New-York daily tribune., 1858-09-16
TIE EXISTING POSITION O. PARTIES.
4 SPEECH BY JAMES 4. PIKE of Calais, He'
Delivered At Maehiss, Aug. a, ises'

.v Ihave no time 10 60 over the acts OF 'he Pfe"'
h la, Administration in detail, or even 10 pas IN
..,,.I r.vie,v the ipauitous proceedings for when
th.y were arswernbe in relation TO hansssNeDresks
pU. rcoon.on Constitutions and Slavery, and which
are the source Of oppotion 10 them icannoteVen
.tsx IN refresh Won with resume showing the tna and
,,ous triumph Of the people Of Kansas over all their
s,em;es. both at home and in Washington. shall
have little time 10 devote to the disgusting tergiversa-
sou on Wimot ProvisOs and Popular SpverigDty that
have marked the Of Northern Democratic poll
hes, from Mr.. Buchanan downward, dnring the La;
four years 'baR have to refer to the extrava-
gance and corruption Of the Government. which have
bankrIpded the Federal Treasury, while our rulers
have been maGy running race for SoThern popular
Ay by dev0ting their whole time and attention to the
spread OF negro Slavery cannot step to expose the
fatal aebaucbs~y Of the public morals which the lac
kgtsotOn on the Slavery question ,as worked and IL
worn pg or 10 exhib the po aea bInders which have
marked theshOle course Of the series OF crimes against
liberty committed by the PrcSavs-y leaders. have
no time pay any attention TO the petty schemes to
befog and bewilder the voters Of ts District on local
issaes j must cOnfne myself te exposition oil the
fuDdamental difference in the positions OF the two great
parties OF the country as they stand to-day.
This great Republican party sf ours IL one oi the
oobest parties that ever existed II ia party OF ear
nest convictions of extrsord nsy Intelligence, ana o,
pure and lofty purposes II u no dead or stereOtypeo
form Of ancient and eItisct vfsity II Is no party ei
traditions ike that Of our opponents hanging on 10
tbe skirts Of dim past and litlDg ON the memory OF
sp inheritance already sqnandered. 1t is Of virgin
growth yire and exuberant sprnging FRONT the urgent
necessities Of the present and vitazed by principles
fha. were when the morning stars first sang to-
sether over the creation Of 1nan, and which will re-
main true while humanity epiuTes. To him who reads
history anght and oomprebensiyey views the rapid
changes which snak the progress OF affairs around the
leading seats OF civilization the Republican party of
these States it now stands phenomenon OF hope
and gladness. inspiring to every lover Of bis kind.
When the Administration Of Gen. Pierce actuated by
the vulgar ambition Of selfish and narrow p0lltl-
eans undertook 10 pervert the ideas and designs Of
the founders Of this Government by declaring, in sub
stance, that Slavery entitled to National approval
and support aud might be legtmately spread every
where under the national jurisdiction and who accord
ngy initiated the movement to remove all restriction
20 lis spread; when, 1 say this position was first
Haken the intelligent the Conscientious the truly demo-
cratic spirit Of the country took the ALARM and men OF
all shades Of political opinion upon ordinary topics,
tore themselves from the party organizations to which
they severaly belonged, and extemporized on the
instant league Of determined opposition, which ulti-
matey took the form and name OF the presen; Repub
Scan party. This great party, now triumphant in
almost every Free State over all opposition of every
Kind and degree thus sprang into existence an day,
and as II 10y the fiat of Almighty power And il was
Almighty power for it was the power of everlasting
truth that created the party And the men % it were
inspired by that truth when they first rushed TO its
and they are animated and inspired
by to-day. They were and are men of
IDEAS, of cear-sg ghted intelligence who believed
N the rights of private judgment, and who disbe-
6eved in the controlling force of party ties in great
.Repudating every suggestion of pO-
kteal inalIbity they ruptured the convictions of
6fetime in behalf Of great principle. There is re-
eembianee not wholly imaginary between the Republi-
party Of this day in its indignant attitude of resist
To false doctrines and the Outrages and corTup
hon engendered thereby, and the great and glorious
party of the Reformation in the days of Luther and
AelaDcthon, in their struggles against Papal SUI
premacy.
The circumstances of the formation of the party
thus demonstrate how vital are It's fundamental IDEAS
and how prompt and intelligent its Every
has TO give for the faith that is in
him. He knows arhy he is a Republican. Not one is
driven to defend his vote the miserable plea that he
always voted the Republican ticket and that his father
did il before him. Not one shelters his vote or his
head under the cowardly subteriuge that man must
stick Ia bis party, though the party sbandons it's
prtHcsp!es. Every man is a Republican Tor reason
instant, controlling and convincing.
The Republican party was formed to resist the
spread of Slavery into Free territory and to restore
she first principles Of constitutional Interpretation,
which had been assalled by the enemies of Freedom
and the Free States and were threatened with utter
prostraton by the Federal Judiciary; promise al
ready partially fulfilled, and in process OF stl further
fulhment. The party was formed 10 resist recofn-
sion which aimed 10 change the original purposes of
by first consolidating the Federal power, and then
welding it against instead of for the spread of Lib
srty. This undermining and debauching process be-
gan with the passage Of the Kansas Nebraska bill has
been going ever since aud is going ON now "a vigo-
rousy ever, in the varying shapes Of Dred Scott de-
sisions Lecompton Constitutions, and Douglasisn, all
of which are in principle alike unsound falacous de-
hsive and false.
Let me say here that the only point on which the
Republican party is assailed, is It's alleged sectional
character and its irpraccabe views which il is said
cannot be carried into the administration Of the Fede
raj Government. demonstrate that its aims are
the bruadest the soundest, the most comprehensive
and statesmanlke, the most practical and the most
consistent and logical of any party aver that they
are capable of universal application over the whole
eountry, Slave States and Free States, and all
the world and this too without necessarily creating
any dangerous social or political cOnvulson what
ever But wish n0ay to say in It's behalf, that il has
been Pre,,sisely sEcoeSstai party. The one great
measure which the Republicans planted themselves
originally was the prevention OF Slavery In Kansas,
and this they haze accom- pliShcd. They have fought
the battle and won II over Shareholders and Northern
alike. Our opponents say this is end
of the natter and that Repubhcanism having succeed
ed il its great object its mission s accomplished and il
must now retire, and the virtuous people who in this
contest, have fought for Slavery being the only natu
raj and proper guardians of the great democratic idea of
the rights otuan, must and should speedily the
positions in the Free States from which thew have
been ignominously expelled by the verde; Of
public sentiment These conplaocnt pretenders will
soon find that the mission of the Republican party
Is only Just commenced. instead of being ended
and that the single measure in question Is only
a branch, casual incident of the great principle
which the party rests, and whose roots lie spread
derneath the whole history of and extend into the
eterntes Yet for their ndomitable advocacy of this
enc now triumphant measure, they have been de-
poapccd rs agtators, sccionalSts and fanatics.
i have just one answer 10 make to this charge.
Senator Foote Of Mississippi, in the esry davS
Of the memorable era OF 1850, before compro-
missing had attained It's final growth and stotre aud
before he himself succumbed one day rose in the Sen
ate aud minated 10 Henry Clay that A., moder-
even H. might be called to receive the rebuke of Ken
fxcky for his views Mr.. Clay awhile aftcrward
in reply, his face blue and glowing with peut-up fire
and Indignation and turning to the little shriveed
Union Saver shook his iron-grsy loeks til his ears