The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-06-13

mean to say that We are bound to follow
implicitly in whatever our fathers did. To
do SO would be to discard all the lights
Of current experience-to reject all pro-
gress-all Improvement. What do say
is. that if We would supplant the opinions
and policy Of our fathers in any case, We
should do so upon evidence so conclusive
and argument so clear, that even their
great authority fairly considered and weigh
ed, cannot stand; and most surely not in a
case whereof We ourselves declare they un-
derstand the question better than We.
If any man. at this day, sincerely be-
lieves that proper division of local from
Federal authority, or any part of the Con.
stitution, forbids the Federal Government
to control as TO slavery in the federal terri
tories. he is right to say so, and to enforce
bis position By all truthful evidence and
fair argument which he can But he has
no right to mislead others, who have less
access to history and less leisure to study
it, into the false belief that our fathers,
who framed the Government under which
We ive," were of the same opinion--thus
substituting falsehood and deception tor
truthful evidence and fair argument Ii
any man at this day sincerely believes
"our fathers who framed the Government
under which we live" used and applied
principles, in other cases, which ought to
have led them to understand that proper
division of local from federal authority OF
some part Of the Constitution, forbids the
Federal Government to control as to slave.
ry in the federal territories, he is right to
say SO. But he should, at the same time
. brave the responsibilities of declaring that
} in his opinion he understands their princi.
/ pies better than they did themselves and
especially should he not shrk the responsi.
bility by asserting that they understood
the question just as well, and even better
than we do now"
, But enough. Let all who believe thai
"our fathers, who framed the Government,
under which we live, understood this ques
, tion just as we'll and even better, than VIC
! do now, speak as they spoke. and act al
they acted upon it. This is all Republi
cans ask-all Republicans desire-in rela
tion to Slavery. As those fathers marked
it. SO let it be again marked, as an evil NO
! to be extended, but to be tolerated and pro
tected only because Of and so far as its &C
} tual presence among us makes that tolera
ton and protection necessity. Let all tht
guarantees those fathers gave it, be. no
} grudgingly, but fully and fairly maintained
For this Republicans contend, and witt
f this so far as | know OF believe, they vii
5 be content
: And now, if they would listen-as sup
D pose they will not would address few
words to the Southern people.
: | would say to them: You conside
yourselves reasonable and a Just people
: and l consider that in the general qualitie
, of reason and justice, you are not inferio
e to any other people Still, when yo'
, SPEAK of US Republicans. you do SO only t
S dsnounce US as reptiles, or at the best, a
5 no better than outlaws. You will grant
= hearing to pirates Or murderers, but moth
e ing like it to BLACK Republicans" Ii
: all your contentious with one another. eacl
: of you deems an unconditional condemna
+ tion of BLACK Republicans as the frs
e thing to be attended to- Indeed, such con
demnation of US seems to be an idispensa
!. bic prerequisite - license, SO to speak
IS among you to be admitted or permitted t
i speak at all.
= Now, can you or not, be prevailed upo
If to pause and consider whether this is quit
= just to us. or even to yourselves
It Bring forward your charges and specif
Il cations, and then be patient long enough
e have US deny or justify.
r You say we are sectional. We deny i
l. That makes an issue and the burthen
5, proof is upon you. You produce you
e proof, and what is it p! Why. that our pa
1. ty has no existence in your section. III
= fact is substantially true but it does NJ
e prove the issue If it does, then in ca:
!e we should, without change of principle, b
l. gin to get votes in your section, we shoul
&c thereby cease to be sectional. You cann
escape this conclusion and yet, are yc
d willing to abide by it! If you are, ye
le will probably soon find that We have CEASE
e. to be sectional, for We shall get votes
rs your section this very year. You wi
h then begin to discover, as the truth plain
d. is, that your proof does not touch the
ol sue. The fact that We get no votes in yo
section is fact of your making, and not
~ ours. And if there be fault in that fat
gs that fact is primarily yours, and remai
d, so until you show that We repel you
e. some wrong principle or practice. If ,
T! do repel you by any wrong principle
be practice, the fault is ours; but thi. brin
vo you to where you ought to have started
cd to discussion Of the right or wrong of O
It. principle. If our principle, put into pra
ms tice, would wrong your section for the be
eft of ours. or for any other object, tn
lr- our principle, and We with it, are section
u. and are justly opposed and denounced
he such Meet US, then. on the question
ITS whether our principle, put into practi'
de would wrong your section; and so meet
RS if it were possible that something may
ch said on our side. Do you accept the ch
ny lenge, No, Then you really belle
in that the principle with our fathers "
er- framed the Government under which
'm live, though so clearly right as to adopt
,n- and endorse it again and again, upon tn
INT official oaths. is, in fact 50 clearly wrong
raj to demand your condemnation without
Fly moments consideration.