The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1860-09-27
tFrom tho Greenfield Ropablloan
A Card from G. II. Blackburn.
GREENrIELD. d. July 25Ih. l86O.

Trajectory statements have recently been
respecting my position politi-
cally, Notwithstanding the fact that I
have always up to the present time, when
engaged in conversation on this sub.
iect, refraiued from any expression in
dieating my preference, from among the
many Presidential aspirants, who arc
now before the peope--s0ve the one.
that, under no circumstances, would I
support Mr. Douglas, for the Office Of
President Of these United States; and in
order that my position may be properly
and correctly understood, and that all
doubts and misapprehensions may be re-
moved from the minds Of my fellow
citizens on this subject. I deem it but
justice to myself, that through the col
umns Of your paper I should state my
preference for the office Of President,
from the list of candidates who are now
in the field, together with some of the
reasons that induced my selection.
And l may here state, that l have al
ways been a Democrat, advocating and
sustaining the principles Of the party;
believing as I have, that the principles
of pure and genuine Democracv when
properly comprehcnded, and fully un.
derstood, are purely Of an Anti. Slavery
character, History records the fact be-
yond the power of contravention, that
the Father and great Archetypc Of De.
mocracy, Thomas Jefferson, when prop
agating the cardinal principles of this
party, spoke of them as being absolute
ly Anti-Savcry in their nature. In ad-
dition to this by tracing the history Of
this national party from its inception,
we find that as late as 1848, in the
Democratic State Convention assembled
at Columbus, Ohio, resolutions were
adopted as a part of the State platform,
not only endorsing the principles as
enunciated by Jefferson, but went still
further by declaring their intention not
only to oppose the extension Of Slave
ry, but never to cease their operations
against this national evil, until the same
was finally "crudicuied' from the States
where it then existed by virtue of mu-
nicipal regulation This was going fur
ther into the matter than the present
Republican party has ever gone; and
the Democracy has repeatedly
branded the Republican Party as being
a Sectional Abolition party, yet the
record shows indisputably that the Re
publican Party has never endorsed nor
advocated such radical Abolition meas
ures as were incorporated in the Dem
ocratc State platform of 1S48. Enter
tanning the same views then that | do
now, | believe the resolutions of 48, as
adopted in the State Convention, were
not a correct exposition of Democratic
principles, for however much l may dep
recate the existence of Slavery as a ma
tional evil, still I believe that we have
no Constitutional authority to interrupt
it where it exists by virtue of local
law, and that our only legitimate duty
is to oppose its extension into free Ter
ritory.
And as have always been opposed
to the extension of Slavery, I shall new
er vote for any man, for President Of
these United States, who will by word
The next question that presents itself
for ISOLATION is: Are the Democratic
candidates for President, in favor Of,
or opposed to the extension of Slavery?
l propose more correctly to answer this
question to the satisfaction of every one,
by presenting the Platforms upon which
Breckenridge and Douglas stand, to.
gether with the record of those men.
The lst and 2nd resolutions Of the
Breckenridge plat'fm adopted at Charles
ton and re-afirmed in Baltimore, is pro-
uOunced by all ultra Pro-Slayery, as ia.
voring the extension of Slavery by its
very terms, which no honest Democrat
will attempt to deny. TO the language
contained in the lst and 2nd resolutions
of said platform Mr., Breckenridge in
his letter Of acceptance dated June 23d,
1860, speaks as follows:
"The questions touching the rights
of persons and property, which have
of late been so much discussed, find in
these resolutions a Constitutional solution.
The resolutions adopted by the Couven-
ton have my cordial approval. They
are just to all parts Of the Union, to all
our citizens, native and naturalized, aud
they form a noble policy for any admin
istration." Here we find the candidate
for one wing of the Democracy, who
not only stands upon a Pro-Slavery
platform, but who in his letter Of ac-
ceptance, endorses the same by giving
his cordial approval, and pronouncing
it just to all parts Of the Union and
such as forms a policy for any admins
tration; and while l most respectfully
differ with Mr. Breckenridge on these
questions of principle, and am thereby
compelled to withhold my support from
him, nevertheless with all possible de-
ference to this distinguished gentleman,
unhesitatingly acknowledge his pro
found ability as a statesman and as a
man Of sterling integrity, but one who
has inouloOted mistaken views on ques.
tons of practical importance.
/ will now in as brief and concise a
manner as possible, give my reasons for
refusing to support Mr. Douglas; and
in so doing, l shall endeavor to satisfy
ALL that Mr., Douglas not only is pre-
scented by his past history as a Pro,
Slavery man in principle, but also, that
his political history for few years past
presents but a category of inconsi5ten-
cies. which is only characteristic of q