Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-03-15
New Series---Vol. XIV, No. 10.

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but the Union of our country so much more.
! We have been made to believe, from time to
/ time, that, in a crisis, both of these precious
/ institutions could not be saved together, and,
! therefore, We have, from time to time, surren-
! dered safeguards of freedom to propitiatc the
! loyalty OF capital, and stay its hands from do
ing violence to the Union. The true state OF
the case, however, ought not to be 4 mystery
to ourselves. prescience indeed, is not given
to statesmen; but we are without excuse when
we fail to appreherd tia logic Of current
events. Let parties, or the Government,
choose to do what they may, the people of
the United States do not prefer the wealth Of
the few to the liberty of the many, capital to
labor, African slaves to white freemen, in the
National Territories and in future States.
That question has never been distinctly rec
ognized or acted on BY them The Republi-
can party embodies the popular protest and
reaction against policy which has been
fastened upon the nation by surprise. and
which its reason and conscience, concurring
with the reason and conscience of mankind,
condemn.
The choice OF the nation is now between
the Democratic party and the Republican par
ty. It's principles and policy are therefore,
justly and even necessarily examined. know
OF only one policy which it has adopted OF
avowed. na;nely, the saving Of the Territories
Of the United States, if possible by constitu-
tional and lawful means, from being homes
for slavery and poygamy. Who that consid-
ers where this naticn exists, of what races it
is composed, in what age Of the world it acts
Its part on The public stage, and what are its
predominant institutions, customs, habits,
and sentiments, doubts that the Republican
party can, and will, if unwaveringly faithful
to that policy and just and loyal in all be-
sides, carry it into triumphal success2 To
doubt is to be uncertain whether civilization
can improve, or christianity save, mankind.
may. perhaps, infer from the necessity Of
the case, that it WILL in al! c6lrts cnd places,
stand by tie fre5lb;l Of speech and of the
press and the Constitutional rights of free
men e?Grywhere. that it will favor the speedy
Improvement OF the public domain by home
stead laws, and will encourage mining man.
uiacturing and internal commerce, with need
iul connections between the Atlantic and Pa
cifc States-for all these arc important inter-
ests Of freedom. For all the rest the nation
al emergencies, not individual influences,
must determine, as society goes on the policy
and character Of the Republican party. AL
ready bearing its part in legislation and in
treaties, it feels the necessity of being practi
cal in its care of the national health and life,
while it leaves metaphysical speculation to
those whose duty it is to cultivate the enno-
bling science of political philosophy.
But, in the midst Of these subjects, or rath-
er, before fully reaching them, the Republi-
can party encounters, unexpectedly, a new
and potential issue-one prior, and therefore
paramount to all others, one Of national life
and death. just as if 90 much had not al
ready been conceded: nay, just as if nothing
at all had ever been conceded to the interest
6 Il 1 lo,-
of disunion, louder, more distinct, more en-
phatic than ever. with the condition annexed
that they shall be executed the moment that
Republican Administration, though constitu-
tionaly elected, shall assume the Government.
do not certainly know that the people are
prepared to call such an Administration to
power, | know only that, through a success
sion of floods which never greatly excite, and
GIBBS which never entirely discourage me, the
volume of Republicansm rises continually
higher and higher. They are probably wise
whose apprehensions admonish them that it
is already strong enough for effect
Hitherto the Republican party has been
content with one self-interrogatory-h ma
ny votes it can cast? These threats enforce
another-has it determination enough to cast
them? This latter question touches its spirit
and pride. | am quite sure, however, that as
ny other forms, it will in this emergency lay
aside all impatience of temper together with
all ambition and will consider these extraor-
dinary decamatiOns seriously, and with
Just moderation. 1t would be q waste of
| words to demonstrate that they are unconstI-
tutional, and equally idle to show that the
! responsibility for dsunion attempted or efec-
| TED must rest, not with those who, in the eX-
erciSe Of constitutional authority, maintain
! the Government, but with those who uncon-
stitutionally engage in the mad work of SUBJ
verting it.
What are the excuses for these menaces!
! They resolve themselves into this: the Re-
! publican party in the North is hostile to the
| South. But it already is proved to be ma
| iority in the North; it is therefore practically
the people of the North. Will it not still be
the same North that has forbOrne with you so
long and conceded TO yous much? Can
| you Justly assume that affection which has
| been so complying can all at once change to
hatred intense and inexorable?
You say that the Republican party is
a sectional one. Is the Democratic party less
sectional? Is it easier for US TO bear your
sectional sway than for you to bear ours? Is
| ii unreasonable that for once we should alter
nate? But is the Republican party section
al? Not unless the Democratic party IS.
The Republican party prevails in the House
of Representatives sometimes; the Democrat
ic party in the Senate always. Which Of the
two is the most proscriptive Come, if you
will, into the free States, into the State of
New York. anywhere from Lake Erie to Sag
Harbor, among my neighbors in the Owasco
valley; hold your Conventions nominate your
candidates, address the people, submit to
them, fully, earnestly, eloquently, all your
complaints and grievances of Northern dis
loyalty, oppression perfdy; keep nothing
back, speak just as freely and as loudly there
as you do here; you will have hospitable wei
comes and approaching audiences, with bal
lot-boxes, open for all the votes you can win.
Are Won less sectional than this? Extend to