True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-03-04


The Democratic party was divided An
cry conflicts rose. Sectional strife awoke.
Bitter animosities were kindled The
storm still RACES and we turn instructive
ly from the boltcharged cloud that rises
and spreads over our national armament.
But how shall we Arrest or escape the fury
of these angry elements How shall
zoe restore the broken sceptre Of our par
ty? For as one Of our ablest editors has
said, our late political triumph is "raor-
al defeat" We cannot deny that a
majority of the people by their votes,
have attested their hostility to the party
and the policy that now bears rule, but
their differences as 10 the means Of re-
dress gaze to as the UictOry, And now
if we profit by the folly of our adyersa-
ries, we must not initiate their dissentions.
What has distressed me most of all, has
been to see Democrats in Congress and
out of Congress, schile claiming that the
people haze approved their principles,
aorangtng Jitterlya as TO what those prim-
ciples are.
Fellow Democrats. | adjure you by the
love of power, by the hope of Office, l
appeal to you by the pride of party, and
by the lust of public plunder, to cease
these suicidal conflicts. Forego the fol-
ly of attempting to fix common inter
probation on the Kansas and Nebraska
act, which was most skilfully framed to
admit of two constructions. 1t stands
now monument of the combined beauty
of diplomatic skill and political cunning.
Buff we survive as party we must be
rid of This Kansas issue which has well
nigh proved our ruin. Ipropose to throw
that bauble to the people of the North
and if they are so far degraded as to plant
in that rich realm the pestlent inslitu-
tions of their own section, SO let it be,
While they are amused with that ulopi-
an ultraism | invite you to fairer fields of
enterprise. Cuba and Central America
invite our care These regions, fertile and
Aowery as ever smiled beneath southern
sky, seem to have claims upon our neigh
bOrly regard, Why shall the one be
degraded by Spanish misrule, and the
other darkened by barbarsm, while we
might bless them both by the effulgence
of southern civilization and christianity,
and finally tring them into that great
family Of states of which the Union is the
providentiaI nursery. These broad rop-
ic realms afford ample scope for what
the distinguished Senator rom Virginia
so well called slavery's "just suscepli-
bility" of expansion. There you are re-
moved from the vicinity of free States
which is an all-important consideration
since The aa,ciSe fury 0fsomhern agita.
ton has reused The bonimen in Their
midstto struggle or flee for MeirJ Jancied
rights and to tools upon the vhOle people
of the north as their acilling HberatOrS.
Providence seems to point you to these
regions as the theatres Of great national
achievement. There, when our arbitrary
slave trade laws are repealed, the benigL-
led sons oil Africa may find an asylum
from their Barbarian ch iefs, and amid
the elevating and huuianizing influences
of Christian slavery. rise TO the true Dig
nifty of manhood. confess | cannot
contemplate this great sphere of moral
enterprise without feeling reverently
thankful that our country will so spec
dily be enablad to fill her great mission
of becoming ''lreedomS Apostle to a tram.
pied world" On the moraIissue of slavery
my principles have undergone such
changes as seemed to be required by the
varied exigences of a great progressive
party. On this question our party has
made unprecedented advances. The
fanatical views which few years ago
ruled it in favor of /" Free territory ;.
have now yielded to more NATIONAL
policy. My own principles have expert,
enced a corresponding resolution. In.
deed, have never felt at liberty to hold
opinions in conflict with those of the
great, wise, patriotic party, upon which
have looked not only to the hope of the
country, but Of its o'm self sacrificing
sonS-Were every individual of a party
10 usurp the perogative of judging loi
himself, the result would be most various
Such (analicism" would speedily des
troy the usefulness Of the Democratic
party. Patriotism demands the surren
der, and sacrifice is the price of success
The past history of our party proclaimi
that the accomplishment of great ent
,, fully justi6es the use oil WhateUer mean
may be required TO ensure victOry.
When,, twenty years ago in the Senate
in the heat Of youthful indscretion,-
was then only " Gorty-eight") Ithanke'
" God 1 aaas not born in a slave State,
t was guilty Of utIering sectional
sentiment which | here humbly recan
and publicly denounce. II it bad beeI
E possible 10 have loreseen that our party
q would even occupy its present position
G that record should not now stand agains
o me. Besides this, | once said in an ad
y dress before the Washington Associatio
$ Of Lancaster "Above all we ought t
d drive from our shores foreign n.fuenc,
: and cherish exclusive American feelings
= = Foreign influence has been, in eUery ag'
d the curse Of Republics" This, am fire.
/ to confess was "worse than crime =
: was "blander. " But what huma
j. prudence could toresee that the great den
/ ocratic party would ever depend upo
IS this same foreign element for its power
q But this /" influence" which has bee
= "the curse Of other republics is II
hlessinn Of nnrs The scknnlinn nf de