Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-08-22
A CONSERVATIVE STATESMAN.

Last fall we had occasion to say and to prove
that the position of the Republican party as such,
was, on the slavery question what the Democratict
party of Ohio had been in previous years, when
it denounced tho Texas fraud, resolved in favor
OF the Wilmot proviso, and denounced slavery itself.
This statement of facts, provoked the disploasdre
of many Republicans, and elected their unquali-
fed denial, especially of that class of Republi-
cans who of all others ought to have known tn
truth of the statement, viz. those who had been
old Liberty Party men and had denounced and
exposed the pro-slavery of the Democratic party
IN Texas and Mexican war times, when such reso.
buttons were staple articles in every annual plat
form of the Democratic party of Ohio. Now it
seems that Republicans themselves to repel demo-
cratic charges of abolitionism, ostentatiously urge
the very fact which, for us to state was a SANDER
Gus crime against Republicanism, if not against
liberty. That this is so, our readers will learn by
reading the following brief article, from one
of the ablest Republican papers in the State
1t also reviyes the old testimony in proof of the
unspotedness of the party, and, of Mr.. Chase es-
pecially from all stain of abolitionism. 1t proves
at the worst that he was no more fanatical than
the Democratic party which elected him to
WV bSh"NN' Nv piNNi 10 kSOhOiuN''O. Nh0 49,
Chase will never contradict it.
The Cincinnati Gazette. Of the 18th inst in reply
to the Enquirer of tina. city says:
The Enquirer quotes from n speech delivered
by Mr.. Chase in this city, in May, 1915. to prove
that he is an ''undisguised Abolitionist," an lad
vocate of the equality Of the whites and the
blacks" in favor of ~amalgamatiOn," &C.. &c, and
says its quotation proves every word contained
in its article of Sunday" Far from it. Mr.. Chase
was charged in Sundays Enquirer with being an
"undisguised Abolitionist," and in favor of the
abolition of slavery in the States and Territories.
Now this Baker street speech does not say that he
is in favor of abolishing slavery in the States where
it exists, and NJ. Chase has since said one hundred
times or more, that he is not in Jaror Of any such
med9ure.
The Enquirer, therefore, not only has not prov
ed its assertions, but cannot prore them.
But supposing every word it says of Mr.. Chase
were true. What then lie delivered that
Baker street speech in 1915, and in 1850 he was
elected by the democrats oe the Ohio Legislature
to represent the people of this State in the U. S
Senate. If Mr.. Chase was an"uudisguised abo'
litionist" then, so was the democratic party. TN
truth is The Democratic party at that time occupied
the same position Nth reference to S2aceyy that Mt
Republicans occupy nOC, and Mr.. Chase was accep.
table to them and was endorsed by an election tc
the United States Senate. But the democrats
have wandered into the folds of the oppressor un'
F der the lash Ct the slave.d driver, and now they favor
what they then opposed.
If, therefore, the Republicans are dJolitionists Al
this day. Mey are PRECISELY ~hat Me Democrats
platform Of 1857 aoas The Democ' ATTIC PLATFORM o
1850, so far as regards the question Of sldrery.-
There is not tile shade Of a shadoo Of diGerenc
betCeen the two documents. The Enquirer, there
fore, in opposing the principles of the Republican
repudiates the principles of its own party.
In 1850 the Democratic State Convention pass
ed str Free-soil resolutions, and the Democrat
ic members of the Legislature the same year de
nounccd the Fugitive Slave Law and the Cincin
: natl Enquirer, on the 18th of November, 1850
t said of the law I'VE deem The bill an injudiciou
s one. \ \ 1T is repulsive to our sentiments Q
t j is.s I'VE should not have voted 70
, That was good Democratic doctrine in 1856
u according to the State Convention and the Cincir
e natl Enquirer. What is it now? Abolitionism
n What say you, Mr.. Enquirer?
p Mark, this is not disunion Islander, il is Reput
lican testimony. Republicans are precisely wha
, the Democrats were in lS50-NoTnING MoRE."-
mot the shade of a shadow Of difference betwee
the Democratic party of 1850 and the Republica
party of 1857" If this be so, if this witnes
y worthy of credence. The Democrats are not tn
only men who have "gone into the folds of tn
e oppressor under she lash of the slave driver,
e since 1850. Then the Free Sellers were the en-,
n mics of the Ohio Democrats, on their Republica
platform, because it was a pro,slavery platform
h Now that same platform is the end of the law fl
righteousness and liberty in this nation. W
commend this fact to the old Free Sellers of 1J
IS who are the Republicans of 1857. And in ii
contrasted light Of their then and now position, "
ask them candidly to tell us what progress The
have made, Hey, "Me old liberty guard
in the direction of justice and emancipation, OF
ers may be nearer abolitionism but they are niue
further from it. A subsequent number of IL
Gazette gives the following additional certificate
" Mr.. Chase's conservative craftsmanship
Mr.. Chase has proved himself a gentleman
lie talent, a credit to the office he fills, and an hcnt
Or to the State he represents. He is much more POI
ID ular to-day than he was two years ago. He hi
lived down much of the prejudice that existe
~ against him, even on the part of many of tho,
who voted for him in 1915 and ideas of Garris
Mt MAN Abolitionism, then entertained with referenc
to him, have been dissipated. Instead of a
ultra fanatic on the subject Of slavery, his cour.
9 as governor of Ohio, has been such as becomes
conservative statesman representing the masst
it of our citizens and supporting the principles
i. the Republicans Of this State.
r Mr.. Chase certainly merits this compliment
His mastery inactivity" in the Margaret Ga
ner Case, and the eq%uanimity and forbearanc
Judging from his public icourse, with which |
ut regards the sovereignty of the State and the Ii
erty of the citizens tram pied in the dust and Il
III magnanimity, which promted him to magnify IL
lie the Union which was just then dishonoring Il
m authority of the state and himself as its chief oxe
c. utive and that too before a company of Marylar
slave holders-all these certainly entitle him to II
at appellation of a conservative Statesman" a cha
i. acter which Cass and Webster and their compee
O. so earnestly sought and won.
IN The following paragraph is from a Republics
IN observer in an adjoining state. The Pittsbure
Gazette thinks Governor Chase has become of la
more conservative" than formerly. 1t is rigt
Office holding under this Union will inevitably e