The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-04-17
The Rock Island argus, an Anti-Lecom


| ton paper, takes earnest ground in favor of
maintaining the union and harmony of the
democratic party of this State. 1t express
it's views on this subject in a forcible and
and well written article, from which we sub
Join some extracts:
A number Of papers protesting to be in
tensely Democratic, are making the Iecomp-
ton constitution, a pretext for assailinc Mr..
Buchanan in terms of the most bitter and
uumeasured denunciation They wage war
against him at all points. These paoers
represent the Administration as utterly de.
void Of political honor and honesty. Thev
proclaim war upon it, not only as touchinr
the Lecompton issue, but to the "bi,ter
end" They proclaim that this issue must
be carried into the fall elections OF 1858 re-.
gardless of the fact that Congress will have
settled the whole controversy, one way or
the other, long before that time.
so long as these Journals confined their
opposition to the Lecompton Constitution.
we were with them. at the same ti,,,e. we
expressly stated that We had faith in tb,
administration Of James Buchanan. and that
our difference Of opinion from it upon one
point, should never cause US to swerve from
It's support. We staud still upon the same
platform. And We say now as we said then,
that we have no sympathy with any journal
which takes side, with tho reylers, ira
ducers and naieners Of Mr.. Buchanan.
The issue before the country is rapidly
changing in character. 1t is being unwiselv
made not merely one between the advocates
and opponents Of the Leeompton Constitu-
ton. 1t is fast becoming one of life and
death between the friends an! the enemies
OF Mr.. Bucnanan's administration. The Lee
compton issue Is the mere pretext Of oppo-
sltlOn. The aim is TO CmbaIrass and cripple
the administration in every 20. sibie way,
and upon every measure; to inflane the
popular mind OF the North against il: TO
detach from ii the support of the Democratic
masses OF the free states, and so 10 consoli-
date great sectional party, bearing the old
name Of Democracy perhaps, but marching
under the black banner Of sectional Reyub-
licauism
We nope that wiser counsels MAJ vet pre-
val, and that this war upon the administra-
ton may not be continued. We long and
hope for the opening OF some door Of recon
clIatloa-iCr some compromise, which shall
involve 10 sacrifice of principle, and vet be
satisfactory to all. But if the war does con-
tinue, no true Democrat can hesitate which
side TO take. However much he may differ
from the President upon any ore measure.
he will stand by him the more firmly, as the
battle grows warmer. He VIII not submit
to Sc hin Frustrated in the dust; and with
him. the Democracy of the Union. Duty
and patriotism will inspire him to postpone
all minor differences Of opinion, while he
aids tae administration in cutting off the
hydra-heads Of scctionalisn. Any party
which wages general war against the ad-
raiU!strati0n must be in fact, whatever it
may DC in PreteuSion, sectional party;
and no true Democrat can ever Join or coal
e-ce FOR an hour with any such party. The
moment be does so, be crosses a Rubicon,
from which there is no return TO the paths
Of true Democracy, without the most sincere
and GnfeiSned repentance, and a full recan.-
alton OF his errors.