The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-08-30
An American, or the Conflict,

straight out American party in the State Of
New York, made speech the other day in
which he took the position that the Arneri
cans hod no nominee for President and Vice
President, and were therefore at perfect lib.
erty to make their own selections. lie an
nounced himself in favor Of Lincoln and
H,mlin, and spoke as follows Of the ,ssu, Of
the day:
"The American party attempted to oceu-
py middle conciiatory ground on the per
picking question. It has been all in vain
We have been crying peace, peace, bat there
is no peace. The agitation Of this question
has increased and spread, until now shakes
the whole country from its centre TO its re-
motest borders. All other questions Of prin-
ciple or governmental policy have sunk into
insignifcance, and it alone has become
the issue of a Presidential campaign. We
extended our lines and barred our breasts in
1856 10 meet and quell this agitation. What
has been our fate? Our lines have been
broken on all oides-our ranks most soTelv
thinned end the shattered remnant OF cur
once gallant band is now 50 hemmed in by
the striving forces in the conflict. that it
must be ground to powder If it continues to
remain in its present untenabie position.-
What, then, is to be done? We must choose
between these striving forces. 1t is useless
to remain neutral unless we retire and wrap
ourselves close in the mantle Of Indifference.
Such as have temperament adapted to such
state Of torptude may congratulate them.
selves. For my part do not envy them.
cannot look on indifferentiy. For myself I
must take one side or the other. We all
must The issue between these forces must
be met and passed upon. Then let US, while
in the vigor Of our physical and intellectual
strength entor the conflict and by determin-
ing, end it, 1t would be urplanly to defer
it until the infrmties oc old age shall have
disqualified US for the service, or to saddle
our posterity with task which our procras-
tination shall have made 50 much the more
onerous.
Those opposing forces are nothing more
and nothing less than the slave power on one
side. striving against its opponents on the
other side for the ascendancy. This slave
power has assumed within the past few
years most mighty proportions. From do
mestie institution, regulated by local law. it
has plunged to the very foundation Of our
Government, and usurped the place of Liher-
ty, the cornerstone or which it was erected.
It has scared to the summit of the arch which
spans cur Union, and claimed itself the key
stone. Verify, the stone which the build
crs rejected has become the head of the cor
ner' .- as r.a
~ suppose orr Revolutionary struggle,
which caused a throb in every heart that
loved Liberty, and wrung a reluctant tribute
even from discounted oppression had been
presided over and directed by different
genius than the Slave Power would fam per-
suade US. supposed that when that strug-
gle for Liberty was7ended, and our forefath-
ers, with the smell of the battlefield yet on
their garments, laid the foundation Of our
Government, and reared the superstructure
thereon, which has been esteemed the pala-
dium of mans rights, meant it for what
il seemed, rather than for citadel of ref
uge for him who lived aud thrived upon
mans wrongs. Soyou have also supposed
Have We been mistaken? five have, ,et US
submit and end this strife IF we have not,
let us maintain the integrity of the trust
committed to us by our forefathers, and show
the world that the allegations Of the Slave
Power are libels on their memory, as base as
its assumptions are false end groundless, nv
shearing it Of its high prctensions, curbing
the range of its power, and defining boun-
dary beyond which it clnnot pass. In fact
this slave power must be made subordinate
to liberation, rather than suffered TO be do
minant over all restraint, A Slave Code
may be necessary, but not for the encourage
ment Of slavery, but for its Limitation and
regulation within its present limits 1t may
be told plainly and emphaticaly, so that there
may be no misunderstanding or mistake,
that within the States where is now exists,
it shall remain nndisturbed by any interfer-
eiice from the free States, and that all the
rights and immunitles to
which it is legally and Justly entitled,
shall be faithfully enforced and pre-
served; and that beyond this it cannot and
will not be suffered to go.
Until the asccndency of slavery is pcr,na-
nently established, or its limits emphatically
and definitely defined, there win be no rest
from the agitation with which we are nov
neither can questions oc the great
est moment to our country's welfare receive
my attention whatever, much less that az
tention which their importance dcma- Is
Then let us meet it manhlly, but in spirit
of ofkindness, justice, patriotism, and phiian-
thropy. II may sorely try the s,ength of
,ur Union, but sooner or later it must en-.
lure the test. If its endurance will not bear
he settlement of questions which disturb
md distract its harmony, lei. US know its
weakness and suffer the consequence. at
sis better to dwell in a corner of the house
top than with brswling woman in wide
house" ....
He considers the proposition for Union
with the Douglasities, and scouts it as