Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-07-23
From he (Baptss,s Christian GAroRiele
THE EPRESIDENTIAL CONTEST.


minele ssreIig and politics." nor to make
the Chronicle the medium of party STRIFE.
have higher and holier motives. We are APP
preaching crisis that demands the huriat ol
past divisions contest wholly unlike any /
which has preceded it in the annals OF the
country-a contest involving high mural Is
sues. in which the Christian Sentinel OF the !
nation must be pre-eminent-a contest IN |
which men who have been the political anti
Epodes of each other, must stand size by Side 1
and battle for the right-a contest, IN winch Is |
to be decided for all future time the great /
question: whether the domain OF slavery IS TO /
be extended, and its blight entailed upon terri
! tory where the slave foot has not made its I'M
print. where the sound OF the slave-driver's s
| Ia sh has not polluted the free air of heaven
We are very we'll aware that many good men
will. at first thought, be deferred from enter
hing upon this strife as their hearts wonid
prompt them, and their judgments guide them'
/ from the fear of being stigmatized But we
must if need be, bear the reproach which OPP
probrous appellations arc designed to convey;
we must rise above the paltry considerations
of petty annoyanccs, and go forward 'stiirough
evil as well as through good report
The issues involved in this controversy are
not, whether slavery Shall be Gbotished IN the
Southern States, or in the District of Column
bia. whether the fugitive slave law shall be re-
I-pealed, or whether the South shall continue 10
be annoyed by the underground railroad opc-
rators Let the States, now suffering under
the demoralizing influences of slavery, work
out for themselves the great problem, how they
. I - antl
abolition of slavery that we arc nov to COM
bat, but the prote of virgin soil from the
polluting effects of such a system; TO say to
the line of slavery, thus far and no farther
Here we should all agree, aud work with one
mind and one heart. Let that be the one great
leading question, absorbing for the present all
minor considerations. 1t is not question oi
North or South, Union or disunion. All the
frantic rawlings, all the crazy denunciations of
newspaper hacks, all the cries of mad dog that
: can be raised, are out of time and out OF place,
impertinent and irrelevant.
We unfurl to the breeze the broad banner of
equal rights, free territory, stability to the
Union, tranquility to the nation, peace and
goodwill to all men, North, South, East or
West, who are law-abiding and union-ioving
: citizens We ask fer citizens of the free
: States no boon, no exclusive privileges, 40
special enioyments, no commercial advantages
in the acquisition of estates in the new terri
;, tories. We desire to spread over every citi-
: zen the broad egis OF constitutional right we
: say to every man in the land, go up and PCS
= sess these new places; enjoy them as good
citizens promise among yourselves good gov
: ernment, aud wise and wholesome laws; es-
y
: tablish equalit. ofright, equality OF repreSen-
tation, equality of rich and poor hat IS Il
: hinder? The South say they arc not permit
. ted to go to Kansas on equal terms with th'
!" North that earnest efforts are being made t.
: send out men from the free States, by the ait
Il of emigrant societies and other meaas, ans
T. thus to obtain majority of leg. voters wh'
- would prohibit slavery. Well, slavery has n
- right to go there, and if the general govern
~ meut has no powerto prohibit il, let it be don
- by the power of combined public sentiment
Ss We say to Southern men thatwc want them I
'g 90 as Northern men will go. and enjoy all tn
Nv rights of citizenship, all the social privileges
>" all the legal benefits, everything that, o.
u thern man asks for or hopes for Go up Wit
- your wives, your sons, your daughters !; Lax
with YOU your horses, your cattle, your lmpi'
'p ments of trade and agriculture, your all th'
nc any other man can take. But we say TO then
I ! that \ orthcrn men have no slaves (; they tai
ne With them no such appendage, and they al
ne not willing that it shall be introduced as . pc
petual annoyance among them. You demaE
up too much, you create an inequality by intr
',' ducing slave labor TO The prejudice ofthe VIII
laborer, and we cannot consent to 1T
pn want no men there who shall groan under DO
e' dage : we do not want to be compelled to We'
daily at the sight of the fetters OF the slav
o' or to have our hearts saddened at the crack
''ie the merciless slavedriver's LASH. Our huma
y ity, our religion, our manhood, reyolts at su
/. degradation of human beings.
hh Such are the events connected with the NJ
'n Presidential aud Congressional elections. 1
'hN Presidency is the most important 10 DC ue'
ded What man breathing the alr OF ireeoo'
- recognizing his manhood and ms outy as +" {
'ou izen. obeying his obligations as a oirls'la
ana can hesitate as to his proper position IN \
ted "a" - a.o,r;,I bo fopnd then tho
D of 'Hiiioet neA'- -, : : ,,., .,1 tr
ong sands and tens OF Sa'Fa had NO sympat
80 ,r;th tha abolitionists in their reckless cour
81 ,rbo rcnudiate the ultraism and intideiity
- -. C.arrison and Phillips, and Abby Foster {
,;oa I,pcv Stone. but who will be found urn IN
;gbt purpose of opposing slavery.
O. et the motto be, ssno extension OF Shaver
- mscribe it Upon your banners, carve IL u
ntv. syot,r platforms, weave it into your speeci
has hurn it into the hearts of all good citizens,
de- GO forth one and indiyisible 10 aecemp
your purpose.