Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-08-28
BELMONT, Ohio, August 18th, 1856.

> the Independent Republican, you will notice
: under the head OF THE Truth Coming ar
f article stating that prominent member Of
the Republican party in this county, while
replying to the speech of L. DANFoRD, Esq,
at Belmont, on the Tuesday previous, stated
+. that the platform of principles laid down by
the Philadelphia Convention did not come
up to his standard, but that he was willing
to lay by part Of his principles for the pres
ent, &C., &c. This the Editor seems to take
2 Fremont at this time is but the stepping
stone to the future triumph of the old Abo-
lition party or "Liberty Guard,'' as he
styled it. Now, have heard it said that
desperate cases require desperate remedies.
and this seems TO me to show that the Fill
more party know their case to be desper-
ate one, for | do think this one of the last
efforts of forlorn hope to rally some support
10 their standard.
In the first place, the words Liberty Guard
were not used by the speaker referred to at
all. In the second place, nothing was said
that would even convey 10 any honest, SEN
sible mind the meaning that the Fremont
party was to be so used. The speaker in al
iuding to the Republican party, said that the
nominee might not have been his first choice
individually, but that he was willing to meet
Wings, Democrats, or even Americans, on
a mutual platform; even if it did not con-
tain all he had heretofore contended for, he
could lay some of his principles by that
would at least keep Cor time, and :hat he
had 10 doubt that after we had settled the
! question OF the limitation of Slavery that
! the men who now form the Republican party
would fad themselves wide apart on other
questions, as they have ever been. Now |
cannot see that this looks in the least like |
converting the Re publican party into "the |
old Abolition party The r publican party
is formed from members OF the old Wing !
party, the Democratic party, and the Lib
erly party, as these are all the parties that |
have existed TO any extent in our country |
until recently. And have no doubt that,
while they agree on the one great question
of .he day, i. e. the limitation of Slavery,
that all feel that some of their old princi- |
pies have been laid aside for time But if
the party is to be jud ged by the material of
which it is made, think we have strong
ground for claiming it as Whig party, as
the largest number of lis adherents are from
that party, as well as majority of its
presses.
But how is it with the American partyl
Is that not made up of Wings and Demo-
Gratis, with sprinkling of Liberty men!
and does either Of them contend that all of
their principles are concentrated il. their
"Rtual'! as they say this is their only plat
form of principles. But enough of this. No
sensible person will contend that because a
few OF US Did Liberty men (and we were but
few at besD are now acting with the Re-
publican party, that it is to be Aboltionized,
any more tnan tDey will claim on the same
ground that it is to follow in the footsteps
oi either of the other Old parties More
than his, Mr.. Editor, did not know that
was so ''yrom nent" a member of this
party that a declaration of milne was to prove
the policy of the party. This is giving me
more ''prominence" than ever dreamed of
falling to my humble Let.
While upon this subject, permit me to
say few words relative to the meeting at
which it took place. The meeting was
called as Fillmore one, and was addressed
by l.. Danford, Esq. After he had conclu-
ded. a call was made by large part Of the
audience for Fremont speech. Leave be-
ing granted, made some remarks, of which
shall not speak further than to say that
Mr.. DanfoTd was particularly requested, as
he had given the Democratic Platform and
what purPorted to be the Republican Plat
form, to give US the Fillmore Platform, in
other words, to tell US how they were going
to allay this excitement that is raging at
both the Moth and the South ABOUT the
question of Slavery. How was it answered.!
By saying that the election of Fremont
could do no good, as the Senate was tied
against US for the next four years. This
seemed strange avowal to make, alter :
claiming so much for Fillmore. If Fremont ,
cannot do anything, how can Fillmore! and
if neither of them can, why make any fuss
about either, but let "Ten cent
Jimmy" slide in! But all know that the
President does exercise powerful control
over those things. by what means it is un-
necessary to enumerate. But as to the
platform of their party, he saio. "The gen.
tleman says he is member of the Ameri-
can party, and if he is he knows what the
Ritual is, and that is our Platform" If this
is the fact, suppose some Of us who have
"seen the Elephant" know what their prin-
ciples are; but how they can authorize Old
Line Wings, who were appealed to so pa :
,hetically to go with them, after acknowl-
edging that their platform was sealed
instrument and only known by becoming
members Of the Order, is a step beyond the
sublime, and it is said that there is but one
step between that and the ridiculous. | will
here state that have not yet found Fill
more man who will come out and tell me
what is to be their policy relative to Kansas, {
or what ''middle course" they are going to
pursue between the other parties.
A few words as to the meeting, and
have done. By actual count of some two
or three persons, there were one hundred
and twentg-six voters present, fity-nine of
whom were kaO1on Fremont men, and eight
cen Buchanan men leaving fortv-nine stran-
gers and Fillmore men. A majority of them,
perhaps, were Fillmore men; but many of
them were not known to the persons who
counted, consequently their politics were
not. | am confident there were not twenty
Fillmore men at the meeting who reside in
the township, yet "our friend says they will
carry it, $50 says the Republican,. There
was enthusiasm at the meeting, but the
most of it was for Fremont; and I would
here remark that our friends say they DO not
want any letter Fremont meeting, ana we
hope, gentlemen, that you will call around
again when it suits your convenience.
TIL: w. FAwCETT.