Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-08-26
CIRCULAR OF THE REPUBLICAN
NATIONAL COMMITTEE.

ALBANY, August 10.
The Republican National Committee at
their meeting recently held in this city. Is
sued the following Circular to their Repub-
lIcan friends throughout the Union.
In the judgment of the undersigned mem
bers of the Republican National Committee,
the time has arrived for consultation and
preliminary action in regard to the approach
ing struggle for the Presidency, and they
beg, therefore, to call your attention to the
suggestions which follow. The Republican
party had its origin in the obvious necessity
for resistance to the aggresslons of the Slave
Power, and maintaining for the States res
pectively their reserved rights and sovereign
ties. In the contest Of 1856, by the present
alton and advocacy of the true science of
Government, it laid the foundation of per-
manent political organization, although 1t
did not get possession of the power to enforce
its principles When the result, adverse to
its efforts and its hopes, was declared, it I'M
affectedly acquiesced, giving to the victor,
for the sake CT the country, its best wishes
for an honest and fair administration of the
Government.
How far Mr. Buchanan's administration
has realized these wishes is now patent to
the world. With the executive power of
the Government in his hands, his admins
tration has failed in every respect to meet the
expectations of the people, and has presented
the most humiliating spectacle of corrup-
ton, extravaganza, imbecility. recklessness
and broken faith. So apparent is this,
even to our opponents, that the so called
Democratic organization, always distinguish
ed for its discipline and party fidelity is
utterly demoralized and distracted, without
any recognized or accepted party principle,
and threatened with disruption by the rival
aspirations and struggles of its leading par
tisans. While the administration has been
thus faithless to the interests of the country,
and has thus disorganized the party which
placed it in power, the Republican party has
been constantly mindful of the great public
necessity which called it into existence, and
faithful to the fundamental principle upon
which it was erected. Experience has only
served to strengthen the conviction of its abb
solute necessity, in the reformation of the
National Government, and ofthe wisdom and
justice of its purposes and aims.
Although some of the exciting incidents of
the election of 1856 have been partially dis
posed of by the energy, enterprise and valor
of free people, the duty of Republicans to
adhere to their principles, as enuncated at
Philadelphia, and to labor for their estab-
llshment, was never more pressing than at
this moment. The attitude of the Slave
Power is persistently insolent and aggressive.
1t demands of the country much more than
it has demanded hitherto. 1t is not content
with the absolute control of the National
Government, not content with the dispense
ton of the honors and emoluments of the
National Administration not content with
its well-known intuence-always perniciOus
over the legislation at the national capital
but 1T demands fresh concessions from free
people for the purpose of extending and
strengthening an institution local in its
character, the creature of State legislation,
which the Federal Government is not author
ised to establish or extend by any grant of
delegated powers. 1t demands, by an unau-
thorised assumption of power-after having,
as occasion required, adopted and repudi-
ated all the crude theories for the extension
of slavery of the ambitious politicians who
sought its fivor-the establishment and pro-
lection of slavery in the territories by act of
Congress and the revival of the African slave
trade
Upon no organization except that of the
Republican party can the country RELY for
successful resistance to these monstrous prop
osltions, and for the correction of the gross
abuses which have characterised the present
National Administration. 1t is the duty.
then, of all the patriotic men who wish for
the establishment of Republican principles
and measures in the administration of the
national government, to aid in perfecting
and strengthening this organization for the
coming struggle. There is much to be done,
involving earnest labor and the expenditure
of time and money. There should be
First-A thorough understanding and in
terchange of sentiments and views between
the Republicans of every section OF the coun-
try.