The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-09-29
Giddings on Tom Corwin and the
EoHRugged Iasue.n
OUR DANGER AND OUR SAFETY.

nun a OAcAAo IL" uhohAuS Z uiOul
the position assumed by the Republican
in 1856. We cannot disguise the fac
that some of our journalists and some o
our candidates for office are seeking t,
gain the support of the timid and veal
men, by denying that the Republican il
pledged against the extension of tn,
slave power. They say distinctly tina
our Philadelphia Platform does no
pledge the party to oppose the admis
sion of more Slave States. Some saI
they would vote to admit new State.
with slaveholding Constitutions.
We do not stop to argue the question
at this time. If the fundamental truth,
put forth in that instrument do not ex
clude the extension of the slave power
by tho consent or vote of the Republi
can party, its trainers failed to express
what they supposed neither friend nor 70
could doubt. The Democratic party
had avowed the extension of Slavery as
one important item in their creed. 1t
was known that Mr.. Buchanan, tLeir
candidate, had long cherished the inten-
ton of bringing Cuba into the Union,
in order that the ignorant Catholics of
tina Island may give p~reponderance to
the slave power, and enable them to
elect our President and Vice President,
and direct the administration Ct our
Government, maintain the bred Scott
decision, extend Slavery over all The
Territories, and hold slaves in and carry
them through our free States. That
these objects were to be attained not
only by giving to the slavedealiug and
piratical population of that Island an
equal voice in our Government, With
our virtuous and intelligent population,
by adding thereto three votes for every
five slaves which they hold in bondage.
This plan of tri nsferring our rights, our
interests, and our honor to the keeping
of such q population, constitutes the
most odious, the most hateful policy Of
the party, and some of our respectable
journals deny that the Republican party
is opposed to this policy.
These declal atoms have struck US
be aware that this same wavering
of our ranks, in the face Of the enemy,
defeated tue Wings in 1914, When
Henry Clay avowed his personal acqui-
escence in the plan for annexipg Texas
in order to extend the Save power, he
his own political death warrant,
aud do our friends suppose that the
connected with Kansas, and the
experience of fourteen years have rem
dered the despotism of Slauery more
acceptable to our people, Have our
forgotten the memorable report
this subject made to the House Of
Representatives in 1914, BIZ the veneer
able John Quincy Adams? That re-
port was signed by one other member
who got ii5es, and has done what he
TO awaken the Northern mild to
tIe eDorinity of this increase OF slave
holding tyranny. Have our friends for
The address put forth by Mr..
AID twenty other members of
Congress, one half of whom yet live, and
ire low laboring for the rights aud hon.
,E of our free States? The people have
lot 70: gotten hess things, and will not
them; and in our opinion the idea
hat the Republicans will consent to see
of slavholdiug aespotIsm, is now
loiug a thousand times more to defeat
Is iIf1S60, than all the efforts of Blu
hanan aud Douglas put together.
If there were any doubt in regard to
he Philadelphia platform be ing Supposed
o this extension of the slave power, the
treat b5dy of Republican voters would
its amendment or repudiate the
,arty. We assure these men who would
ct down our position, that the mass of
he Republican electors are hOnest.-
They mean what they say. They base
heir action on principle. They will
liscard all wire working. They will
lot be. sold or transferred to the slave
by their own votes. They qciH
be deceiUed. We understand that
ome ca ididatcs and some journals pro-
use to go into the conte. of 1860,
any expose of our political faith
Iet that policy be adopted, and one
Of he Republican electors acould
take tie trouble TO go to Tie polls.
VIZ have no hesitation in saying that
this surrender to the slave power must
re made; if our rights are to be given
p; We hope it may be done by the
4ocofocos. prefer that party should
emain in power so long as necessary to
onsummate their crimes, rather than see
uch disgrace brought upon a party with
1hcm we have associated aud by men
Or whom We have voted.
We would not deceive others, nor
we be deceived. We think any
tempt of our Natfehal Convention o
$50 to modify our position in regard {
this extension Of the slave power or
} place in nomination a man whose
,ntiments on that subject are unknown,
lust defeat his election. Republican: t
have been too often and too long {
eceived on this subject to be further
with. Should there be any doubt t
, the platform adopted by that Con
ention the electors will call on the can
for an avowal of their own views,
if they remain silent the people t
ill repudiate them as unworthy~Of con.
6
Our safety consists in a frank and {
lanly support of the doctrines pro-
Iaimed at Philadelphia, in their letter {
nd spirit. On these our party was
aside from those principles t
lere is no Republican party. The f
an that discards then is not a Repu5, +
can: Neither / oliticiaus, nor states I
Ien, nor human authority can change G
lose truths. We may abandon, we b
a repudiate, but we can neither modify Q
Or change principles which have existed
the whole eternity of the
asst. Standing IN them, our party has
and extended, and acquired !;
and new Yields the moral pow +
: of the nation. It's success is as +,
,rtain as its adherence to truth and JUS. :