Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-08-14
TIE APPROACHING NATIONAL CONTEST
AND OUR STANDARD BEARER.

submission.
TIE APPROACHING NATIONAL CONTEST
AND OUR STANDARD BEARER.
The signs Of the times are ominous, and ap.
soar somewhat doubtful. The riyen Democracy
are very gradually s~ubsiding together, and will
probably be prepared, by the time the national
contest arrives, to present an upbrUken and deter
mined front. We may as well look this fact In
the face and also examine our present position
as we'll as the position to which we seem to be
drifting. 1t is TO be feared there will be n tenden'
CIV to shrink from a direct issue with the aristocra,
cy of slave holding opposition, not only as a civil
evil but as a civil downright wrong. Very many
more seem to be manifesting symptoms of oppos-
ing tho career OF slavery extension. because 1t at
temp to ride over the wishes OF a few men IN a
Territory WHO do not desire it, and not because 1t
is a wrong against human nature and against the
welfare OF man, either as enslaved or enslavlng.
Look mt the leading articles Of the Cincinnati
Commercial for a few days past. There Is no
recognition in them that human nature has the
righ' to be free, but the contrary Is maintained
with boldncss. There is no recognition that the
sacred relation of husband and vile. or parent
and child, is at all different in kind from that of
master aud slave. Indeed il is maintained. that
the right the husband and father has in the servi-
ces of the wife and child, is the same IN Kind,
thoagh perhaps not in degree, as that which the
master has in the services of the slave that the
WIG anu CDllu dTt his IluIcltIf uPbh nv SUNNI
ground that tho slave is property Of his master,
only his ownership does not extend quite so far,
We shall not stop now to show that this Isl sur
render of the whole matter in controversy between
slavery and freedom ; or that a victory obtained
on an issue in which these principles are mingled
to any considerable extent will be no victory, but
rather a most ruinous defeat, and a sad blow to
the prospect of the rising glories of America. We
shall only Look at these strange. things now, as
beacons Of what may be before us. 1t is true
that the Commercial is not the organ of the Repub'
lioan party, although it has generally labored
with us but it has more readers among us per-
haps by far, than any other paper in the West,
And the fact that it is 50 generally supported and
read by Republicans. indicates that there lie q
strong elemement of sympathy with 1t some
where. .
Then the project some time ago of re organizing
the opposition, so as to soften the issue, was
another sign pointing to the same element: 1t
failed, indeed, but the fact Of it's existence is an
omen. Aud likewise the Critenden movement,
which was a moderate oatbreak Of the same thing
probably, may be set down in the list.
We are warned by such things as have been
named. that there is q restless element at WORK
for the purpose Of drawing Us away from the rug
ged point Of contest to which we must come, and
where the battle must be won. before the enemy
will ever be scorched. II we are not mistaken
there is q host of men among us-and q great
host, who are ready to demand a conflict on the
rugged 1SSub. w ii upOb sun y W ~ nv
field before us, and to speak in tones which can
not be misunderstood, that all may have a fair un
Outstanding, that no half issue is to be substitu.
ted, that they will 60 into the battle with all VINO
have the courage to go in on the true ana tull IS
sue, but that they will not follow any lead which
avoids it.
What shall be evidence that the issue is well
made Answer. Two things appear to be nee
esSary.
FIRST. The banner thrown to the breeze must
he a true emblem Of the wOrk to be done. The
watchword sent among the ranks must have the
genuine ring of liberty. The platform must be
clear, and must make q direct point against sa
very somewhere.
Secondly. The standard bearer must be enc
who is worthy to bear the standard, aud who is
known to be so. Parties that are deslrous to
avoid a direc. committal on the great matter IN
contest, may select a candidate 50 little known
that the announcement of his name itself, will IN
dictate but little one way or the other. This Ia q
partial surrender of the main point, or perhaps is
the beginning of a retreat. Ne humbly submit
that this will not do for the Republicans In the
present emergency. There is no certainty in re-
lation to the course of such a man. lie may be
faithful to the principles, and able to maintain
them, but he may not. The presumption Is against
him for if he were such a man as the emergen'
cy of the times requires, he would probably have
impressed himself upon the times in such a man
ner to bo known and felt. The onset upon llber'
ty has been too terrible and protracted for pre-
sumption to be well founded, that the right man
has not been awakened by it. But furthermore
The issue cannot be completely made except in
the person of the man who is the candidate. The
man is to be elected to Office. The principles
cannot be. We elect the man, and the principles
must be in him. If they are not, they are baftied
and lie cheated, no matter how brilliantly they may
blaze 10 the platform. We must have n man,
therefore, in whom the principles are well and
e thoroughly fixed, aud we canno, be sure they are
there. unless we have seen their light shining clear
ly and Enthusiastically out through him. We have
a few such men, and one of them must be the
standard bearer in our next presidential contest
Must he not p Ohio State Journal.