The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1860-10-03
Republicauisln. by an Ally.


who indulge in heavy invective against the
Democracy, there is one brand calling them
selves Free Constitutionalists," or believ-
ers in the doctrine, as yet but family shad-
owed forth by Republican leaders, viz
"That the Constitution Goes not authorize
property in man." slavery is a Zodiac
cursed institution and that it should be
fought in every way known to hate or skill"
The Free Constitutionalists are not Garri-
sonians. They believe in the Constitution
and insist that it confers libertyon all classes
and colors, while the Garrisonians say that
it is "a league with hell" These "Free
Constitutionalists" have recently issued an
Address to the People of the United
Stats" and below will be found an extract
from it. If our conservative opponents
esteem it severe, we are persuaded that
there are thousands Of the radical portion
of them in Iowa who will admit that it is
Just. After speaking Of "the different fac
ton now cuntcndlng for possession Of the
government" the Address thus proceeds:
Ofall these factions, the Republican is the
most thoroughly sensless, baselcss, aimless.
inconsistent and insincere. It has no con
stitutional principles to stand upon. and 1t
lives up to no moral ones. I. aims at moth
ing for freedom, and is sure to accomplish
| it. The other factions have at least the
merits Of frankness and consistency. They
are openly on the side Of slavery, and make
no hypocritical grimaces at supporting it.
The Republicans, on the other hand. are
double-faced, double-tongued, hypocritical,
and inconsistent to the last degree. We
speak now of their presses and public men.
| Duplicity and deceit seem to be regarded
! by them as their only available capital
This results from the fact that the faction
consists Of two wings, one favorable to lib
crty, the other to slavery; neither of them
alone strong enough for success; and nei-
ther of them honest enough to submit to
present defeat for their principles. How to
keep these two wings together until they
shall have succeeded in ciutching the spoils
and power of Office, is the great problem
with the managers. The plan adopted is to
make, on the one hand, the most desperate
efforts to prove that their consciences and
all their moral sentiments are opposed to
slavery, and that they will do every thing
they constitutionauy can, against it; and,
on the other, to make equally desperate ef
forts to prove that they have the most sa
cred reverence for the constitution, and that
constitution gives them no power whatever
to interfere with slavery in the States Sc
they cry to one wing of their party, "Put
us in power, and we viii do every thing We
constitutionnly can for liberty" To the
other wing, they cry, put us in power
You can do it with perfect safety to slavery
for conslttutionaHy we can do nothing
against it. where it is"
1t is lucky for these Jesutical dema
gogues' that there happen to be, bordering
uron the United States, certain wilderness
regions, over which the United States hav.
hitherto usurped jurisdiction. This give:
them an opportunity to make a show 0
living up to their professions, by appearing
to carry on terrific war against slavery
outside Of the United States, achere 1t 1
not; while, acithin the United States, "eher
tt u.s. they have no political quarrel with i
whatever, but only make pretence of hav
, ing very violent moral sentiments.
Outside of the United States, wher
slavery is not, and where the United State
really have no jurisdiction, the battle i
made, by these men, to appear to be rea
battle Of statutes, at least, if not of princi
, pies. Within the United States, wher
;, slavery is, and where the United State
haze jurisdiction, the contest is plainly
contest Of hypocrisy, rhetoric and flstian
: and selfish struggle for the honors an
5 Spoils of Office.
In this warfare, in which it is understood
that slavery is not to be hurt, the weapon
l employed are mostly absurd, bombastit
v and fraudulent watchwords, in preferenc
r to any constitutional principles, that Nigh
be dangerous to the object assaed Anon
the watchwords are these: ''Freedom M
: tional, Slavery SECTIONAL Free Labor an
l Free Men," NOn-eXtension of Slavery;
s Down with the Slave Oligarchy," &c, 4.
y All these, as used by the Republicans, ar
: either simple absurdities, or fair-soundin
) ialschoods.
). Take, for example, "Freedcm Nationa
o Slarery Sectional" This is both an al
: surdity and falsehood, on its face: for ho
can freedom be national, so long as an
. secti0n of the nation can be given I'D
l. slavery? "Freedom National," to ha,
It any sense, implies paramount law for fre
! dom pervading the whole nation; and is il
consistent with the idea that slavery can b
l legal in so much even as a section of IL
'r nation. But. in the mouths of the R epul
S licans, "Freeaom National, Slavery .Sectio,
al" means simply that, for territory on
side Of tile United States, there is par
mount national law, that requires. or
/ least permits liberty; while, within Il
United States, this national law is, or lega
,e ly may be, overborne by national or Sc
y tional laws; and thus the entire tcrritc1
., of the nation be given up to "section
- slavery"
IF there be any territory, ,cithin the Un
ID rel States in regard to which this assum
n. national law Of freedom is paramount,
>, can be, at most. only the District Of Colul
- bia, and few places occupied as forts, a
he senals, &c, over which Congress have ''e
Of elusive egislation'-places which are b.
n as pin points on the map of the nation.
~ And yet this false, absurd, self-contI
;" dictory, and ridiculous motto, which real
ne means nothing for freedom, but gives
to the whole nation to slavery, if the sectio
Is (States) so choose. has already had 10,
life, as expressing one of the cardinal pri
ciples of the Republican faction.
+. The motto, Free Labor and Free Men
I'd in the mouths of the Republicans, is
IN false and Jcsuitical as "Freedom Nation,
and Slarery SECTIONAL" In the mouths
#. honest men, it would imply that they've
X. intent upon giving freedom to labor al
ss men, that mo are not free. But in t
D. mouths Of Republicans, It only means til
~ they are looking after the interests of t
he labor and the men, that are already .ti.
Nv and that, as for the labor and the men, g..
70 are not free, they may remain in honda
h, forever, for aught the Republicans will ev
II do to help them out Of it.
This false, heartless, and infamo
watchw0rd-(or it deserves no milder d,