Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-10-07

Is the Republican Party an Abo-
litiOn Party as charged by the
Dem ocracy
Republicans are constantly met with the
epithets "Abolitionists," "W DOLLY Heads"
NEGRO Worshipers," &C., from their dig
nified political opponents, who are unable to
meet them with sound and reasonable argu-
ments. If the Republicans are abolition
ists," so We're the fathers of the Republic,
upon whom men of all politics are accustom-
cd to look with reverence. On the slavery
question, the Republican party holds that
Slavery is moral and political evil, and that
therefore it ought not to be extended in our
Government; but, while they hold this to
be the true policy, they hold just as firmly
that where slavery exists, under the sever
eighty of the States, that neither the Gener-
al Government or the Free States have any
tionism, then George Washington was more
than an aboli.ionist; for in letter to Gen.
eral Lafayette, in 1898, he says ...r
Il agree with you cordially in your views
in regard to negro slavery. | have long con-
sidered it most serious evil, both socially
and politically, and should rejoice in any
feasible scheme to rid our States Of such
burden. :s..r . ... ... .,. -..g0.
"The Congress of 1887 adopted an ordin-
Oh In pf
untary servitude in our north western ter
rtory forever. consider it a qcise measure.
1t met with the approval and assent of nearly
every member from the States more imme-
diately interested in slave labor. The pre-
vailing opinion in Virginia is against the
spread Of sldvery into our neW territories,
and trust we shall have confederacy Of
Free States
Again in a letter to John f. Mercer, in
1886, he says:
"I never mean, unless some particular cir
cumstance should compel me to it, to possess
another slave by purchase, it being among
my first wishes to see some plan adopted by
which Slavery in this country may be abol-
ished by law"
If the doctrines held by the Republican
party makes it an Abolition party, what
think you of jefferson? In his notes on
Virginia he says: .
"Can the liberties of a nation be thought
secure when we have removed their only
firm basis-a conviction in the minds OF the
people that these liberties are the gift of
God That they are violated by his wrath F.!
Indeed tremble for my country when re-
fleet that God is just, and that his justice
cannot sleep forever" at is still
in our power to direct the process of emanci-
patton and peaceably. and in such slow de-
gree as that deportation, the evil will wear
off insensibly, and their places be, pari
passu, filled up with white laborers. If, on
the contrary it slavery is left to force itself
on, human nature must shudder at the pros
poet held up"
If the Republican party is an abolition
party, so was Henry Clay an apolitionist.--
Mr.. Clay, in 1850, said:
''But you cannot put your finger upon
any part of the Constitution which conveys
the right or the power to carry slaves from
one of the States of the Union to any Terri
tory of the United States. Nor sir, can
admit for single moment that there is any
separate or distinct right upon the part OF
the States or individual members Of the
States, or any portion of the people OF the
United States to carry slaves into the terrific,
ries under the idea that those territories are
held in common between the several States. y
In the same speech Mr.. Clay said:
81 repeat it, sir. l never can, never will
and no earthly power can make me vote, d.
|. rectly or indirectly to spread slavery over
territories where it does not exist. Never
while reason holds its seat in my brain
never while my heart sends the vital fluid
through my brain-never.'
If the Republicans are Abolitionists, then
was Daniel Webster, the great expounder Of
the Constitution an Abolitionst, for in 1850
in his great speech in Congress, he said:
"Where there is a substantive good to be
done, whenever there is foot of land to be
+ prevented from becoming slave territory,
am ready to assert the principle of the ex'
cluson of slavery
If the Republicans are Abolitionists, wha,
say you to Judge Ranney, of Ohio In
1S49, he wrote letter to B. f. Hoffman
from which we take the following extract
81 hare no doubt Of the pooer Of Con
gress to erect Territorial Governments, anc
to provide for the prohibition Of Slacery "a
The Territories, and I am IN tavor OF, anG
tcould support such prohibition"