The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1858-11-03

ADDRESSED you over my own signature in order
that you may feel at perfect liberty to explain
the language you are reported to have used, as
well as to correct any error of facts or of arGu-
ment into which may have fallen in this let
ter. | know that you desire to be understood,
and will approve my earnestncss and plalnness.
have long labored to restore our Government
to the doctrines on which it was founded. My
hopes for our country are based upon that res
pect for the rights of every member OF the hu-
man family which gives equal protection to
each and which the Republican party are pied
! ged to maintain wherever the Federal Consti-
: tuition holds exclusive jurisdiction, regarding
slavery as they do an unmitigated despOtism,
an outrage upon human nature, crime which
no sophStry can disguise and no cfcumstan-
ces can justify.
You further assert that we will be bound to
admit Cuba as a slave State ifshe desires it al
ter annexation. To this l believe the Republi-
ems are uIanimo sy s3po e. The very object
and design of annexation is to extend and IN
crease the despotiSm of slavery; to give the for
eign Catholics of Cuba, assisted by the Demo
cratic party, the power to elect our President
and Vice President and control the admins
tration of our Federal Government for an in
definite period in the future. TO effect this
give the free population of Cuba superior power
and influence over the interests, the rights and
honor of our people to that which we our selves
exert, by allowing them three votes for every
five slaves they may hold in bondage Repub-
licans deny that Congress or the Federal Gov
crnmcnt hold any right or authority thus to
take from the people ofthe free States the con-
troll of their own rights, their own honor, and
transfer them to the discretion and keeping oI
Cuban Shareholders.
You are reported as quoting from speech ot
Mr.. Adams upon the admission of Arkansas
as State III which that distinguished states
man said he did not regard it as an objection to
be urged against the admission of that State
that she had not formed an ant-slavery Con-
stitotion.
You must be aware that in the purchase oI
Louisiana, President Jefferson did not profess
to act in pursuance Of or under authority oI
the Constitution but on the contrary he eX-
pressly said the treaty would be void unless the
Constitution should be so amended as to au-
thorizo it and that he and other statesmen re-
garded the subsequent unanimous approval OF
the treaty by the several States and by the
people Of all the States as equivalent to such
an amendment: That the treaty had, at the
time Mr.. Adams spoke, tor more than thirty
years been affirmed and sanctioned without a
dissenting voice: That sixteen years previous
ly Congress had-with his entire approval pro,
hibitcd slavery in that part OF the Louisiana pur-
chased lying North ofthirty six degrees, thirty
minutes, North latitude just as Republicans will
bolish it in Cuba but leaving Arkansas with her
slavery, to which no objection had been previ-
ously made. 1t was in view Of these circum-
Stances, with desire to ratify the past action
Tloc Ioo lty
prove that Mr.. Adams made the remarks to
which you refer. They could in no respect ap-
ply to future annexation against the will Of
any State, or against the will ofany respecta-
Bile portion OF our people. His views in regard
to the annexation of Texas in 1913, while that
policy was cherished by the Executive precisely
as that of annexing Cuba is now, will give the
views Of our departed friend upon case exact
ly parallel to that Of which you spoke. At the
close Of the 9th Congress, Mr.. Adams and
nineteen other members Of Congress published
an address to the people OF the Tree States 1t
was dictated and signed by him.
The address, speaking Of the annexation Of
Texas, declares that lit is impossible for any
man to doubt that the formation Of several npa0
8lavehclIng States are the real objects of the Ex
ccutive. The same nfercncas (says the ad-
dresS) will show that the particular objects Of
this new acquisition are the PERPETUATIoN OF
SLAVERY anil the continued dScenlency Of the
SLAVE pomer We hold there is no political ne
cessity for it no advantage to be derived from it,
and there is no Constitutional lpo,Cer in any depart
naent of Government to effect it. That no act OF
Congress- nor treaty Of annexation can impose
the least obligation upon the scUera5 States Of the
Union to submit to::such IN mnaOuTantabe oct or to
yeccive into their fanai5y offuteyniy such Wegiti-
mate progeny, We hesitate not to say that an
ncxation by any act or proceeding of the Fede-
raj Government, or any fits departments,
,0ouLG be Identical aoih dissolution"
Such were the opinions of Mr.. Adams left on
record over his own signature and | feel au
thorized to say he cherished them while he
lived. 1t is true that the free States preferred
! submission; they went into new union with
Texas rather than separate from the Slave
States They Joined in the war, participated
in the sacrifice of eighty thousand human VIC
TINS and incurred debt of two hundred mil
lions ofdollars; and to this day the people Of
the free States are taxed millions of dollars an
nualy to protect the people of Texas IN their
slavery, and maintain the ascendancy of the
> Democratic party by aid ofTexan votes. |
may also add that the unmanly surrender to
that outrage struck the Wing party with moral
and political death. And | speak the solemn
conviction of my own mind when | say, that a
like surrender by the Republicans in regard to
Cuba, ougt to be attended with the like result.
But the doctrines avowed by Mr.. Adams re-
main unchanged. then subscribe to them
signed the address. spoke the sentiment OF
my heart. Those opinions have been strength
ened and intensified by fifteen years ofobserva-
tion and experience. Resistance to the extern
sion and increase of the slave rover corst =
tutes an essential element in the Republican
platform on which that party has risen and eX-
, tended until at this time wields the moral
power Of the nation. The surrender of this
: doctrine would be surrender disbandment
the only party which promises peace or per-
manence to our Government; aparty whose tri-
umph is as sure as its adherence to the princi-
pies on which it was founded.
1t was with inexpressible pain that read the
remarks on this subject which you are repor-
ted to have made Your numerous friends in
this part of the State, think unite with me in
a cordial desire to see more full expression o
the reason on which you found your opinions
communicated through the public press, and tc
; attain this object have addressed you with Sc
much frankness. With much respect youl
, friend. j. Il. GIDDlNGS.
, Such a production as the above is not calcu
lated to suit every climate, and something mus
be done to please the mi~ed black republican
party in Southern Ohio, who have not yet be
( come aboitionized. Gov. Corwin is entirely
too sharp to answer such production. Blu
still ii must be attended to in some Manner
+ The Cincinnati Gazette, which is considered az
organ Of the Governor, puts forth reply to thu
!, above letter of the venerable Joshua, as we see
Z by notices in some Of the papers; and which re
ply ce suppose will appear in the next Cadiz Re