The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1860-03-15
NUMBER AZ.

cTiliuent mas SanctlO1eu IL, the Deuo.
cratic party avows itself responsible.
Eve ywhere complaint against it is de-
nounced, and its opponents prescribed.
When Kansas was whitening under
the wounds of incipient, servile war,
because of her resistance, the Demo-
cratic press deridingly said, "let her
bleed" Official integrity has been
cause for rebuke and punishment, when
it resisted fraud designed to promote
the extension of Slavery. Throughout
the whole Republic there is not one
known dissentef from that policy re-
naming in place, if within reach of
the Executive arm. Nor over the face
of the whole world is there TO be found
one representative of our country who
is not an apologist Of the extension of
Slavery. ;,tffn ri'i'>a'
Its in America that these things have happened.
In The nineteenth century, the era of the worlds
greatest progress, and while all nations but our
selves have been either aoridgng altogether sup
pressing commerce in men at the very moment
when the Russian serf is emancipated, and the
Georgian captive, and the Nubian prisoner, and the
Abyssnan savage, are lifted up to freedom by the
successor of Mohammed. The world, prepossessed
in our behalf by our early devotion 10 the rights
|
its respect and sympathies. asks, in wonder and
amazeuIent, what all this demoralizstion means2
Ii has an excuse better than the world can imagine
better than we are generally conscious of ourselves
a vIrtuous excuse. We have loved not freedom so
much less, but the Union of our country SO much
more We have been made to believe, from time
TO time that, in crisis, both of these precious
institutions could not be saved together, and there
lore we have, from time to time, surrendered safe
guards of freedom to propitiate the LOYALTY Of
capital, and stay its hands from doing violence to
the Union The true state of the case however
ought not TO be mystery to ourselves. Prescicnce
indeed, Is not given to statesmen; but we are
without excuse when we fail to apprehend the
logic Of current events. Let parties or the Govern
iiient, choose to do what they may, the people Of
tue United States do not prefer the,wealth Of the
lew to the liberty of many capital to labor, African
slaves TO white freemen in the National Territories
and in future States. That question has never been
distinctly recognized or acted on BY them The
Republican party embodies the popular protest
and reaction against policy which has been fas-
tened upo? the nation by surprise, and which its
reason and conscience, concurring with the reason
and conscience of mankind, condemn iiei@<"y
The choice of the nation is now between the
Democratic party and the Republican party Its
principles and policy are. therefore, justly and
even necessarily examined. / know of only one
policy which it has adopted or avowed, namely:
the sacing Of TIE Isritories of the United lStqtes
II possible, by constitutional and lasrfuI means
from being homes for SIar9y and Polygamy. Who
that considers where this nation exists of what
races it is composed, in what age Of the world it
acts its part the public stage and what are its
predominant institutions. customs. habits and
sentiments, doubts that the Republican party can
and will, If unwaveringly faithful to that policy
and just and loyal in all beside carry it into trnl-
pbai success? To doubt is to be uncertain whether
civilization can improve or Christianity save man.
kind t.f 'fflsuf4ltJ
may, perhaps, infer from the necessity Of the
case, that it viii, in all courts and places stand by
the freedom of speech and Of the press and the
affr rl.ov.o.
IT will favor the speedy Improvement of tine public
domain by homestead laws, and will encourage
mining, manufacture and internal commerce, with
neediul connections between the Atlantic and
Pacific Staiesior all these are imported interests
of Freedom. For all the rest, the national emer-
gencles, not individual influences, must determine
society goes on, the policy and character of the
Republican party. Already bearing its part in
Legislation and in treaties it feels the necessity of
being practical in its of the national health
and life, while IT leaves metaphysical speculation
to those whose duty it is TO cultivate the ennobling
science of political philosophy. ef' tfrtnHfe7
But in the midst of these subjects or rather,
before fully r aching them, the Republican party
encounters unexpectedly, new and potential issue
--one prior and therefore paramount to all others,
one OF national life and death. Just as if so much
had not been already conceded; nav. Just as il
nothing at all had ever been conceded to the
| interest of c<pita invested n men, we hear mena-
ces of nisunion, louder, more distinct, more en-
phatic than ever, with the condition annexed, that
they snail be executed the moment that Republi-
can Administration. though consttutionally cleo
ted, shall assume the Government.
do not certainly know that the people are pre-
j pared TO call such an Administration to power l
know only, that through succession of floods
which never entirely discourage me- the volume Of
Republicanism rises continually higher and higher.
| They are probably wise, whose apprehensons
adnonish them that it is already strong enough
for effect rffG 'I--.
Hitherto the Republican party has been content
with one self-interrogatory-how many votes II can
h,cs e Aoxo
mination enough TO cast them? This latter ques-
tion touches its spirit and pride / quite sure,
however, that as it has hitherto practiced self
denial in so many other forms. it will in this emer
gency lay aside all impatience of temper, together
| with all ambition, and will consider these extra
| ordinary declarations seriously, and with Just
moderation. 1t would be a waste of words to
demonstrate that they are unconstitutional and
equally idle to show that the responsibility for
disnnion, attempted or affected must rest not with
those who in the exercise Of Constitutional author
ity maintain the Government, but with those who
unconstitutionally engage in the mad work of sub
verting il. er. - s-iir s.... ..-
What are the excuses for these menaces? Tney
resolve themselves into this. that the Republican
party in the North is hostile to the South. But it
already is proved to be majority in the North !:
it is therefore practically the people of the North
Will il not still be lhe same north that has forborne
with you 50 iong'an conceded to Won so muchs ?
Can you justly assume that affection which has
been so complying all at once change to hatred
intense and inexorable? f' ar eT
You say that the Republican party is a sectional
one. Is the democratic party less sectional? Is
it easier for to bear your sectional sway than
for You to bear ours? Is it unreasonable that for
once we should alternate? But is the Republican
party sectional? Not unless the Democratic party
is The Republican party prevails in the House
of Representatives sometime the Democratic
party in the Senate always. Which of the two is
the most proscriptive? Come, If YOU will into
the Free States. into the State of New York, any,
where from Lake Erie to sag Harbor, among my
neghbors in the Uwasco Valley Hold your con-
ventions, nominate your candidates, address the
people, sabnt to them, fully earnestly, eoquenty,
all your complaints and grievances of Northern
disoyalty, oppression periidy keep nothing back,
speak just as freely and as loudly there as You do
here. You will have hospitable welcomes, and
appreciating audiences with ballot boxes open for
all the votes you win. Are you less sectional
than this? Extend to as the same privileges, and
l will engage that you will very soon have in the
South as many Republicans we have Democrats
in the North. There is, however, a better test of
nationality than the accidental location of parties
Our policy of labor in the Territories was not
sectional in the first forty years of the Republic
Its nature nheres. 1t will be national again. during
the third forty years. and forever aterward 1t IS
not wise and belicent for alone or injurious to
you alone Its effects are equal, and the same for
US all.
You accuse the Republican party Of uterior and
secret designs. How can party that counts in
votes IN this land of free speech and free press by
the hundreds OF thousands, have any secret de-
signs! Who is the .onjurer, and where are the
hidden springs by which he control Its encou-
gregated and widely-d;sPer:ed masses and direct
But what are these hidden purposess You name
only one. That one is to introduce negro equality
AMONG Won. Suppose We had the power to change
your Social system, what warr>ut have you for sup