The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1860-08-23

tuition Of the United States, and in pal
lpable violation of what has been re-
garded settled national policy. 1t
should be matter of singing regret
to be, if from our bearing in the pres
ent contest, we could be fairly charged
hereafter with violation of the prin-
oiples we have long professed to cher
ish, or with having imposed the slight
est impeachment in the pathway of q
rational, well grounded and progress
sive liberty.
The all absorbing question now pre-
sented to the American citizen, for
what will prove to be his ultimate de-
cision, have watched narrowly as it
has risen into Importance from year to
year, and think I know the opinions
of the several Presidential candidates
respecting it.
l am not aware that the supporters
of Mr.. Breckenridge attempt any con-
cealment as to his designs in case of
his success. If they should desire to
resortto prevarication, they have placed
it entirely without their power by the
frankness and boldness, and l had al
most said, the recklessness of their de-
clarations. He has been put forth
prominently, alike in speech and plat
form, as the Achilles of the armies of
the South, and as the determined foe of
free soil, free speech and free men. He
stands upon no single Democratic SEN
timent, unless, indeed, what was regard
by all statesmen, within the last fifteen
years as the pretentious heresies of
John &. Calhoun, can be so regarded
He SO reads the teachings of the ages
of the past, and their primary law, as
to make it fruitless to attempt an ex-
olusion of his peculiar and favorite in
stitution from the organized territories
and so as to make it indispensable that
Congress, Courts and Presidents should
exercise all their ingenuity and all their
powers to fortify and sustain it there.
Legislative action is to be invoked, ju-
dicial DEGREES had, executive fats pro-
nounced, navies equipped, and armies
marshaled, to exclude forever every
settler therefrom who will not bow
down before the black god of his idola-
trous worship. l appeal to you, free
men, to know whether this is the De-
mocracy of Jefferson, Madison, Monroe
and Jackson. l appeal to you to know
whether you have ever found anything
in the annals of parties so insulting to
the understanding, until within the life
timo of the youth who has not yet
reached his majority. / Iappeal to you
to know whether the honesty, intelIi-
gence and unmixed blood of the off.
spring of Northern mothers can ever
except an excuse for those who would
endeavor to fasten such ruler upon
us. But we may congratulate ourselves
that even official zeal can perceive no
chance for MIR. Breckinridg election.
If there had ever been any, the recent
stump speech Of Mr.. Buchanan would
have effeotually disposed of it. No
amount of popularity would be able to
stand against the eneomium of such
an advocate. His midnight appeal can
only be accounted for by supposing the
cold public functionary" was unable to
Obliterate his animosities towards ssthe
young gentleman of Kentucky" and
that his well-known craft suggested a
speech as the readiest and least often
sive means of destruction. Such sug-
gestions are the more reasonable as it
is not to be imagined that the gyved
tenant of the White House should for
a moment believe, after the investiga-
tions which have been made, such tes-
timony as he volunteered could be 9TH
erwise than ruinous to any cause. The
daring evinced by him on this occasion
was only equaled by his lack of self
respect, and his utter disregard of the
circumstances by which he was sur
rounded, and which should have re-
strained him.
Whatever conclusion may be drawn
as to my estimates of Mr.. Breckinridge's
character as politician, 1 can only saw
that my esteem for him is profound
when brought into comparison with
that which / entertain for his Demo.
cratic competitor. There are few, il
any, living men concerning whom more
has been said, and less really known,
than Stephen A. Douglas, of Illinois.
There are thousands, by far too many
thousands, now sustaining him under
the mistaken and delusive idea that he
is directing his efforts to counteract the
plan of the Southern Democracy. This
is frightful hallucination, but natur,
al one, when we take into consideration
the humiliating fact that all that devo-
ton could do has been done, by those
surrounding his person, to distort true
record, and to stamp counterfeit char.
acter for him on the public mind
Viewing him as one of the most unsafe
and treacherous leaders, you will par
don me certain statements which it now
seems necessary should be made, and
the correctness of which presume will
not be impugned.
j have not yet forgotten when, in the
winter of 1856, during the first session
of the Thirtyfourth Congress, the res
idents Of Kansas, asseverating that the
cardinal principle of the Nebraska
Kansas act had been wantonly and
wickedly nullified, that fraud and vio-
lence ooncoctcd in the blue-lodge OF
Missouri, had invaded their homes and
Imposed a foreign rule upon them for
the purpose of forcing upon them insti.
tutions which they abhorred, and In
voking the interposition of Congress in