The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-01-20
.ASHINGTO N,.D. C.
The Republican Party.
SPEECH OF MR. WASHBURN,
,rr. wAsHBURy. of Maine. sal
D.rerea in he House Of Repse. ,.livs., Jan. 10, is,


concerning the Republican party, its duties and
dangers. As can speak for no one but myself,
their expression, trust can do no harm to that
party or TO the cause which it represents; and,
perhaps, some good may be accomplished by
calling the attention of its members in this way
TO the subject TO which they refer.
Two antag onistic ideas underlie the political
movements of the country, and will be repre-
scented by its political organizations and no
party which is not founded upon, and is not true
70, one or the other OF these ideas, can, in the
elemental struggle which is going on, preserve
anything more than transient and unhealthy
existence. Until the question, which of these
ideas shall prevail 2" shall have been decided
inieiligently and defnitively there will be room
for no other parties than those which represent
its opposing sides; and such others as may en-
Geavor 10 obtrude themselves upon the public,
and tease it with their impertinences will be
dismissed speedily, and with no excess Of cere-
mony from It's presence.
The ideas to which refer are, need not say,
the democratic and the aristocratic. The demo-
cratic affirGs the equal rights of all men; while
the aristUcrstic denies the existence of such
rights, and divides mankind into classes-a gov
erning and privileged class, and governed and
disabled class And the real question before the
American people il, which is the true govern
nent that which recognises the democratic idea,
or that which builds upon the aristOcratic? |
know Of no better statement of the former than
l. TO be found in Tie Declaration of Independ-
ence. Say the authors of that great instrument:
." We hold these truths to be SelfeVidsnt that
all men are created equal that hey are endoped6y
hegr Creator 1vjh certain uRalie1aJle rights that
among these Lfe liberty, and the pursuit Of hap
'Fisess Thai 10 seouTe these rights gOrenments
ttsftUted among men, DERIVING THEIR JUST pow
IRIS FROM THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED"
A practical and authoritative exposition of the
latter is contained in the Lecompton Constitution
~ ~. - l.. Eonfz
TIE right OF property IS before and higher than
any constitutional sanction and The right Of the
oWner Of Stare 10 such slave and as increase, rs
ns same, and inVioldJle, The night Of the
oaner # any property whatevsr."
The party which, by strange misnomer, is
called Democratic, is the representative of the
doctrines OF the Lecompton Constitution the life
of is life Is derived from the ideas Upon which
that Instrument rests. The Republican party
draws its inspiration, its principles, and its les
Sons Of duty, from the Declaration of Independ-
enoe.
Tne business Of the former is to consolidate
an oligurchy in these United States and make il
perpetual Of the latter, TO secure TO the people
81 the blessings of liberty" and TO the States a
republican form of government" and hence it
is well called the Republican party, in contrads-
tinction 20 the ogarchical (misnamed Demo-
cratic) party. And here, precisely, is the great
vital centra issue Of the day, Shall this Govern
words, shall the Constitution, which guarantees
TO the States q republican form of government,
be prescribed in its integrity and power, through
the efforts and faithfuness of the Republican
party, or shall the doctrines of the so-called
Democratic party he accepted, and its purposes
accomplished, the Constitution subverted, and a
buielul oligsrchy established upon the ruins of
our republican system Talk as men will, doubt
or dissembe as they may the real and immi-
nent question Is as have stated it and one way
or the other it must be decided by the present
generation. A question vaster in its issues has
not arrested the attention or demanded the ac-
ton OF the American people since the Revolu-
ton; God grant that they may be equal to it
Mr.. Chairman, shall republican government, or
that CT 3n oigarchy, be the under which
you VIII live, and which you will transmit 10
your children? The question has been distinct
~ raised by the sham Democracy, and the real |
Democracy must settle il. That | do not err in I
wha: have asserted TO be the purpose of the !
msealrd Democracy, appears from facts and T.
manifestations tie most obvious and unmista- /
kaOle can refer To but few OF them. The |
seii-siyied Democratic party is essentially 4
Southern or Stockholders party. Its policy, in /
reierence 10 Ell questions of national or political
intritst, b. dict,ied b., the Shareholders 1t has
yielded To q CO.. b. Il two-thirds rule the nomi- |
nai"'1 vlrtrr--y {. ia candidates for President
and ' ice Pest leat Ia its national conventions
II permits a siaveh0l1ing minority 10 control a /
non-Slavehoidlng majority thus discardinr the /
Democratic principle that the majority shall gov
eTn- IL consents that "A slavehOloing minority /
NAV prescribe the issues upon which every ma /
uoLal canvass shall be conducted and nro-
nounce the sh.bboleth which every Democrat
shall repeat, from the Rio Grande 10 the ALLIE
guash. Il asserts, through its President, that
The Supreme Court of the United States has
decided thyt all American citizens have an
equal right 10 take toto the Territories what
rs In l.,
OF tue States, AID 10 hold such property there
U,ioER THE GUARDIANSHIP OF THE FEDERAL Con-
sTirUTioS 90 long IS tue Territorial condition
shall remain. This IS now a well-established
position
1t requires The acceptance of This position ~
by the Democratic party, one not 10 be denied. /
or even brought m question. IL insists that the
lnhrmln ana impiOus declaration of tile slave /
hoiclns Judges OF the Supreme Court of the Uni /
ted Stites, that those Who bear Gods IMAGE
cut IA ebony have 10 rights which white men 1
are bolnd :" res: ect,' and may be treated as /
outlaws @nd nui.'od as wolves, shall be received /
as $ sacred aG3 indabitable verify
II demands tire admission of Oregon into the 4
Union IS State, with a Constitution which de- /
MES 10 cClored persons, although they my he /
citizens OF sovereign States under the Consti,p-
tious Thereof he right 10 maintain suits az la,O for
the vindicAtion of any right, or the redress of
any wrong. .
NJ
10 renouuce ali the cherished ideas aud o,,-
peated declarations of the Wing party. and. NV
unavoidable Implication, to stamp as weak or
hypocrilcal the great chieftains of that once
powerful oTganizatOn-Clay, Webster and 9TH
ers, whose names viii stand conspicuous and
eternal IN the armament of their country's his
tory-aBd- wallowing in the mire of an incon
celFaole degradation, TO assert, as a Northern
wing Journal has recently asserted, that
Inc declaration that all men are endowed |
with an inalienable right to liberty, and that /
TINS rlgnt IS seli-eT ident is contradcted by nat
nral reason, BY natural religion, and by the 4
Sara scriptures, and leads not only TO infdel- !
iiy, but also 70 anarchy AID atheism /
Sr, the purpose Of the Democratic Marty in tho
Inauguration OF that carnival of crime in Kansas
OF which the annals of that people will preserve /
the FAITHFUL record through everlasting genera /
lions, are placed beyond all doubt in ia closing
scenes.
Something more than year ago. the Demo-
cratic party caused a Constitution. preuared nv |
the Administration at Washington. 10 be sent -
the I rritOiy of Kansas, and thence retnrned 20
the President OF the United States, with a Ger.
nhcate, held to be legal and sufficient 10 the fact
that II hao been acted upon and adopted bv the
people OF that Territory, as their organic law
when, IN truth, the people never agreed TO il and
had no opportunity of voting against it. Among
lis provisions the extraordinary one have
already quoted, and which | will read again:
L" The right Of property is before and higher than
any constitutional sanction and the TigAt of On
oler Of Stare to such Stare and ITS increase is The
same and mpiola5Le the right of The oucner Of
any property arhdteUer."
And this Constitution the Democratic party in
sisted, by its President, its members of the Sen
ate and House of Representatives with a few