The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-01-15
SUGGESTIVE VIEWS.


annapolis, Ind, Nor. 29.-I have a sugges-
ton to make, which you may deem of little
consequence; if SO, so be it. | would suggest
the propriety of publishing Political Cate
chism about such work as you would make
to instruct boy of twelve or fifteen years OF
age; giving history of the parties and their
issues, since the formation of the Government
to the present time. "Fdcts for the People" is
a good document for any one who has read
politics for himself, but it will fail to reach
those who have not. / will give an instance,
which will serve as an illustration. | gave d
neighbor some documents to read, between
the State and Presidential elections. He had
formerly been Democrat, but living in our
neighborhood, where the Republican cause is
popular, he voted our State ticket. After the
defeat of our State ticket, he concluded it
would not pay to vote with US any more, so he
voted for Fillmore at the Presidential election.
On being asked why he changed his vote, he
replied, that "one vote was as much as he
wanted to lose with one party" In speaking
| of the documents which gave him TO read, he
said "that he liked to read the Life of Fremont
very well; he was pleased with his adventures; y
but of another, containing the Platforms, he
| said that she could see but little difference
between the platforms Of the different parties /;
| they all wanted to save the Union, and the
| Democratic platform, especially, did not pro-
| pose to extend Slavery, nor to make Kansas a
| slave State" as had been represented by the
Republicans. He believed that all parties
were humbugging the people," Such men can
| be hauled from one party to another, aud finally
/ become Disguised with all Of them.
| There are three classes Of men who will have
| to be brought to a sense of their condition be-
fore the Republican party will triumph The
first are those who adhere to party on account
Of its name. Secondly, those who, out Of a
pride Of consistency, adhere to whatever party
or faction they have once committed them
selves to; such men generally hate "turncoats."
Thirdly, those who are continually changing
from one party to another; such men generally
have no principles at all their greatest object
is to be on the side that beats, that they may
have hand in the Notification. These three
| classes of men all stand on the same platform,
which is ignorance. They are sufficiently nu-
merous to turn the scales either way. | believe
that there are enough such men in Indiana to
give Republican majority of twenty thousand,
if they could see the past history Of all parties
and measures.
All the documents, or nearly all which
have read, have been published for temporary
purpose. All the speeches which | have heard
in this canvass have been confined too much
10 temporary purpose, SIMPLY to secure the
election. The effect has been, and will be,
that, while we have made great many perma-
nent conversions, we have also made great
many temporary conversions, who may be
against us in the next campaign.
Everybody looks upon electoneering docu-
ments with suspicion; but when it assumes the
title of history, all will place confidence in it.
/ am OF opinion that small, cheap work, IN
pamphlet form, so that it may be within the
reach Of all, giving plain simple history of
parties and measures, viii do more towards
convincing the people that our principles are
right, than any other document now extant
Such articles as "The Record of Sectiona!ism."
as given in the Era, would certainly make an
impression.
Meantime, multiply readers to the Era it is
very apt to make voters for Freedom.