Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-05-05


sad Secretary of the Commonwealth. are our
thanks eminently due for q manifestation OF
that devoted patriotism which impelled them
TO consider their country first. and consequences
Afterwards. 1t is not surprising that political
prostitution should cpsdema it. The popular
affection, however viii be TO them shield more
protective than fortressee Of granite and Of ircn.
But desire to speak Of other matters.
AT this day, resolutions complimentary to
the present National Administration may be
pardoned, when proceeding from official syco-
phants, but they can do neither good nor harm.
The history Of Mr.. Buchananis executive life
has already been written. and too plainly to be
obliierated by bribed eulogy. or to be misun-
derstood by the people Of this State and nation.
Neither political conjuraiion nor party magic
can make them forget the wicked violation of
pledges, the arrogance Of bloated power. the
prostitution of Congress, the profigacy of de-
partments, or the rapid and marked encruaeh-
ments upon popular constitutional rights
Judgment, final Judgment, has been calmly and
deliberately passed upon tins treason 10 the De-
mocracy, this assassination of common honesty,
and it is as irreyersible as the decrees of God.
1t is wise, therefore, in this Convention TO speak
the truth plainly, and to avoid the folly Of an
attempt TO cover up an audacious criminaliiy We
must all condemn.
By the action of the 3ith Congress, the COM
plants made by the residents Of Kansas were
ascertained to be true. Although the South, by
the Legislation of 1854. was pledged to maintain
the domestic sovereignty Of the Territories, a
portion Of their people from Missouri entered
upon the soil Of Kansas, and, by force and
fraud. seized the law making power, s:illed the
voice Of the majority. and enacted statutes dis
graceful to the :s,e and nation. This fact, when
legally revealed. made deep impression upon
the public mind. and Mr. Buchanan found it
necessary. in order TO carry the election in his
own State. TO pledge himself distinctly to the
maintenance Of the doctrine of popular sover-
eighty. and to defend the rights of those who
had been thus ruthlessly despoiled. will not
pretend to indicate the.particnlar weakness in
his nature that induced him to turn the hand Of
ibe suicide against his own fame. as it matters
little whether it arose from timidity. a fear of
his enemies outweighiRg love of his friends, a
cared. S. disregard If fair dealing. or weak and
Puerile vanity, Il is enough to know that he
deceived all our hopes, turned with blackest in-
gratitude upon that self-sacritcing friendship by
which he reached the goal of his feversh ambi-
tion, and sought, by ali The means within the
the reach of drunken and staggering authority
to dfsgiase every man whom he could not de-
bauch. Suddenly. and as by the touch of the
wand of the magician, he became transformed
from the sympathIzer with down-irodden free
dom. to the open and shameless defender of ag-
gressire and law-defying slavery. THE halls of
the national legislature were turned into maris
for een.cieuee He published his in.erpreta-
lions Of party principles and platforms with the
arrogance of a adietator. and commanded his sub
ordiaates in Office. and his coward slaves, to re-
itera.e and proclaim his bulls of party excom-
munication against all who were rash enough to
follow an independent judgement. These acts
of themselves are enough to sever allegiance. 1t
would be an ill-shapen manhood which could
tolerate them in silence. But because we de-
nouRce them, We are mathematical as rebellious.
Sir. we Will see where this rebellion viii end.
II will end in the supremacy of the laws; in
the integrity of the CONSTITUTIONS: in the purif-
cation OF palties; in the sworn loyalty of exec
utives; and the vigorous growth. material great
ness. and eternal dominance of the North. That
is where it will cad. Popular sovereignty, in
velzcd By the South, will be DEFENDED by us. and
it shall unfold the veiled. yet dimly discovered.
destiny of this great Republic. We are battling
far the right. for the spirit Of the Institutions
fathers established. Let us feel that we are do
ing this. and We will accomplish the victory of
our century; not mere naked triumph at the
polls, but the great success afterwards-the un-
self-government of man; the dedi-
cation of great continent to a consistent lib
erty.
Those who stop to talk of Cancellation and
between US and the self-cpnstitu-
ted oIacles of the Democratic party, can have
but feeble appreciation Of the real condition
of things. When you can harmonize light and
darkness, integrity and corruption, the patriotic
devotion of the private citizen to the principles
of our Government, with a tyranny worse than
that Of the middle ages, it viii be time enough
to cry "peace." Let this truth be made promi-
nent-ihat there is an eternal antagonism be-
tween freedom and and slavery. The consiitu-
ton of the human mind and the human heart.
makes it inevitable; and the one or the other
mlet eventually gain the ascendaney. The
struggle between them, but just begun. is now
going on in our midst, and he IS but superb
cial observer who does not discover IL We
have acted honorably-Senevolently For long.
long years. We have defended the chartered
rights of our Southern brethren; we have even
conceded their exactIoRs; we have given them
all the advantages springing from unequal leg
islaiion; we have changed policy 10 suit their
notions of interest; until. having grown fat.
they demand as preregative what we granted
as favor. and having found a President with
out affections, sworn officer not afraid CT per-
jury, willing 10 back their pretensions. they
brand our names with indelible infamy They
have done more-they have gone farther; they
have come amongst,,as. and brihed cupidity with
gold, ambition with promotion. and vanity with
temporary consequence. TO do violence to justice.
Longer forbearance not only ceases to be vir,u-
GUS, but it becomes cowardly and base. The
North has rights, long in allegiance truly. yet
not lost; we viii save them; by walls and fire
and blood. if needs be, We will save them.
In what have Just said. 1 would not be mis-
know cannot escape misrepre-
sentation. would resist aggression on the
part of the South. not her constitutional guaran-
tees; and would force a plain. distinct. .une-
quiyocd recognition of the rightful claims of
the North; nothing more. nothing less. Who
can safely complain of thisf
] wish could stop here. If this were all
Of the accusation. we might forget the past in
the exercise Of profuse charity, but unfortu-
n;.tely we are not allowed to do 30. A usurpa-
tion has been accomplished which saps the very
of our political structure Mr. Bu-
chanan has demanded an absorption of the pow
ers of Congress in those of the Executive To
carry out his treachery TO us. he has assailed
the Representatives of the people. He has
ed the timid. and deceived the honest By
such means was the Leeonpsnn Constitution car
ried into provisional iaw,.in contemptuous
disregard Of the known will of the people upon
whom it was Imposed, and in direct contraven-
lion Of the letter and spirit Of the organic act it
,eH The reason which prompted the commits.
,ion of fhe outrage is too manifest to be doubted.
It was 10 purchase fattery of the South; to
Iorce slavery upon the soil Of the North; and TO
aggraadise one section of the Union at the ex-
ptnse and hazard of the other. Then. compli-
anse with executive hehests was the test of De-
mocraey and 10 disregard them was aPostacy.
More recently, however. when the recommcnda-
'ions OF the President were thought to favor the
manufacturing and agricultural Staies-when
the propriety of new tariff law was suggested
and when the so-called Democratic members