The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1857-01-14
Cav. Chase's Message. :

d0teruOr OuiSc spS ouO oi itii0 "P'o'', -
not altogether the abiest man Of his party,
But notwithstanding his ability and his
professed sincerity in his political views,
he seems 10 rely much more on the power
OF demagog gneism and political tricSery
than in an open straight forward conrse /
depending opthc justice ofhiseause for its
success. Ills eosidcnee, in the art OF
humbuggery is SO apparent in his last
Message that no reader will fa! to see it.
IN his summary oftbe financial affairs |
OF the State he mas given a pretty fall and
to some extent satisfactory statement. 1t
will be- observed, however, that wherever
he could compare The management under
the former administration with the man.
agement under the present, in such a way
as to favor the latter, he has done so;
where q comparison would have resulted
unfavorably to his party, he has artfully
refrnined fromsit
He dodges the Know Nothing question
with . skill worthy of the most willy
politician. This question is an exceeding
ly delicate cne just now, while his party
is. sndeayoring to form on alliance with
the Fillmoreites. IF the attempted alli-
ance should succeed, he shapes his lam
guage so that it may not offend them;
aud if it should fail he wishes to be in a
position to again court the foreigners.
Read his language, and if you can tell
which side he is one you are more fortu-
nate than we were:
e&Klleged abuses of the elective fran
chise will probably claim your attention.
The right of suffrage is sacred. 1t is the
right which of all political rights is to be
most scrupulously guarded and most res
oiuteiy defended Every citizen, native
or naturalized, is entitled to the most ab-
solute freedom aud security in the exer-
else OF it. Frauds upon this right merit
the seyercst reprobation, for the fraadu-
lent voter cheats tie people of their right
full control of their own affairs. Erery
ssitdble measure for the prevention Of
such frauds will deserve your earnest at
tentiou-. 1t ,ciA only be needfta to beaeare
lest The proposed remedy for one class Of
erils become Me source Of Others still more
Ssferosts.n
The measures which the Governor
touches SO gently are, the Registry law''
requiring voters to have their names upon
lssts sometime before the election, law
preventing the State courts from granting
naturalization papers, and requiring such
papers to be taken out six months before
the holder is entitled to vote. All ol
which are now before the Legislature.
On the slavery question he retreats
feom the extreme positions of his Iaaugu.
pal most beautifully. BY the way, viii
siesRepublican papers still maintain the
opinion that the slavery question has nc
business occupying so much room in mes
sages They denounced the President il
unmeasured terms for treating it so fully
what will they say to Governor Of {
State who has nothing to do with tht
question, following Pierce's example ? 4
Il all right in .he Governor, but all wrong
III the President, is their answer. Blu. tt
Chase's present positions: Read the fol
sIowing :iias#es
tsTherc are good grounds, however, fo
Gle hope that the worst is over in Kansas
From the Free State press of the Territory
an6 from other reliable sources assurance
arereceived that peace, order and secnri
" are re-established, for the present, a
beast, within its limits. Many of tn,
most dangerous of the marauders have
left the Territory, and disposition is man
Tested by the present Territorial Govern
or TO respect and protect the rights 0
Free State settlers. There is reason t.
sxpect that the most obnoxiousssacts of thi
Pseudo- Legislature will he abrogated, ant
that the bad design of the repeal of th'
Missohre prohibition will be defeated b,
the virtue aud intelligence of the people
& The nyirtne and intelligence of the peo
ple',are producing very different result fron
what the Governor was predicting fev
months ago. When he was so zealousl
engaged IN denoancing popular sovreign
w. he appears to have been totally igno
rant of the fact that there were any sue
elements IN society as "the virtue and in
diligence Of the people" 1t is to b
hoped that the conviction ofthe existenc
tless elements may become SO firm in hi
mind that he will learn TO appeal to the 'vir
tue and Intelligence of the people in
stead of endeavoring to humbng them.
es,Ti1efe are sundry and divers other mat
ters in the message that we would like t
comment on, but our want of room ad
nlonishes US to desist.