The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-03-20
Ottalua free GtaSer.
Towu NeeyIuE.


We give in another column the proceed
ings of the meeting Of the Democracy OF this
township, held at the Court House last Sat
urday evening. The meeting, it will be seen,
unanimously nominated the following ticket;
Fer Observation-Disclosures Leland, c. G.
Miller.
For T1rH CleTE-J. =. Rice.
Jusices-A B. Smith, o. Leavens-
CoHstaJIes.-F. B. Blust, Turney English,
VIM T. Watt
Assess0r.-HoPley Drew
CoHeet0r.-A. F. Dow.
Orers-er Of PoJr--Dr. j. o. Harris.
Commissioners 81 Highmays,-GeOrge II.
Norris. VIM. Calvin, Henry Deuchert-
The motion for an adjournment, we IN
Gerstand, was urged chiefly on the ground
that ,bs meeting were uncertain as to the
exact number Of justices and constables TO
be elected but as the candidates nominal
ed were about all that were presented for
these Offices, the meeting considered that II
there are more to elect, the field might be
left open for volunteer candidates At all
events, IF an adjournment had taken place,
we doubt whether single name would have
been changed on the ticket, or, If there had
been. we are quite sure the ticket could not
have been improved
In regard to another movement with
which we can hardly believe any democrat
was connected, and which looked to a un-
ion on halfaud half ticket between the
democrats and republicans, weare rcjo;ced,
at least, that this timely nomination on Sat
urday evening has given 1t the qUietus.-
What profit the democrats Of Ottawa, who
have had a clear majority Of at least l2J in
the town at the two last elections could pro-
pose to derive from such compromise, We
are at loss to understand. We are quite
certain our republican friends would offer
Us no such terms If they had US as surely
on the hip as the democrats have them.
But we have heard another idea suggest
cd on this subject, which is not only equal
" absurd, but to our mind so i'll advised,
that We take occasion at once to wash our
hands of it. 1t has been suggested that, if
we keep down party feeling between demo
Gratis and republicans at the spring elections
we can get like concessions from the rcpub-
licans at the county election next fall. The
suggestion seems to base Itself on the idea
that, as the democrats OF this county stand
in an attitude Of quasi-hostility to the ad-
ministraticn on the Kansas question, there
will be such an amount of god feeling be
tween them and the republicans next fall,
that division of spoils may become prac-
iicable. We have essayed to mention the
proposition in the gentlest terms, yet are
unable so to naue ii as to conceal It's odious-
ness. What are such democrats think ny
about? Are We less at war now, and are
we likely to tie less at war with the priHci-
PIES of the republican party next fall, than
we were last fall or TWO years ago? 1t is
time democrats should begin to look about
and see where they stand. As for ourselves,
we can define our position in very few words.
We stand on the Cincinnati platform, car
dinal point Of which is popular sovereignty
and experimentation by Congress with sla-
very IN the territories. Opposed to this
principle is that of the Philadelphia or re-
publican platform, tie cardina! point Of
which is congressional sovereignty and con-
gressional Intervention with slavery in the
territories Can any two principles be more
directly opposite? And have either the re-
pubIicans or the democrats yet yielded !
lot of principle on either side?
It's true, that in the application of the
principle of popular sovereignty to the ter
ritory Of Kansas, as complicated with tie
Lane rebellion and Lccompton imbTog'io,
the President and the larger wing Of the
democratic party unfortunately t.ittr with
Judge Douglas, Gov. Wise, and that other
wing of the party who endorse their views.
In this unfortunate conflict Of opinion, we
have honestly and eonscieEtiously felt con-
strained TO take sides against the President; ;
and while the question is an open one, ard
no body authorized to decide Oh points Of
doctrine CT creed for the democratic party has
yet condemned cur views as LeteTcioX, We
claim the right to maintain them without
jeopardiZing our standing Is a member Of
the democratic party But this Kansas con-
troversy in Congress VIII not last forever.
Suppose, as there is probability, the Kan
sas bill is defeated in the House, may not
some new measure then be proposed uFon
which all democrats may unite? Or sup
pose it is passed, and Kansas comes quietly
into the Union, that then: Shall We join
the black republicans AMI wage war upon
the administration upon ether grounds:
Now as we have never vet Intentionally
done anything to i'll that party, and have
never yet so far forgot our carly lessor 3 in
Democracy as to make war on a democratic
administration, we give fair warning that if
any body is making any such calculations
upon US they Will be sadly disappointed.
Save on this Kansas question we have yet
not word Of fault to find with the admin
istration. On the contrary, on the filibuster
question, on the currency, tariff and similar
questions, its acts and recommendations
have thus far met our cordial approval
The Kansas question viii soon be out of
the way. However we may differ with the
President on that sole question, his message
has given us pledge, that in all future ter
ritorial questions, it will be regarded by the
administration as sine qua non that con-
stitutions must be submitted 10 a fair vote o;
the people after they are formed. There
can therefore be heaceforth no more disa.
greements in reference TO tie application Of
the principle of popular sovereignty. What.
then, will be left in two months, to drive
democrats from a full, hearty, and cordial