The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-12-04
ADDRESS AND RESOLUTIONS OF THE REPUB-
LICAN ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON
REPUBLICAN Rooms,

Washington, d. c., Nov 20, 1856.
At meeting of the Republican Association,
held at their Club Room on the evening of the
9th instant, the Committee appointed at a
previous meeting, to draft an address and reso-
lutions, presented the following, which were
unanimously adopted:
The Republican Association of Washington TO
the Republicans Of the United States:
The Presidential contest is over and at last
we have some materials to enable US to form a
Judgment of the results.
Seldom have two Parties emerged from a
conflict, with less of Joy in the victors, more of
hope in the vanquished. The Pro Slavery Par
ty has elected its Presidential candidate, only,
however, by the votes of q minority, and that,
of such character as to stamp the victory as
the offspring of sectionalsm and temporary
causes. The Republicans, 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 unprecedented majorities almost breaking
up in some States the organization of their ad-
versaries. A sudden gathering together of the
People, alarmed at the inroads of the Slave
Power, rather than a wellorganized Party
with but a few months to attend to the compli-
Gated details of Party warfare; INSTRUCTED by a
Secret Order, which had preoccupied the field,
and obtained strong hold of the national and
religious pre- udices of the masses opposed to
an old Party, commencing the canvass with the
united support of q powerful section, hardened
by long party drill, accustomed to victory, WELD
ing the whole power Of the Federal Administra-
tion-a Party which only four years ago carried
all but four of the States, and majority of the
popular vote-still, under all these adverse cir
cumstances, they have triumphed in eleven if not
twelve of the free States, pre-eminent for enter
prise and general intelligence, and containing
one half of the white population of the coun
try; given to their Presidential candidate nearly
three times as many electoral votes as were
cast by the Wing party in 1852; and this day
control the Governments of fourteen of the most
powerful States of the Union.
Well may our adversaries tremble in the
hour of their victory. "The Democratic and
Black Republican Parties" they say, I" are near
ly balanced in regard to power. The former was
victorious in the recent struggle, but success
was hardly won, with the aid of important acct
dental advantages. The latter has abated
nothing of its zeal, and has suffered no pause
in its preparations for another battles
With such numerical force, such zeal, intel
ligence, and harmony in counsel; with so many
great States, and more than a million voters
rallied to their standard by the efforts of few
months, why may not the Republicans conf
IDENTITY expect victory in the next contest?
The necessity for their organization still ex-
lists in all its force. Mr.. Buchanan has always
proved true to the demands of his Party. He
fully accepted the Cincinnati Platform, and
pledged himself to its Policy-a Policy of Fill
clustering abroad, Propagandism at home.
Prominent and controlling among his support
ers are men committed, by word and deed, to
that Policy; and what is there in his character,
onta thn ynotp nf Sc
support, to authorize the expectation that he
will disregard their Wills Nothing will be so
likely to restrain him, and counterfeit their ex-
treme measures, as vigorous and growing
Republican Organization, as nothing would be
more necessary to save the Cause Of Freedom
and the Union, should he, as we have every rea-
son to believe, continue the Pro-SlaveRy policy
of the present incumbent. Let US beware of
folding our arms, and waiting to see what he
will do. We know the ambition, the necessi-
ties, the schemes, of the Slave Power. Its pol
icy of extension and ACKNOWLEDGMENT and uni
versal empire, is the law of its being, not an
accidents settled, not fuctuating. Covert
or open, moderate or extreme, according to
circumstances, it never changes in spirit or
aim. With Mr.. Buchanan, the elect of Party
controlled by this Policy, administering the
Government, the safety of the country and of
Free Institutions must rest in the organization
of the Republican Party.
What, then, is the duty before us? Organiza-
ton, vigilance, action; action on the rostrum,
through the press, at the ballot-box in State,
county, city, and town elections everywhere,
at all times in every election, making Repuhl
canism, or loyalty to the Policy and Princi-
pies it advocates, the sole political test. No
primary or municipal election should be suf.
fered to go by default. The Party that would
succeed Nationally, must triumphin the States
and triumph in State elections must be pre-.
pared by municipal success.
Next to retaining power in the States already
under their control, let the Republicans devote |
themselves to the work of disseminating their |
principles and initiating the true course of po-
litical action in the States which have decided |
the election against them. This time, we have |
failed for reasons, nearly all of which may be |
removed by proper effort. Many thousand
honest, but not wellinformed voters, who sup |
ported Mr.. Buchanan under the delusive impress. |
sion that he would favor the cause of Free Kansas
will soon learn their mistake, and be anxious to |
correct it. The timid policy of the Republicans |
in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Indiana, in |
postponing their independent action, and tempo
rizing with Party got up for purposes not in
harmony with their own, and the conduct of |
Mr.. Fillmore's friends, in either voting for Mr.
Buchanan or dividing the opposition by sep
arate ticket, can hardly be repeated again. The
true course of the Republicans is, to organize
promptly, boldly, and honestly, upon their own |
Principles, so clearly set forth in the Philadel-
phia Platform, and, avoiding coalitions with |
other Parties, appeal directly to the masses of
all Parties to ignore all organizations and |