The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1860-06-19


House, which makes Repul lican government
what it ought 10 be--a government founded
upon virtue. Enthusiastic cheers. And IN
eastern delegate. who had voted against him
in the Convention. W ispered TO me in a tone
Of tie highest satisfaction: "Sir. we might
have done more daring thing, but We GER
tainlv could no, havc done n better thing
prolonged applause
| cannot find words strong enough to do
signatc the stiffness of those who sneerlng'y
affected to see in Mr.. Lincoln but second or
third rate man. who, like Polk aud Pierce
had been taken up merely for the sake Of cx
pedicncv. Let them ask Mr.. Douglas. from
whose hands he wrestcd the popular majority
in Ilin,is; let them ask those. who once felt
the magic touch of his luch mind and honest
heart; let his detractors ask their own secret
msgivings, and in their own fears they will
read the cause Of the Joy and assurance Of
his friends. Applause. They whistle in
order to Keep mp their courage; but methinks
it is a doleful sound. Laughter and cheers.
So ihen, wc stand before the people, with the
platform Of free labor and upon it a true re.
preventative of free labor as candidate for
the presidency. On this attitude we chal.
lepge our encmies to battle.
The first attempt Of the Democracy to unite
upon platform and to nominate n candidate
failed. II could moi but fail as long as some
of them insisted on laying down party creed
that meant something. Democratic plat
form in order to b" satisfactory, must mean
nothing and everything. rs the Cincinnati
platform did. [Chccrs But thcv will try
again to repress the impossible Conflict which
rsges in thei, own ranks. and az for III dav
for doing SO. they hav" with great pronri"tv
chosen the 18Th Of june tl. anniversary Of
the battle Of w rcrloo. Applause What
the result of that Convention will lie, whether
one Of the c,'nt.stin! frctjons will carry tie
dar. or whether the, will sncc"el in uaili"e
them. by c"nc-Arg 10 on" IA" platform and
to the other the candidates. thus cheating
each other in attempting 20 chest the people.
is to me a matter Of snprer,c in Fl r"ncr -
The Democrats und ,nhial thought they had
done a veiy smart thing in ali 'aruing their
Convention wit ont nominating 3 candidate.
80 IS to d"p'iv' us Of ih" supposed advantage
/ Of knowing whs, antagonist we shall have 10
deal with. Without being aware Of it. they
h,ve inlred done n rrst thing for us; for
they have obliged us To rey fr success " on
the positive strength of orr cans", inSt"al Of
the accidental weakness nf An opposing can
dlate Enthusiastic cheers. And in this
noble and manly a,titni" we stand before
them, the only united National party in the
anI.
Whilc the Union savers did not daro 10 10y
down a common party crced-while the Dem
ccrats, with unscr puous dupIcity attempt
to commit new fraud upon III, peopc-the
Republican party has with mauIy f"arlessness
proclaimed it principles and nominated a can
tdste who fairly aud honestly represents
than. We have undertaken to defeat our op
/ ponents, not by CONCESSION and subterfugo,
but by boldly and unequivocally rcas'erting
principles in which We believe. We have un
dertaken to disarm tho prejudces that are a.
vaust us, not by panderng to them, but by
opposing 10 them the language Of truth. -
No grnedinoss Of a speedy party triumj h has
BETRAYED ia into the abandonment of single
pos ton; 10 desire to conclude advantageous
alliances has betrayed us into single conpro
/ mi'e am proud to SAY, we have disdalned
to purchase, a. the price Of single article OF
our creed, the support Of that small set OF
amphibious politicians who claim to hold the
balance of power. and whose o CO II seems n
have been for years to demoraize parties with
their trrachcrous promises Of support; Zap.
plause; i of those hcartc.s men who, when n
wholr continent is on fire, calcul'te with
bloodIess cooness from what side thcy eau
draw the greatest advantage. They may
feel bio with the vain boast that they will be
strong enough TO defeat us-we have shown
them uncquivocally enough, that they will
never be strong enough 10 corrupt u.s. En-
thusiastc cheers We have indeed invited
the support OF all citizens, whatever their par
" affiliations NAV have been. But we will
not gain it b, false prc,ens's. We will spesk
TO them the language Of great principles, W,
WILL appeal TO their sense Of right and jus
tce. we will assault their understandings with
irrefutahle arguments, we will storm their
hearts with solemn invoc,tionS, but we have
disdained to descend to Ambiguous tricks, which
by showing that we do not dare 10 be our.
selves would make us unworthy Of being sup
ported hy Others. Loud cher, and applause.
Such is the Republican party of to-day. 1t
is strong. for it socks aud fluids its strength il
the greatness Of the cause it defe Dis. Il
will be VIC orious, fur il deserves success. l.,
success will be a decisive triumph Of oui
cause, and il the worst should come, even
defeat would be mere delay of certain SIC
tory. And 50 we are ready to give hattie
armed with that scrupuous jealousy of prn
ciple. that will make us rather perish thar
compromise the right; with that honest pride
Of conviction, wh:h spring. from deep con-
sciousness Of good faith and true devotion II
just cause. Great applause And the
signs Of tho times show that even in polite,
honesty is the b'st policy, for a thos" honest
men who mean to do right, although they
formerly stood az inst us, arc fast aocking a
round our banner. Cheers.
Sir, have heard here and there murmu
Of disappointment. What! with cause anC
platform like ours' With such standard
bearers as Lincoln and Hamllnl 1t is hardly
credtahle. Listen to me single moment.
Standing as we do on the threshold Of grea
decisions, | cannot suffer my mind to be en-
Gagged in the walls OF this house, or in the mar
row lines Of party policy, nor even in thu
boundaries Of this country There is th'
wide world around us with is manifold race
and nation. Of men. all Of them for thous
, ands Of years engaged in an arduous struggle