True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-07-23
LETTER or ACCEPTANCE OF COL.
JOHN c. FREMONT.

HitHt W ulc people Oi Tue Ohttou OId Cos
who without regard to party differences,
are uniting IN ccmmOn effort to bring
back the administration Of the Federal
Governmentto The principles Of Washing.
ton and Jefferson. ComprehendlnQ The
magnitude uf the trust which they have
declared themselves willing to place IN
my hands, and deeply sensible Of the hon
or which their unIeserved confidence in
this threatening position of public affairs
imp,ies, | f,el that | cannot belterrespOnd,
than by'a sincere declaration that in the
event Of my election 10 the Presidency, |
should enter upon the execution of its
duties with a single.hearled determine
ton LOpromote the good Of the whole
country, and TO direct solely to this end
all the power Of the Government, ire
spective Of party issues, and regardless
OF sectional strfes. -%'
The declaration Of principles embodied
in the resolves of your Convention, ex-
press sentiments in which have been
educated and which have been ripened
into convictions by personal observation
and experience. With this declaration
and avOwal | think it ne essary to revert
IL only Two Of the subjects embraced in
the resolutions, and to those on,y. because
events have surrounded them with grave
and critical circumstances, and given to
them eIjecial Importance. 't
SIaconcul In The views Of The Conven-
tion depreca.ing the foreign policy to
which':it adeerts. The assump ion that
we havc'the right 70 take from another
nation its domains because we want them,
is an Abandonment Of The honest charac
ter which our country has acquired. To
provpke hos,ilities by unjust assumptions
would be to sacrifice the peace and char
sc er Of the. country when all its interests
might be more certainly secured. and lis
objects attained by jus. and healing coun-
sells, involving no loss Of reputation.
y International embarrassments are MAIN
" the results of a secret diplomacy, which
sims tn KEEP from the knowledge of the
people the operations Of the Government.
This system IS Inconsistent with the char
acter Of our institutions, and is Itself yield.
ing gradually to more enlightened pub
lie opinion and to the power OF free
Press. which, by its broad dissemination
Of political intelligence, secures in adj
vance Ia the side Of Justice the Judgment
OF the civilized world. An honest, firm
and open policv in our foreign relations
would command thr united support oi
the nation, whose deliberate opinions il
would necessary reflect.
Nothing is clearer in the history Of our
institutions than the design Of the nation
in asserting its own Independence and
freedom, 10 avoid giving countenance Il
the extension Of Slavery. The influence
Of the small hut compact and powerful
class of men interested in Slavery, who
command one section of The country, anJ
WELD a. vast political control as a conse'
quence in tie other, is now directed tc
turn this impulse Of the Revolution ant
reverse its principles. The extension %
slavery. across the continent is the sublec
of the pdwer which nnw rules ihe Gov
ernment: and from this spiri has sprun
those kindred wrongs in Kansas SO 'rul
portrayed in one of your resolu ions
which prove that the elements Of tn
most arbitrary governments have no
been vanquished by the just theory O
our own.
Il would he out of place here 10 pledg
myself IN any particular policy that ha
been suggested To terminate the section
controversy engendered by political ami
mo,ilies. operating upon powerful clas
banded together BY common interest,"
A practical remedy is the admission {
Kansas into the UniofFa free Sac.
The South should in my judgemcr
earnestly desire such consumation.
would yindica The good faith-it woul
correct lhe mistake OF the repeal and III
Njrth having racIicaIIy the benefit
the agreement between he two sections
would be satisfied, and a good feeling b
res,ored. The measure is PERFECTLY cor
els eni with the honor Of the Snuth, an
vital tn i,s in erests. That fatal act whic
gave birth to this purely sectional sIril
originating in the scheme to take from FIRE
labnr the country secured to by solem
covenant cannot be too soon disarme
Of its pernicious force. The only geni'
region uf he middle latiludes left 20 tn
emigran,s Of the Northern States fc
homes. cannot he conquered from IL
free laborers. who have long consderp
it as set aparlfor hem in our inheritance
with"1l provoking despera struggle
Whatever ma, be the persistence of Il
par!ieulr r class which seems ready
hazard everything for the success Of II
unjust scheme it has partially affected,
firmly believe that the great heart Of Il
nation. which throbs with the pa riolis
Of the free men of both sections will ha
pwrr 10 overcome it. They will look
the rights secured to them by the Cons
tutioI Of the Union, as the best safeGua
from the oppression Of the class which
b d mono oily of,hs soifand Of slave
Dor to tilfi might in ime reduce th'
10 the extremity Of labOring upon
same terms with The slaves. the gr
body Of non sIavpholding free men,
GLIDING those of the South, upon VIII
welfare Slavery is An oppression. Y
discover that the power Of the Gene
Government over he public lands m
BE- bene6cially exerted 10 advance tn
interests and secure their independent
Knowing this, their suffrages will MOI
wanting to main ain that authority in