Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-09-11

the sake OF the Union, except, felow-citizelIs
our own hearthstones and the blood of our
brothers. We cannot blame you for having
free-soil iieas-entertaining them as you will
the institution of slavery is part Of our
heritage and of our right; all that we ask of
you is, that holding what opinions upon the
subject you please, you will refrain from leg
islafing upon and sgi;ating that which touches
our rights and does not affect yours, and
which places in such imminent jeopardy the
Union which has brought so much glory and
prosperity to us all.
And who have this party presented as
their candidate for the highest Office in the
gift of a free people-for the highest Office ON
the face of this earth, the chief magistracy OF
the enly great Republic in existence? Who
is Colonel John c. Fremont, and what are
his qualifications for the high position for
which he is held up? But few years since,
a scientific adventurer, whose good fortune il
was to have been in California about the time
of the breaking out of the war with Mexico,
and to have contributed, perhaps, in some
degree, to the acquisition OF that territory
Scientific man as be was represented to be,
what discoveries in science did he maker
Traversing that land Of gold from one end
to the other, with his barometer and his
thermometer, with hammers, and implements
for cracking st,nes, coming home and max.
ing vast and elaborate geological reports to
Congress, the geologist returned TO the Uni
ted States ignorant Of the very existence of
the precious metal which was first found by
pure accident near Suffers fort, and after
wards In such abundance as to make C.li-
fornia one Of the wonders Of the world
Promoted over the heads Of his fellows older
in experience aud in service, to be Lieut..
Colonel in the Army, he was tried by cour,
martial for insubordination, and dismissed
the service. Afterwards he became, for a
term of twenty-one days, Senator from the
new and distant State of California. This is
his whole record. In what part of it had he
displayed that aptitude for the administra-
ton of civil affairs, those high qualities OF
which ought to entitle him to
the greatest reward on earth, the highest Of
flee that a free people can bestow on its most
illustrious statesman. Unable 10 command.
as Lieutenant Colonel, a portion Of a regi-
ment, this man is now put up to command
in chief the army and navy of the United
States. After twenty-on days of civil SER
vice, he dares to aspire to that office which
has been refused TO the greatest statesmen
that America has PRODUCED.
Fellow citizens, it is humiliating 10 think
that any party in this land should be able to
put up with any, the least, prospect of sue
cess, as candidate for the highest office on
earth, man without experience and without
merit in civil affairs, whose only title TO con-
sideration and to honor has been that he is
the son-in-law of an old and distinguished
statesman, and whose own father-in-la "
comes not distinctly and unqu.lifiedly in
opposition 10 him. 0 temporal o mores
The very fact of the nomination Of Col. Fre-
mont for the Presidency, br any respectable
party in the land, is sufficient in itself TO
make any true lover of his country tremble
for its fate.
Fellow-citizens, such is the party, and
such the candidate, that you are asked to
support, in spite of all the warnings you
have received from those great statesman
whom you have been accustomed to regard
as the safest and wisest. Think you that
Webster, Cass, and Clay and the host of
noble patriots who acted with them in 1850
for the salvation of the Uuion, were not in
serious, sober earnest when they told you
that the country was in danger from the
agitation OF this question of slavery Think
you that Mr. Fillmore was uttering deliberate
falsehood when he told you only the other
day, In mis- noble and patriotic speech at Al
bany, that in his opinion dissolution Of the
Union, and dissolution not into two parts, but
into fragments, would follow the success Of a
party so purely sectional as that which styles
itself the " Republican ?' You cannot be-
leve it. Nor con believe, fellow-citizens
that you will be willing to put in peril by
your suffrages that glorious fabric csmented
by so many ties of fraternity and kindred
blood, to which you owe all your prosperity
in the past, and all your hopes for the fu.
ture.
Fellow-citizens, the contest lies between
the Republican party with Fremont and Day.
ton as its candidates, and the Democrat,
party with Buchanan and Breckinridge as its
candidates. The true issue between them il
Union or dissolution of the Union. Upon
this issue cannot hesitate for one instant il
making my choice. Regarding all othe
questions OF mere policy as at distance im
measurably below the great question Of th,
salvation or destruction Of this Union.
should not esteem myself worthy to enjo,
the benefits of freedom were not able 10 la
all my prcjudices, all my aLtipathies uPol
the altar, a willing sacrifice to my country
! salvation.
/ | am no Democrat; I never have BEEN
There is much Of their policy, many of tn
practices Of the part,, much that is contain
ed in the Cincinnati platform, which doe
not meet the approval Of my Judgment
I Gentlemen Democrats, save for me and m,
posterity this Union, this last hope Of free
dom, and have your will for the tine. Whe
! the ship is s.fe-when in security we float
with the glorious flag ofour common coun
try above US, not single star diminished il
4 its lustre; then, not once again we will tall
about the questions of policy which have sep
arated us. Now the only cry that can lis
ten TO is, all hands save the ship.
Almost every mail, fellow-citizsns, hs
borne TO me at Ashland anonymous com
munications, newspaper paragraphs censur
ing, abusing, eliminating me, and remon
strating with Inc upon the course which
have felt it my duty to take. How, ss
they, is il possible for you to support NJ
Buchanan, the revilsr and traducer Of yor
father, the very author of the charge Of ba
gain and corruption? Even were the charg
against Mr.. Buchanan true, | should hay
high sanction, high example for the positio
which / have assumed. Did / not see tn.
same father in 1850, surrounded by all I'll
great leaders Of the Democratic part,
shoulder to shoulder, side by side, manfull
struggling, patriots as they were, upon III
very same question now before us, the sslvi
ton of the Union? Shall utterly forg'
and disregard what he then said Of them 0
more than one occasion? Shall forget whi
he said in his great speech upon the Con
promise resolutions-one of the greatest ;
it was one Of the last of his life? Induls
me whilst / read to you what he said the
about them, and also what he said at Franl
fort when he went home to his own people
"Sir, have been IN repeated consulate,
with my friend General Csssl, for so | W
call him, during the progress OF this measar
and also with other Democratic friends; and
General Cassl has shown himself 10 be d
friend Of the peace of his country. Repeated