Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1856-07-18
COL. FREMoNT's s REPLY.

New York, July 8, 1856.
GENTLEMEN: You call me to high re-
sponsibility by placing me in the van of
great movement of the People of the Uni
ted States, who, without regard to past DIFF
ferences, are uniting in common effort to
bring back the action of the Federal Gov
ernment to the principles of Washington
and Jefferson. Comprehending the magni-
tude of the trust they have declared them
selves willing to place in my hands, and
deeply sensible of the honor which their
unre served confidence in this threatning po-
sition of the public affairs, implies, l feel
that cannot better respond than by sin
cere declaration, that in the event of my
election to the Presidency. 1 should enter
upon the execution of its duties with a sin
gle-hearted determination to promote the
good of the whole country, and to direct
solely to this end all the power of the Gov
ernment, irrespective of party issue regard
less of sectional strifes. The declaration of
principles embodied in the resolves of your
Convention expresses the sentiments in
which l have been educated, and which
have been ripened into convictions by per
sonal observation and experience. With
this declaration and avowal, think it nee
.essary to revert to only two of the subjects
embraced in those resolutions, and to these
only because events have surrounded them
with grave and critical circumstances, and
given to them especial importance.
l concur in the views of the Convention
depreciating the Foreign policy to which it
averts. The assumption that we have the
right to take from another nation its do
mains because we want them, is an aban-
donment of the honest character which our
country has acquired. To provoke hostili-
ties by unjust assumptions, would be to sac
rifice the peace and character of the Coun-
try, when all its interests might be more
certainly secured and its objects attained by
just and healing counsels, involving no loss
of reputation. International embarrass-
ments are mainly the results of a secret dip
lomacy, which aims to keep from the knowl-
edge of the People the operations of the
Government. This system is inconsistent
with the character of our institutions, and
is itself yielding gradually, to a more en-
lightened public opinion, and to the power
Of a free press, which, by its broad dissent
nation of political intelligence, secures in
advance to the side of justice the Judgment
of the civilized world. An honest, firm and
open policy in our foreign relations, would
command the united support of the nation,
whose deliberate opinions it would necessa-
rily reflect.
Nothing is clearer in the history of our
institutions than the design of the nation,
in asserting its independence and freedom,
to avoid giving countenance to the exten-
sion of Slavery. The influence of the small
but compact and powerful class of men in
terested in Slavery, who command one sec
ton of the country and WELD a vast politi-
cal control as a consequence in the other, is
now directed to turn back this impulse of
the Revolution and reverse its principles
The Extension of Slavery across the Cont
nent is the object of the power which now
rules tine Government; and from this spirit
has sprung those kindred wrongs in Kan
sas so truly portrayed in one of your resolu-
tions, which prove that the elements of the
most arbitrary governments have not been
vanquished by the just theory ofour own.
1t would be out of place here to pledge
myself to any particular policy that has
been suggested, to terminate the sectional
controversy engendered by political animos-
tiles, operating on powerful class banded
together by a common interest. A practi-
cal remedy is the admission of Kansas into
the Union as Free State. The South should
in my judgment, earnestly desire such con-
1t would vindicate its good faith,
1t would correct the mistake of the repeal
and tho North, having practically the bene-
fit of the agreement between the two sec
tions, would be satisfied, and good feeling be
restored. The measure is perfectly consist
ent with the honor of the South and vital
to its interests. The fatal act which gave
birth to this purely sectional strife, origin
ating in the scheme to take from Free La.