White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1860-07-05


was supported at all at Chicago. r
AS to the platform put forth BY tn
Chicago Convention, / have little to say
because whether good or bad, that vii
not constitute the ground of nv suppor
Of Mr.. Lincoln. T'have no great respec
for party platforms in general. They arr
commonly made in times of high excite
ment, under pressure of circumstances
and with the view to conciliate present
support, rather than to establish a DER.
manent system of principles and line o.
policy for the future good government o.
the country. Che conventions which
form them arc transient in their nature
their power and influence are consumed
in the using. leaving no continuing obi.
cation upon their respective parties
And hence we need not wonder that plat.
forms so made, are hardly ever acted ouI
in practice. 1 shall not discuss their rel.
ative merits, but content myself with
saying that this Republican platform,
though in several particulars it does moi
conform to my views, is still far better
than any published creed, past or pres.
ent, of the Democrats. And as to the
new party, it has not chosen to promul-
gate any platform at all, except two or
three broad generalities which are COM
mon to the professions of faith of all par
ties in the country. No party, indeed,
dare ask the confidence of the nation,
while openly denying the obligation to
support the Union and the Constitution,
and to enforce the laws. That is a com
mon duty, binding upon every citizen,
and the failure to perform it is q crime.
To me it is plain that the approaching
contest must be between the Democratic
and Republican parties and, between
them, prefer the latter.
The Democratic party by the long pos
session and abuse of power, has grown
wanton and reckless has corrupted it.
self and perverted the principles of the
Government has set itself openly against
the great home interests of the people, by
neglscting to protect their industry, and
by refusing to improve and keep in
order the highways and depots of COM
merce and even now is urging a meas
ure in Congress to abdicate the constitu-
tional power and duty to regulate COM
merce among the States, and to grant to
the States the discretionary power to levy
tonnage duties upon all our commerce,
under the pretence of improving hsrbOrs,
rivers, and lakes; has changed the status
of the negro slave by making him no Ion.
ger mere property, but politician, an
antagonist power in the State, a power
to which all other powers are required to
yield, under penalty of dissolution of
the Union has directed its energies to
the qualification of its last Of foreign do
main, as manifested ia its persistent eff.
forts to seize upon tropical regions, not
because those countries and their iacon-
gruous people are necessary, or even de-
sirable. to be incorporated into our ma
ton, but for the mere purpose Of making
Slave States, in order to advance the po-
liticsi power of the party in the Senate
and in the choice of the President. so as
effectually to transfer the chief powers of
the Government from the many to the
few; has in various instances endanger-
ed the equality Of the CO ordinate branch.
es of the Government, by urgent efforts
to enlarge the powers Of the Executive at
the expense of the Legislative department;
has attempted to discredit and degrade
the Judiciary. BY affecting to make it, at
first, the arbiter of party quarrels, to be-
come soon and inevitably the passive
registrar of party DEGREES.
In most, If not all these particulars, !
understand the Republican party Cudg-
ing it by its acts and by the known opin-
ions of many Of its leading men to be
the exact Opposite of the Democratic
party and that is the ground Of my pref
erence of the one party over the other
And that alone would be q sufficient res-
son, il had not other good reasons, for
supporting Mr.. Lincoln against any man
who may be put forward BY the Demo
cratic party. as the exponent OF Its prin'
ciples and the agent to work out, in prac-
tice. its dangerous politics.
The third party, which, BY its very
formation, has destroyed the organiza'
tions of the American and Wing parties.
has nominated two most excellent men.
I know them well. as sound statesmen
and true patriots. More than thirty years
ago served with them both in Con-
Rrsss, and from that time to this l have
always held them in respect and honor.
But what can the third party do towards
the election of even such worthy men as
these against the two great parties which
are now in actual contest for the power
to rule the nation 2 1t is made up en-
tirely of portions of the disintegrated ell
ements Of the late Wing and American
parties-good materials, in the main. II
admit, but quite too weak to elect any
man or establish any principle. The
most il can do is, here and there in par
ticular localities, to make diversion In
favor of the Democrats. In SO, tho Wing
and American parties. mot forming q
new party, but united as allies, With en-.
tire unanimity and some zeal. supported
Mr.. Fillmore for the Presidency, and
with what results Z We made q misera-
BILE failure, carrying no State but gallant
little Maryland. And surely. the united
Wings and Americans of that day had
far greater show of strength and far bet
ter prospects of success than any which
belong to the Constitutional Union party
49, n fat eaa M noasihilifv of gucs