Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-03-22
From the Rcformcr and Independent Press.
GREAT PARTIES-AND SMALL PRINCI-
PILES.

Some time previous to the Pittsburgh Gonven.
ton, we wrote an article pointing out the danger
of lowering down the principle Of the Republican
movement, in order to fill the ranks of the party.
Our worst fears in this matter have been realized.
The republican movement, seems cursed with O
4bevy Of nursing fathers. who leaders. will kik
IL with cylief kndnoss- Greely, Blair, Banks and
others, seem mainly intent, upon making great
party, and of course but little of principle is need
ed for such purpose. They are very self conn pfa-
cent, in view Of their wisdom displayed in gradua-
ting their principles to the level Of the majority
They denounce as weak and foolish, men who
maintain their integrity in u small party. They
seem to forget that any body with an ounce Of
brains, can Jump into great party pr0rided his
principles are sufficiently lax and accommodating
Gen. Pierce was at the head OF the greatest party
in the nation, few months ago. and it has iissol-
we'd into thin air, because it violated all the princi
piles of political decency to secure numerical suc-
cess. If numbers be the main object of RepubEs
canism the end and not the means. of course the
nearer the issue approaches to nothing, the fewer
Shareholders and demagogues it will offend. twill
not do for party which fishes for Shareholders to
bate its hook with abolitionisth aud if it is the
great object of the republican leaders 70 get south
ern patronage they are wise IN Ignoring abol:.iop>
ism, in the old States. But if they really mean 10
serve the cause of human freedom, such course il
is most disastrous, When n party lowers its plat
form in order to sweep in the enemies of its prn.
cples, it yields up its soul When it takes more
pains to conciliate these enemies than it does to-
defend the only issue which gave it birth it is oR
the high road to apostacy.
The effort of the Pittsburgh convention, to lion.
ize Mr.. Blair is significant. lie
southern man. and present himself represen-
tatve of the business men of Baltimore who, OF
course are Shareholders He was brought out. eyi
IDENTIFY to convince the south, that Republieabism
did not mean to disturb slavery in the old Stater
His platform is one 10 which slavery consented "
der the guidance of her leading propagandist i.
1890. If Stephens and Rusk and Orr, and Davis.
were not half insane, they would accept such
platform as the salvation of slavery. A restora-
ton of the compromise of 1880, a settlement Of
the question: would of course pledge the Republi-
cans to let slavery alone in the old States. Ii
would leave to slavery its present territory and
kill-out all political anti-slavery far Republ-
cans are concerned If they ask for no more than
this, they are bound in honor to keep still when
| they get all they ask.
Mr. Blair is brought forward in So, in manner
which reminds of the use made of Martin Van
Buren in 40 lie is to be the frst plank in q slid.
ing scale. down to a southern level. He is even
talked of as candidate, and will probably present
in history, another illustration of the folly com.
mitted by a rcformatory party in going among the
enemies of its principles, for its leaders. While
such men as Gerrit Smith are denounced and
abused from the platform of the Pittsburgh eoh-
vention, by such small politicians as Burroughs vba
remained in the ranks of a proslavery party so
long as he could get Office, Mr.. Blair who came
forward to represent Maryland slavery is made
the pet of the convention. The men who have
carried this anti-slavery movement while Blair,
and Greeley, ard their associates were supporting
a pro-slavery party, are ridiculed and fippantly
showed aside, in order to coax the party into the
arms of set Of politicians who have failed to fnd
place at the pro.slavery crib, and so offer them.
selves as leaders in the cause of freedom. Such
process would demoralize any party in the world.
in single campaign. The triumph of Republi,
canism by such means will prove its overwhelming
defeat
The platform of Sc lacks much of the word
thunder of the free soil platform Of AZ. 1t may To
summed up thus:
!. Restoration Of the Missouri limo.
2. Admission Of Kansas as a free State.
8. Opposition to Pierce's administration, which
is SO weak that it cannot stand up long enough to
be knocked down.
! Now suppose all these points carried and where
will it leave the slavery question. The Missouri
line was established twentysx years ago, ten years
before political antslayery had its birth. Ths
success therefore of this main feature OF the Pitts
burgh platform, would set US back jnst ten years
beyond the commencement Of political anii-sla7sry
with an i'm piled pledge to cease the agitation u
the question at point, ten years farther tsek