
While on the part of the North,
Banks, whe a few days since came out
the fearless champion of analgamation,
and refused to acknowledge the superb
ority Of the white over the black race, in
disgraceful league with Giddings, Camp
bell and other agitators insists that slave
ry cannot enter the Territories with
out positive enactment. and that it
is the duty of this government to inter-
fere and prevent the introduction of sla-
very into the Territories at all hazards |
These, then, are the two extremes-in
deadly antagonism-neither willing to
concede anything to the other, under the
risk of dissolving the Union.
While these rabid extremes are en-
gagged with bitter hate in their contest
for superiority, the hydra head of anoth-
er monster begins gradually to elevate
itself among the confused mas of isms.
/ mean the head with seven horns, reli-
gious intolerance, that curse of the Ma
tions. Actuated by selfish motives, and
principles which must be repugnant to
every lover of freedom, the Know Moth
ing order proposes to disfranchise A MILL
ION OF FaEEMEN, and to make all emigra-
ting foreigners "Aeacers fuood," slaces
IN factories, constructors Of rail roads,
and onerous ta1 payers without the
privilege of choosing those who frame
the laws which are to Cypress theml !
Old Rome in her most despotic days
could not have done w~orse--she enfran-
chised her conquered m~illions-our re-
ligious bigots propose, in consequence of
q difference of faith to close the ballot
box against them, aud also to exclude
them from official preferment, no differ
fence how competent and worthy they
may be!
While these deieterious elements are
vigorously laboring for their own advan-
tage and promotion, the Democracy hold
ing different and more liberal sentiments
are calm lockers on at the mysterious
m~aneuvering and incongruous aspect of
the opposition. Believing that the peo-
pie of the new territories, alone, have
the right to mould and frame the insti-
t%utions under which they are to live,
they cannot consistently join either the
Sout Aerm fire eater or the Northern ia
matte. Believing that when a new
State presents it's Constitution for ad-
mission into the Union, the only ques-
ton that can be properly propounded is,
whether that Constitution is drawn in
accordance with that ofthe United States
and is republican ? They ann for a
moment encourage the foolish crusade
of Aid Societies from the North, or of
mobs from the South. fla State pre-
sents a free Constitution or a slave Con
stitution, they are equally the choice of
the people co nposineg the new S ase, and
should form nc objection to its admis-
sion into the confederation.
While crazed agitators, prompted
alone by sinister motives, are ~endanger-
ing the very existence of the Union, it
bshooyes the Democracy and all true
men to their country to rally under the
flag of the Union, and to GUST from tenn
porary power the horde who are now
incapable of governing themselves or the
country. Under this broad national
flag the Democracy must and will con-
quer in the approaching Presidential
contcst,-the enemy feel it and are
bending all their efforts to galVanize the
hideous corpse, whose CHASTITY eyes were
closed by the Black Republican jubilee
held in Columbus last fail. Let the
people be united, and fanaticism must
die. HORATIO.