The semi-weekly mountain Democrat., 1860-11-06

1 y ~~~---E~-N
in the field for the Presidency. 1t was
practical maxim with the immortal Jack
son" Think we'll before you act, bu
when the time for action comes stoI
thinking" The time for action" with
you, has come-the season for reflection
has passed. You have heard the merits
Of the cOntending parties and their candi'
dates fully discussed. Their respective
claims upon your support have been tho
roughly canvassed. You have had all
the necessary documents for your cnlight.
eminent furnished you. All facts requis-
ite for arriving at just conclusion have
been faithfully placed before you. The
best orators Of the State have been among
you and have reasoned with you, face to
face, upon all the issues involved in the
contest. You have heard all that could
we'll be said, and read all that could well
be read, pro and con, and you have had
ample time inwardly to digest what you
have heard and read. If it were ever
your intention to make up your minds how
you intended to act, previous to the mo-
ment for action, surely so important step
has not been deferred to this late hour.
We do not, then, at this late day, intend
to argue with you. Fully aware arc we
that on the day Of political contest
when all is excitement and confusion and
anxiety, is no time for extended political
homelics or argumentative disquisitions.
However clearly demonstrative or forcibly
eloquent such documents, they have no
influence upon the minds Of the people
already determined.
AS this is the last chance we shall have
to address our fellow. citizens before they
decide, for veal or woe, the destiny Of this
empire Of freemen, VIC wish to avail our
selves of the opportunity to submit few
parting remarks which, we trust, may
not be inappropriate. First, then, we
take it for granted that the present con.
test is narrowed down to a struggle be-
tween Lincoln and Breckenridge. No
sane man, who watches the signs Of the
times, can doubt this. Douglas will not
get the Electoral vote Of single State.
Bell will fare, in all probability, no better.
Lincoln will carry almost certainly every
free State except Oregon, New York and
California. Breckinridge vii! carry, with
as much certainty, every slave State. The
xotc- of New York against Lincoln will
defeat him. Cast for Breckenridge it will
elect Breckenridge. But although, from
causes which are silently at work, New
York will most likely 60 against Lincoln,
there is no positive assurance, in such
event, that her united Electoral vote will
be cast for Breckenridge. II, however,
Breckenridge goes to the Electoral College
endorsed, as he will be, by the united
South, and can have the moral influence
Of the support Of the only two States in
the Union not directly interested in the
question Of negro slavery-Oregon and
California-it will go long way toward
conciliating the vote Of the Empire State
in his favor. If it is not cast as unit for
him majority, in all likelihood, can be
obtained sufficient, with the votes of Cali
fornia and Oregon, to elect him. Oregon
is made doubly sure to the National De-
mocracy through the effect Of the election
Of Baker by the Infamous coalition of the
Douglasites and A6oltionists.
But the moral influence of CALIFORNIA; S
support is necessary. Not only this, but
her vote may prove the casting vote in
this contest. How does she intend to cast
that vote? This is for you, felow-citi-
zens, to decide by your votes at the ballot
box today. And how are you going to
cast your votes to-day, likely to be the
most memorable in the annals Of our
country? You surely will not vote for
Douglas or Bell. You appreciate the
value Of your suffrages too well to throw
them thus foolishly away at such crisis
as this. You must vote, if you wish to
cast your suGrages for candidate who
has any show for election, for either Lin
coin or Breckinridge. Will you vote for
Lincoln, who proclaims the existence Of
an irrepressible conflict" which, despite
Constitutional guarantees and statutory
enactments, will force the Northern States
to the adoption Of slave labor, or the
Southern States to the abolishmert of it,
and the adoption Of free labor? Or will
you vote for Breckenridge who acknowl-
edges no such con6ict-except so far as it
exists in the brains Of crazy fanatics and
designing demagogues-but who is for
protecting each kind Of labor in its appro-
pirate sphere, by throwing around each
all the safeguards that the laws Of the
land and the Constitution Of the country
can affordG Will you vote for Lincoln
who, upon n certain occasion, declared
that If the Declaration of independence
did not mean that negroes were equal to
white men when it said all men were
"created equal, )" it was fraud upon hu-
manity and should be torn from the ar
chives Of the nation? Or will you vote