Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-12-12
Address of the Republicans of
Washington.


iNsroN r. THF REPUBtIcANs or THE UNi-
TED STATES.
The Presidential contest is over, and at
last we have some materials to enable us to
ioin Judgment Of the results.
Seldom have two parties emerged from a
conflict with less of joy IN the victors, more
Of hope in the yauqushed The pro.slave-
~ party hus elected lis Presidential candi.
date, only, however by the votes Of the mi
norty, aud that Of such a character Ms to
stamp the victory MS the offspring of sec.
tionaism aud temporary causes. The Re.
publicaus, wherever able to present clearly
to the public the real issue of the canvass -
slavery restriction or slavery extension
have carried the people with them by uns
procedcuted malorities almost breaking up
IN some States the organization Of their adj
ycrsares. A sudden gathering together of
the people, alarmed ct the inroads of the
slave power, rather than a we'll organized
purity with but a few months to attend 10
the complicated details OF party warfare. oh.
slructed by secret Order, winch had pre-
occupied the field, and obtained a strong
hold Of the national and religious prejudccs
Of the masses opposed TO an old party, com
mencing the canvass with the united support
of powerful section, hardend by long party
drill, accustomed to victory, welding the
whole power of the federal administration
IA party which only four years ago carried
all but four of the States, and majority of
the popular v'tc-stll, under all these al
verse circumstances. they have triumphed in
eleven, If nor twelve, Of the free States.
pre-omucnt for enterprise and general in
tellgence, and containing one half of the
whole population Of the country given to
their Presidential candidate nearly three
tunes as many electoral votes as we're cast
by the Wing party IN 1852; md this day
control the governments of fourteen of the
most powerful States of the Union.
We'll may our ndyersaues tremble in the
hour of their victory. "Thc democratic
and black republican parties" they say, "are
nearly balanced ~ regard TO power The
former was victorious IN the recent struggle.
but success was hardly won. with the and Of
important academia advantages. The lat
ter has abated nothing Of It's zeal and has
suffered no pause in its preparation for
another battle"
With such numerical force, such zeal in-
telligencc, and harmony IN counsel with so
many great States aud more than a million
votes rallied 10 their standard by the efforts
of a few months, why may not the rcpubli-
cans confidently expect a victory IN the next
contest?
The necessity for their organization still
exists 10 all us force Mr. Buchanan has
always proved true to the demands Of bis
pony. lie fully accepted the Cincinnati
platform und pledged himself To MS policy
IA policy of flhbusicrlng abroad, propa-
gandlsm at hrmo. Prominent and control
ling anon his supporters are men commit.
ted, by word and deed To that policy; and
what Us there IN hls character. his anicce-
dents, the nature of his Northern support, to
authorize the expectation that be- will disre-
gard their will2 Nothing viii be so likely .
to restrain hlm and cOunteract their extreme
as a vigorous and growing repub.
llcan organization, as nothing would be- more
necessary To save the cause of freedom aud
the Union, should he, as we have every rea-
son to believe continue the pr1-savery pol
icy Of the present incumbent. Let us be-
ware Of folding our arms. and waiting 10 see
what he will do. We know the ambition,
he necessities, the schemes of the slave
lower Its policy Of extension and aggran-
ilzement and universal EMPIRE Is the law Of
Is being not an accidents settled, not
iuctuaung. Covert or open, moderate or
Extreme, according 10 circumstances. It never
'hanges IN spirit nr aim Wih Mr. Blu
hanan, the elect Of a party controlled by
his policy, administering the government,
he safety Of the country and ot free nsti-
utl1ns must rest IN the organization of the
epublican party.
What then, is the du'y before rs? Or
vigilance, action action on the I,
ostrunl, through the press, at tho hall,i bo;:. .
u Staiu, ~uun'y' cay rnd tom elections .
yeTywhere at all tunes IN every elections: T.
laking republcunlsm. or loyalty to the
obey and principles 1t advocates, the sole y
onucal test No primary or municipal
lection should be suffered to 90 by default.
Ihe party that would succeed nationally
must triumph IN States triumph IN the State
'lecuons-must be prepared by municipal
uccess.
Next to the remaining power IN the States
'lready under their control, let the republi
cans devote themselves to the work Of dis
seminal ng thoir principles and initiating the
rue course Of political action w the States
which have decided the election against
them. This time we have failed for rea-
sons nearly all of which may be removed by
proper effort. Many thousand honest, but
not wel-lniormed, votes who surpassed Mr.
Buchanan under the deusve Impression
that he would favor the cause of free Kun.
sas, Will soon learn their mistake. aud be-
ANXIOUS TO correct it, The tiinid policy Of
the republicans IN New Jersey, Pennsylvanm
aud Indiana, in postponlng their independ
eat action, aud tempouzlng with party got
up for purposes not harmonlzlng with their
own, aud the conduct of Mr. Fllmore's
friends IN either voting for Mr.. Buchanan or
dividing the opposition by separate ticket,
can hardly be reOeated again. The true
course of the Republicans IL to organize
boldly aud honestly upon their
own principles, sn Clearly set forth in the
Philadelphia platform, and, avoiding coal-
tons with other parties, appeal directly to
the mas rs of all parties TO ignore all organ
cations aud issues which would divert the
public mind from the one danger that now
threatens the honor and interests Of the
country of the country and the stability of
the Unon-slavery proplgandsm allied
with disunionlsm.
Let US not forget that It Is not the want
Of generous sentiment, but Of sufficient in
formation, that prevents the American peo-
pie from being united in action against the
aggressive pllty OF the Save power, w ere
these supple questions submitted to-day To
he people Of the United States-Are you IN
FAVOR OF the extension Of slavery? Are you
in favor of such extension by act or conniv-
lnce of the federal government? Aud
,oud they he permitted to record their votes
IN response, without embarrassment with
nut constraint of any kind, nineteen
.wenueths of the free States. and perhaps
more than ha.f the people of the slave
States, would return decided negative to
both.
Let US have faith in the people. Let us
believe that at heart they are hostile to the
eNl' nsion Of slavery, DESTROYS that the ter
rllones of the Unlon be consecrated To free
labor and free institutions; and that they
require only enlightenment as to the most
means OF securing this end, 10 CON
vert their cherished sentiments IN fixed
"a mia 81.