The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1860-04-05
Hu(ltiral.
THE'ADMIssIoN OF KANSAS.
The labor States vs. the Capt.
tai States.
I prSITfBR or THE REPUBl lCAN PARTY.
sPEECH OF, MR. SEWARD,

Dellcered IN the L. s. .Srnote, FeGraary
29th, 1860.
! (COntinned) y
Let parties. or the Government, choose
or d. what they WaT, the people of the
| United States do not prefer the wealth of
tl.e few to the liberty of the many, CAPT
tai to labor, African slaves to white free
men, in the national Territories and in
future States. That question has never
been distinctly recognizeu or acted OH BY
them The Republican party embodics
the popular protest aud reaction against
policy which has been fastened upon
the nation by surprise. aud which It's rea
son and conscience, coucu,rlng with the
reason aud conscience Of mankind, con-
demn. The choice of the nation is now
between the Democratic party and the
Republican party. Its principles and
policy are, therefore, justly and even nee
essarily examined. | know of only ore
policy which it has adopted or avowed
namely the saving of the Territories Of
the United States if possible, by consti-
tutional and lawful means, from becoming
homes for Slavery and Poiygamy.
! Who, that considers where this nation
exists, of what races it is composed, in
What age Of the world il acts it part on
the public stage ard what are it's predom-
inant institutions, customs, habits and
sentiments, doubts that the Republican
party can and will, if nnTayerngly ly faith
full to that policy, and just and loyal in
all beside, carry it into triumphant sue
cess To doubt is to be uncertain wheth-
er civilization can improve or Christiani-
}!lu-save mankind. may, perhaps, In
I it viii, in all cuurts and places. stand "
the FRI edom of speech and Of the press
and the constitutional rights of frecmen
every where that it will favor the speedy
! improvement of the public domain by
homestead laws, and will encourage nln
| in.. manufacture, and internal commerce,
with needfll connections between the At
| lantic aud Pacific States-for all these
are important interests CT Freedom. For
all ,he rest. the national emergencies, not
/ individual influences, must determIne, as
,,c.eiy goes on, the policy, aud character
o the hepubiican party. Already bear
! in. irs pat IN legislation and III treaties,
1t feels the necessity Of being practical III
/ its care Of the national health and life,
while it leaves metaphysical speculation
to those whose duty it is to cultivate the
ennobllng science Of political philosophy,
! But in the midst of these subjects, or
rather, before fully reaching them, the
Republican party encounters unexpected
". a new and potential $sae-one prior,
and therefore paramount to all other: one
of national life and death.
Just as if SO much had not been al
ready conceded nay, just as if nothing
at all had ever been conceded, to the in
terest of capital Invested in men, we hear
menances of Disunlon, louder, more dis
tine, mure empharic than ever, with the
condition annexed that they shall be ex-
ecuted the moment that Il L publican
Administration, though eonstilutionally
elected, shall assume the Government.
| do not certainly know tat the pco-
pie are prepared to cali such an Admin
istratinn to power know only, that
through a succession OF floods which new
er greatly excite, and eDbs which never
entirely discourage me, the volume OF Re
publicanism rises continually higher and
higher They are probably wise whose
appreheHsions admonish them that it ls
already strong enough for effect. H!th-
crto the Republican party has been con-
tent with one self-interrOgatory-how
many votes it can cast? These threats
enforce another-has it determination
enough to cast them? This latter ques-
tion touches its spirit and pride. am
quite sure, however, that, as it has hith-
erto pract;sed self. denial in so many 9TH
er forms, it will ia this emergency lav
aside all ambition, and will consider these
eztraol binary dcclauations 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 disunlon
attempted or affected must rest not with
those who, in the exercise of Constitu-
tional authority, maintain the Govern
ment, but with those who demonstrations
ally engage in the mad work of subvert-
ing it.
What are the excuses for these mena.
ces2 They resolve themselves into this,