Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-01-03

1eSSSu 10 DC cCllsGINutlNt, anu HOW cbiH pan
that they have been driven by stress of cir.
cumstances into the Republican organiza-
ton, did not, to the number of seventy OF
eighty, vote against the fnality of those
compromise measures of 1850, and repudi-
ate their binding obligation as a settlement
of the slavery question
Mr. SHERMAN. In the conventions which
represented both of the political organize
tons the compromise measures Of 1850 were
declared to be tinaiity upon this question.
Those measures were acquiescod iii by nine
teen twentieths of the people of Ohio hy
their political organizations, The Wing
party and. the democratic party in Ohio
numbered ten times as many as the party
which supported John p Hale. And | say
! again, had it not been for the disturbance OF
this question in 1854, such thing as agita-
ton of the slavery question could not posi-
bic come from the northern States, or any
considerable portion Of them.
Mr. LETCHER. IF the Wing party of
the State of Ohio, to which the gentleman
then belonged, acquiesced in the compro-
mise measures of 1850, will he be good
enough to state how they happened to send
4uf W ace 10 inc ocHdte ol TIE ohiteu States !.
Mr. SHERMAN. | think be was sent in
1850.
Mr. LETCUER. lie has been reelected
since, and was sent by the party of which
the gentleman is a member.
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Wade was elected
to the United States Senate in 1919 as q
Wing, and that was before the comprolnise
measures of 1850. lie has since been re-
elected as Republican.
Mr. LETCHER The gentleman from
Ohio tells us that he Endorsed the compro-
mise measures of 1850. Now those measures
repudiated the Wilmot proviso. Did the gen
tleman indorse them with that understand
ing
Mr. SHERMAN. indorsed the senti-
ment which / understood to be at the basi;
of those measures, and that was. that the
question of slavery was settled in every State
and Territory beyond the danger of inter
/ ference.
Mr. LETCIIER. Then gentlemen in,,ors-
ed the compromise measures of 1880, so far
as they met their appreciation. and rejected
them where they did not sgu4fe up with
their peculiar notions. Now, the gentleman
says that the Republican organization has
been always opposed to any interference with
the rights Of the master 10 his slaves III the
States but, when | call upon him to ex-
plain the sentiments o. his senior colleague,
he tells me he is rot re sronsible for those
sentiments, and that hive 70 right to call
on him to exsloin his political connection
with him ! ide stand thai he md bis
colleague both s'ani upsa the Philadelphia
!, Republican platform, ana iasiesst Il Fftas,-
pies and policy
Mr. SHERMAN + ask the eentieman--
Mr. LETCHER Does the gentleman
stand upon that platform and indolse It's
principles
Mr. SHERMAN. Istand upon the Phil
adelphia platform, which alleges that Con
gress has the power, and that it is its duty,
to prohibit the extension OF slavery to the
Territories of the United States.
Mr. LETCHER. understand that the
gentleman's colleague Mr. Giddings aided
in constructing the platform upon which the
gentleman stands, and upon which the Re
publican party in the North have taken their
position The gentleman now repudiates
him, but clngs to the platform which he
| dlbcu W cuilS'ICtts 14Cb 'hS drA nun NHtlit-
er he holds Mr. Seward to be sound Re-
publican, standing fairly on the platform,
and maintaining its principles and policy
Does he indorse the sentiments of MeSsrs
Seward and Wilson on the subject of slave
ry, as they have been repeatedly declared !
Mr. SHERMAN | can best answer the
gentleman by asking him a question Have
the particticuiar sentiments OF iny colleague
been put into the Republican platform. II
they have not, am not responsible for them;
if they have, | am
Mr. LETCHER / will not occupy the
time of the House by reading the Republic
can platform. Imay perhaps incorporate ii
into my speech. The gentleman instead Of
answering my question returns to his col
league. ask him whether Mr. Seward i
not in fun communion with the party ia
which he belongs; and whether his doctrines
are not recognized to be those Of that party !
Mr. SHERMAN They are no more the
doctrines of the Republican party. as | un-
derstand it, than those OF Governor Adams,
Of South Carolina, are those OF the Demo
cratic party So with Van Buren, and others.
Mr. LEfCHER. learn that the Gov
ornGr OF ouutu tafouHa, SO idI from beln3
IA Democrat and acting in connection with
the Democratic party, and approving it,
principles and measures, would not acknoYl-
edge any connection with it, and opposed the
platform upon which our candidates for the
Presidency and Vice Presidency were
elected
Mr. ORR Tie was a Whig in Isle.
Mr. LETCHER. The senior gentleman,
repudiated by his colleague from Ohio, wa,
in the convention at Philadelphia which
framed the Republican platform, and nomi-
mated John G Fremont, and he stood shout
der to shoulder with him during the late can
yass. We did not hear then that there was
any disagreement between them in regard to
the platform or the principles which lie al
its foundation.
| have called attention to this matter Cor
the purpose of showing that it has been part
and parcel of the system of these gentlemen
for years, not only TO war on the institution
of slavery in the District Of Columbia and
in the Territories, but also to war against
that institution iii the several States where
it then and now exists. | will read an ex-
tract from speech made by Mr. Seward at
Cleveland, Ohio in 1913.
Mr. SHERMAN That was before the
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