Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-11-24

hOne Wueh you huVlSe tue incoming AumlulbtTh-
ton to adopt the policy and follow the example Of
the former whig party; but | cannot forget the
fact that you have assisted to inaugura,e two
Wing Administrations, you being q member Of
tho Cabinet in each instances; that these Cabinets
dissolved and tho party Substantially disbanded
before the close Of the first session OF Congress
that assembled under them. | cannot suppose
these signal failures will very strongly commend
your policy, 10 Mr.. Lincoln, or TO any Republican.
Indeed, every Intelligent man must be aware, that
subserviency to the slave power which you recon-
mend, has destroyed all former factions; while
manly resistance to that power and steady ADDER.
ancc to the doctrine Of the Declaration of indie
p%endeuce, aad of the Constitution, has given to
the Republicans influence, and control Of the Ma
tionnl Government. If we fail to prof, by exnm-
pie, If we disregard the Lessons of history, iG we
remain stupid in spite Of experience, our Republi-
can organization must also fail at no distant day.
But, sir, l desire to correct you in regard to his
torical fact. You say 'the Republican party
arose out of the repeal Of tho Missouri comprc-
mise" Il this assertion pass into history as true,
1t Will place on Mr.. Douglas, responsibilities
which you ought to share with him. The repeal
OIL the Missouri compromise was bat on incident
IN the progress of the slave power, which by q
series oil despotic acts extending through many
years. gave rise to the Republican party, and
doomed the other parties to premature graves.
You and l certainly ought to understand the cir:
cnmstances out Of which the Republican party
rose.
The winter Of 1871, found Mr.. Adams and nv
self struggling in the House of representation
against gag-rules. and in favor of the right of pc
tision and the freedom of debate. We had labored
for the election of Mr.. Harrison, we're jealous
Wings, expecting that the President elect and HE
Cabinet Of which you were one, world bend their
influence to maintain the constitutional right of
petition and free debate.
After due consultation, l prepared a speech up-
on the Florida war, by which / intended to expose
tSe despotism of slavery and of The gag rules. II
was delivered on the 9th Of February, A. D. 1871
about the time Of the President's arrival. as we'll
Hs yours, in the city Of Washington. In that
speech l Swallowed forth the doctrine that Con-
gross possessed no constitutional power to involve
The people of the free States in a war for the re.
coyery of fugitive slaves; that our Federal Gov
eminent had no authority to rDaintain or abolish
slavery in the States. 1t excited much indignation
with slnve-holding members, one of whom public
ly insulted me at the time. lie was soon appoin-
ted TO a foreign mission, and at the end of four years
retired with q fortune, although he had not even
voted for General Harrison; while l., having labor
ed zealously for that object, received from the Ex-
ecutive unmistakable evidence of his displeasure;
and as you intimate what you think Mr.. Lincoln's
inaugural address will contain, You may perhaps
recollect that General Harrison's inaugural as it
was originally prepared, contal ned a paragraph
severely coademning those who in Congress were
agitating the subject of slavery, and that this Of
fensive paragraph was stricken out at the sugges-
ton of Mr.. Clay to whom the address was submit
ted. | do no; know that you were conversant with
this fact, though I then supposed you were, and
still presume you must have been consulted in
regard to it. / speak upon the authority of one
whose name shall be given you if desired.
10 MIR. Adams more than any other man, are
we indebted for the re-iteration Of our Republican
doctrines, but you and the country are aware that
the practical application Of those doctrines as the
basis OF political organization was put forth by
the humble individual who now addresses you. 1t
was the surrender Of the Wing party to the slave
power during the 9th Congress, and the efforts Of
q Wing President to involve our nation in the
crime and disgrace of supporting an e1ecrable
commerce in human flesh that induced me to pre-
'N VI ~ AAOuoC VI 1l6pTG- !
eentatives, a series of resolutions denying the au-
thOrity of the Federal Government to involve our
nation in a war to support tie coast-wise slave
trade. These resolutions embodied the essential
doctrines on which the Republican party is now
based. For thus expressing nay own convictions,
for this assertion of the rights of the free States,
l was arraigned, censured and driven from my
scat in the House of Representatives by a vote of
l25 to 60, that body having = Wing majority of
twenty memberS-aud acting under an admins
tratlon which you had assisted to inaugurate, and
which you now hold up as an example worthy to
be followed by Republicans. / believe the country
will award to both you and myself the merit or
demerit of adhering to our doctrines, and policy.
l continue to maintain the duty and policy Of sep
arating the Federal Government from the support
Of slavery, and leaving that institution entirely
with the several States. On this point / stood en-.
tirely alone in that body for some years-Mr.
Adams refusing to admit that the Federal Govern
mcnt might not under some circumstances abolish
slavery in the States.
When you were again selected as a Cabinet off
Ger for the purpose OF inauguratiug a second and
last Wing Administration, you found me still in
the House OF representatives associated with
seven as good and true men as ever served the
cause of freedom. We were united upon the doc
trines which now constitute the basis Of the Re-
publican party. You continued 20 maintain the
Wing policy, under which that party disbauded
and forever disappeared from the theatre of politi-
cal power. l and my friends continued to main
tain these doctrines, you retired to private life.
The advocates Of liberty increased in number and
influence, until at Philad, lphia in 1856, a Conven-
ton Of as high moral character as any that ever
convened on this continent, assembled. | penned
the second resolution Of that platform, which as-
serts the rights of all men to life liberty and hap i
piness; that the primal object aud Interior design
of our Federal Government was to protect all per-