The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-10-15
3poIitital q
[ From the New York Commercial Advertiser !
POLITICAL CONDITION OF THE
ts-.f UNION. rrf
= Letter from S. g. EEElggies, Esq, in
Escply go the Hon. N. 70. HANKS.

man interested in the commerce of Ne
York aud of the country. Every II
telligent man will acknowledge that IL
Ruggles's letter effectually disposes G
the fuilacy on which nearly the whole c
the address Of Mr.. Banks rested -
New YoRK, Sept. so, 1856.
SAM B. RuGGLEs, EsQ.-Dear Sir
We respectfully ask you to give som
attention to the address delivered b
Mr.. Banks, of Massachusetts, on Thurs
day last, on the steps of the NJ erchants
Exchange, of this city. We think
contains fallacies which ought to be ex
posed, and the task of their exposur
cannot be entrusted to any gentleman
better qualified, from your long and in
innate official connection with the inter
nal aud external commerce of the cogn
try, to comprehend and review the grea
commercial theme to which Mr.. Bank
professedly addressed himself If yor
can comply with this request, you vii
greatly serve the cause of legitimate
commerce, aud crafty number of mer
chants and other citizens, among whom
are. Your friends and fellow citizens,
Hiram Ketchum, Theodore Dehon,
G. A. Davis, Howell L. Williams
A: G. King!and, WIN Chauncey,
VIM. B. Astor, Chester briggs,
Shepherd Knapp, and others.
To this letter, Mr.. Ruggles returned
the following answer
Gentlemen-Permit me to express
my thanks for the kind and respectful
terms in which you have se-n fit to call
my attention to the address recently de-
livereI at the Merchants Exchange of
this city, by the Hon. Mr.. Banks Spea-
ker of the House of Representatives of
the United States. Under the circum-
stances, certainly cannot withhold the
opinion you request me to express. The
coming election, the most important
since the formation of the Government,
involving in its possible, if not its prob
able, Consequences the future destiny of
the American Republic and the Aneri.
can continent, IS necessarily a matter of
the deepest and most vital to all whose
lot, like ours, is cast in this its CONNER
cial capital al d eel tire. We have all Of us
laborcd as best we could to build up its
present prosperity, and secure its hon
orable renown and none of US can now
remain Indifferent to an event which may
seriously check its Onward career, if ii
do not lead to its utter prostration aud
ruin.
The great struggle now agitating the
American Union has called forth the ad-
dress in question-from one. occupying
ment. In this address the Speaker of
the la tional House of Representatives,
standing in the commercial heart of tie
nation, maintains as cardinal political
truth that the executive power of the
Union ought permanently to be com
mitted to the Northern States. Not
that proposition SO bold is uttered. in
express terms, but the whole philosophy
of his address rests upon it.
20 To maintain this dogma the speaker
exhibits before the men of business Of
New York an array of statistics fro m
which he deduces his political conclu-
sions. 1t is due to the address to admit
that its language, with some exceptions
is dignified, and at times animated and
impressive. 1t bears marks of elaborate
preparation and is we'll calculated to
mislead an unthinking and unexamining
multitude. Its admirers, who control
the Republican press, declare it to be
most eloquent, comprehensive and states
nanlike, aud from its rapid circulation
through the Union, it is evidently the in
tellectual effort of the campaign. AS 4
citizen of NV York, to be affected by
its doctrines, therefore yield to your
invita- tion to examine somewhat the ac
curacy of it's statements, and if time
shall permit, the souadness of its con-
c,usious.
The Fundamental proposition and car
dinal idea of the address is, that the
sixteen non slaveholdiug States greatly
exceed and excel the remaining fifteen
slave-holding States in all the legitimate
pursuits of national industry, aud that
this is proved by comparing their re
spective products of material wealth,
aud upon this allegation the speaker
contends that the sixteen -slavehold-
ing States are now entitled to direct the
government of the union.
The reason assigned for this alleged
superiority is the existence of slavery III
the fifteen States, region where, IN Mr..
Banks language, "there is one man down
and another man holding him down, one
portion of the people doing nothing and
another portion of the same people help
ing them to do nothing" This is his
frst reason, aud the second, which he
denominatas ''the secret that accounts
for the difference" is that the men of
the South, abandoning agriculture for
the time, and having no literature, no
science, no mercantile power, no mecha-
meal or manufacturing industry shave
given their whole attention to the gov
ernment of the country" They are
immersed" says Mr. Banks, :" in, the
methods of obtaining Office of honor, of
emolument and trust from the federal
government" ils i'- '--
Having thus philosophically discover
ed the secret of the evil Mr.. Banks
remedy is obvious. 1t is to deprive
these misguided men of their Offices, for,
says he, What will they do when they
are DEsPo1LED of their Offices of honor
and trust AID emolument in the ARMY
and NAVY, and the Federal Government
I will tell you," adds he, "what they
will do. They are out of the govern.
ment according to their own statement.