Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1860-11-17
Our Cotemporaries.

brethren OF the Press for their various
notices of our prospectus, and wclcom-
our advent into the fraternity of jour
nalists. To the Puget Sound Herald
we assert our surprise at its manner of
exhibiting editorial courtesy. The edi-
itor of that sheet fatty contndictcd
our assurances, on what he pronounced
good authority. 1t would have been
well to have waited until lie had some
assurances from us before he advised
the world that we solicited subscribers
to an enterprise we only designed to
continue in the event of the election of
Il Republican President. The alvcr-
tisemcnt of our intended movement was
alive desired, and his comments, though
uncalled for, and destitute of tounda-
ton, benefited us, probably, more than
a commentator from that source. At
all events, we now say, with regard
for the TRUTH, that we ARE assured, on
excellent authority, that the notice of
that paper did lis no injury.
To the Pioneer and Democrat we re-
spond cordially and gratefully. Were
ciprocatc its wishes for our pccuniary
success, and trust that the kind feelings
exhibited will long continue. We in
tend to battle with it on political issues
on all occasions, and expect most gem
orally to differ, but let us differ as men
and brethren, seeking more for truth
than mere success of party. We here
pledge oursclt not to be the first to
violate the pleasant friendly feeling it
extends in its article welcoming our
proposed enterprise.
We acccptthc friendly banter thrown
down in its notice of the establishment
ofthis journal. 1t says but truly, ".Jus-
tice to the party [Rcpublican] demands
that their principles should he laid fairly
and sq,arcly before the people of this
Territory Has the editor Of the Pio-
ncer always carried out that doctrine?
Have not the Republican party been
unsparingly denounced in its columns
us abOlitionists, and t;,vorers of hidcous
doctrines of disunion. The people of
the Territory have looked in vain in
the columns of the Pioneer for Il true
representation of Republican princi-
pies. In the notice the editor asserts Il
diversity of opinion among Republicans
upon the question of the power of Con-
grcss under the Constitution over slave
ry iii the Territories. We defy the cd
itor of that sheet to show the proceed
ings of single Republican Conven-
ton which denies the right of Congress
under this Constitution to legislate upon
the question OF slavery. Itistruc many
Republicans, with an abiding conf
dcnce in the people, arc willing to al
low them to settle the character of their
own institutions, and doubt the expcdi-
ency of the exercise of that power by
Congress; but no Republican, anywhere,
denies the distinctive feature of Repub-
licanism to be that the Trainers of the
Constitution, and the early Fathers of
the Republic vested in Congress the
right and power to legislatc. The Pi-
onccr was right when it said the estab.
lishmcnt Of the STANDARD would fairly
draw party lines and inurc to the benc-
fit of both. Men will then be of one
or the other party, and can no longer
proclaim that they are call right" in
the event of the success ofcithcr Brock
cnridgc, Bell, or Douglas. Pray, Mr..
Editor, who were you for when You
wrote those lines? In the great at
tempt to fuse the discordant elements
against ABE LINCOLN, who was your t;.-
voritc? Were you not for anybody,
and all of them together, if they could
defeat the Republican candidate? Your
party were, while the Republicans stood
aloof, on their creed adopteda at Chicago,
open to the inspection of the world,
acknowledgements rearing aloft the Re-
publican fag-pure and undefilcd, for
LINCOLN, first, last, only, all the time.
Your party and your creed, was the cleo
ton of either of his opponents, your ST.
lence during the whole canvass, would
have made you call right" in the event
o:kIo~ Ill.,, %w,,A1,