Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1856-08-07
For tue Della Prass.


tiality Of some Of my Democratic friends ofFul.
ton county, and other portions Of our Congress
sional District. my name had been announced
in your paper and others, subject to the Appro.
val Of the Democratic Convention While I
feel grateful TO the Democracy Of Fulton coun.
ty. IA more intelligent or patriotic Democracy
no county 10 the State can boast and other
portions Of the District. for their confidence, the
present attitude of political parties in the Unite
States, forces upon me the conviction of the
impropriety of my being a candidate for Con-
gress, as proposed. Although | am satisfied
that majority of the Democracy of the Fifth
Congressional District, agree with me in senti-
ment, on the all absorbing subject of Slavery
Extension. yet l am equally satisfied, that
there is minority who would expect a cahdi.
date so nominated, to approve and defend all
the measures of the present Administration,
and the Cincinnati Platform on the subject of
Slavery, and also the inconsistent and unprinc-
pied course Of Mr.. Douglas. backed up by the
U. S. Senate and to vote for the admission of
Kansas as Slave State, should she present
Constitution recognizing it, even though such a
result was brought about by fraud and vio-
lence, as it now appears will be the case. =
These things could not conscientiously do.
Thave become satisfied beyond all doubt
that the Democratic organization is now used
by ambitious and unprincipled men for their
own aggrandizement, and to effect their OBJ
ject, they have (as far as in their power) thrown
the Democratic party into the hands of the
Slave Power. to be used as they;may Direct
Believing, as do, that their measures are cal
culated and intended to make Kansas Slave
StGtegI cannot sustain them without doing vi
olence to my own principles.
The late acts of Mr.. Douglas, sanctioned by
the U. s. Senate, have removed every remain.
ing doubt and hope, upon which l rested my
justification in adhering to an organization
claiming tolepresent the Democratic party ofthe
country, the only party to which have ever
for single moment of my life been attached,
and an organization from which ] could never
be separated, while it represented Jeffersonian
Democratic principles.
What has been and what il now the aspect
of the Kansas question? Mr.. Douglas and bis
followers. after claiming popular sovereignty AS
the great virtue of the Nebraska Kansas act,
and the justification for the repeal of the Mis-,
sours Compromise, pretended to adhere to that
principle, while all the fraud and violence was
being committed by the Border Ruffians By
such means they forced upon the actual settlers
an illegal Legislature, which passed laws not
only unconstitutional, but of the most unjust,
oppressive and cruel description, ten-foId worse
than all the enactments of the British ParIia-
ment, from which the fathers of the Revolution
revolted aad SO odious that even a Southern
Senator declared they would justify revolu-
tion, and Gen. Cass characterized them as dis
grace to the present age. Yet the Senate, of
which those gentlemen are members, has been
in session seven or eight months, without do
ing anything to relieve the actual settlers from
those cruel grievances, but on the contrary sat
silent and saw the President proclaiming that
those laws should be obeyed, and to that end
he would use all the means at his disposal.
while Mr.. Douglas was asserting that the Free
State men ''must be subdued." All this was
done under the plea of carrying out popular
sovereignty.
But now different card is to be played for
the benefit of slavery. Popular sovereignty is
to be abandoned. 1t appears to have served
the purpose Of those who used il as a iustIfca-
ton for the repeal of the Missouri Compromise.
Under the pretenCc Of carrying out its princi.
pies, the u s. troops were allowed to disarm
the Free State men, and the Border Ruffans
permitted to drive them out of the Territory,
destroy their presses, burn their houses, steal
their property, murder their men, indict and
imprison their leaders and now when all the
practicable avenues into Kansas are guarded
by Missourians to prevent the entrance of Free |
State men into the Territory and after AtcEison
Stringfeow & Co. have got everything preps-
red to have majority of Pro-Slavery men in
Kansas, on the 4th day Of July, Mr.. Toombs,
an ulua Pro- Slavery Senator, (who bOasttd
on the floor Of the Senate that he would yet
call the roll of his slaves at the foot of the Bun
ker Hill Monument, introduces bill into the
Senate. Mr.. Douglas adopts it, and the Sen
ate passes it with Geyer.s and Adams amend
ments, which abandon and override the prin-
ciple Of popular sovereignty. and contrary to all
former precedent 10 the government of Terrific
ries, dsprives all foreigners whO have declared
their Intentions to become citizens from voting, al
though the organic act organizing the Terrific
ry secure to foreigners the right.
This bill however is made to appear plausi-
bic upon its facebut when closely examined in
connection with the circumstances, its design is