, 1859-05-07
39rfss &'Trthttt1e.


SATURDAY. MAY :, 1859.
UNION OF THE OPP03IT10N.
There il mt IN honest man, with tl!imble
full Of brains, among the sham Democratic or
Old Nlig parties who cau longer pretend that
thc Republicans as 4 National Organization
desirr to interfere with Slavery where it exists,
or that tleir platform on the Slavcry question
differs hair's breadth from tue creed which
no later than len years ago both the groat par
tics ayowci That is simply ti1Is: Nou-intcr-
ference with Slavery in III" States. Non-cx-
tension If Slavery into territ"rv now free
That's the whole of thc matter. compressed
into lie smallest possible space. And that tho
Republicans will maintain ulld defend that
platform. in power or ont If power. the c1pe-
ricnce Of the last tlnrc ycars in Congress- in
the local legislatures, in Republican consen-
tions speaking a,l,horitatively for tic party,
is rs strong guaranty MS can he given. What
more do our Old Nhie friends want? Their
newspapers fell us that union of the 0pro-
sltiou forces is thing mos1 10 he desired. That
the Government ut Washington may bc taken
on, Of the hands of the plundcrcr5 ny whom
j. las been seized: Int that concessions Of ex-
tren,e positions OH the part Of the Republicans
are demanded and expected as an indispensable
prerequisite. Viii sumo oe ,l,csc gentlemen
ut tile Narth WIN profess to stand 1y thr 1n-
litical 1u.&iu,s Of ltcury CLav take up the
Philadelphia rlatform If 1885, Or the Bloom
inc,ou Platform Of the slsuc year, aud tell lis
where tic work Of cxpnnging shall begin.
Shall wc he asked 10 strike ont all sentences
in rcprohation of the rrpcal Of the Missouri
Compromise act-ll,e authorship Of which was
Mr.. Clay's proudest l'oast9 Shall VIC ''e told
TINT nothing should I've said Of the usnr1ation
iu Kansas that Mr.. Clay would have branded
~ infamous had il occurred in his time? Shall
we hear 1elnonstrauccs against tile expressed
wish ,lat our national domain may be preserv.
ed from tue tread of tue slave? Shall we ex.
puugc whatever relates to tho improvement d
rivers and ir,rhors. the care IF commerce, the
protection of industry, and economy IL
expenditure? Ne ask the question. and ou'
nf respect Gor that Wing element in td1r poll
tics w}cl, ", stands a}oof from the Rcpubli
can movement, answer it, NAY! What then
if freedom is to be preferred to slavery as :
national heritage, if the rights Of the Soutl
under the constitution are 10 l>e religo1lsl,
respected and observed, prevents an union Of al
the Opposition OIL that Republican Platform a
tiso What hut Prejudice Which is unbound
ed. fear that is witl1ont cause, and ohstlnac,
without excuse? Tue contest for which tn
union is desired is not one for tic advance
ment Of this man Or that; is not one in wfllc
the pride Of name should have weight. 1t is
struggle for the supremacy Of correct prime
pies iu tie government, 1y the operation {
which the country may he brought back to il
former moorings, and pcace between its val
ring sections restored; and it seems to us tls
no man can stand aloof or ly his worse thu
useless action give tile Sham Democracy al
other, and perhaps lopgcr lease of powe
Convince us that tile Republican party hold
doctrines that, embodied III measures. wolll
be unjust or oppressive to any portion Of OIL
common country, OF that itrroroses to nominal
or elect mcn who would not observe the col
stitu.ional guarantys insisted upon hy IL
Slave Statcs, and we are ready for any mod
tication Of its creed by which such manifc
errors could be corrected. Bnt until NC di
coyer that VIC arc wrong, that the platfor
caI be tinkcrcd up without cutting from it
that is conservative aud valuable: that we Al
laboring with and fur men who are seeking Il
dissolution Of the C,!ion, We must insist til
the essentials Of Repuhlcanism-n matt
hy what name called-must he preserved
Hhatcytr combination it is effected. Ne a.
nothing more, aud would willingly accc
nothing less.
Now, if the old Wings, Of Illinois especial
are earnest in their desires to wrcst pow
from the hands Of those by whom it has hc
grossly and traitoronsly abused, there is |
imredimcnt i'll the way OF the exercise Of tie
will in manner consistent with their hiE
national professions and their delicate SC
respect What do they say?