The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-11-30

From the Ashtubulu Sentinel, Nov. l4th, 1860
Letter from Mr.. Giddings to the Hon.
Thomas Ewing.

From the Ashtobulu Sentinel, Nov i4th 1860
Letter from Mr.. Giddings to the Hon.
Thomas Ewing.
To Hon. THOMAS EwINo: Sir:--I have read
your specnh Delivered at Chillicotho, with
interest. That interest was excited from
tho circumstance that it was made after you
became Satisfied that Mr.. Lincoln would Lo
clected-the whole speech, also, showing it
was not made to promote his election, but
TO guido his action, and tho action of his
Administration, after ho should como into
power. wus also aware that othcr gon-
tlemon who havo united with us, probably
for similar reasons. are endeavoring to bring
influences TO boar upon the President elect
/ that would lead him to disregard the doc.
trino on which he has been elected in ordcr
to re-ostablsh the old Wing party, and bo
/ guided by the councils of mpn who have
long since beon weighed in the balances and
| found wanting. For this purpose wo are
informed by tho public press, that mem.
I Dor of one Of the past executive cabinets
| visited Mr.. Lincoln before bo was elected,
aud then assured his friends at Washington,
| that the incoming Executive would enforce
tho fugitive slave law, which tho people of
tho froo State7 hold in contempt. Republi.
cans who have labored tor ton, fifteen, or
twenty yoars, spent their fortunes to cs.
tablish tho principles of that party, and
havo given existence, power aud energy to
tlo organization that has elected AIR. Lin.
coin, quietly cohfide in the pledge he has
gwen the country, to suppor; tho platform
on which all have agreed to stand. Those
doctrines are clearly expressed, AMI wcll un.
! dcrstood; aud it wero all insult TO ask him
! to violate them. No honorable man will do
! II.
There is but cne real isuo between the
Republican party and those factions who
stand opposed to it. That is tho question
of slavery. There is really no Other issue
formed. The Republicans nre pledged tn
exert the constitutional powers of govern.
mont in favor of liberty against oppression
and slavery, uhereper Il hss crciusirr juris.
d'cHon and, IL thoy exert those powers, TO
sustain slavery or tho slave trade at any
tine, or in any place, they will bring upon
themselves tho Same disploasure Of tho
people that the Wbig. the Democratic md
the Beli-Evcrott parties hayc'brought upon
their organizations.
Now, sir, do not dorbt your patriotic
intentions when you advise tho incoming
Administration to adopt tho policy and fol.
! low tho cxiinwlo of the former Wing party
but cannot forget tho fact that you have
assisted to inaugurato two Wing Admins
trations, you bUing membcr of the Cabinet
in each instance; that those Cabinots dis
solved and tho party substantially disbandod
! before tho close Of the frat session of Con.
gress that assembled Under thom. | cannot
suppose these signal failures will very
strongly commend your policy to Mr.. Lin
coin, or 10 any Republican. Indeed, every
intelligent man must be aware, that sub.
sorviency TO tho slavo poser, which you
recommend has destroyed all former fac
tions; while manly resistance to that power
ami steady adherence to the doctrine of the
Declaration of Independence, and of the
Constitution, has gvon TO tho Republicans
Influence and control of the National Gov.
o'nment. If We fail to profit by example, il
We disregard tho lessons Of history, if we
remain stupid in spite of cxpurioncc, our
Republican organization must also fail at nc
distant day.
But sir, desire to correct YOU in regard
to historical facts. You say "tho RepubIi
can party arose out of tho repeal OF the
Missouri Compromise" If this assertion
pass into history as truo it will place on Mr.
Douglas responsibilities which you ought tc
share with him. Tho repeal of tho Missouri
Compromise was but an incident in the
progress of the slave powor, which by o
series of despotic acts extending through
many years, gave rise to the Republican
party, and doomed tho other parties to pre-
mature graves. You and certainly ough
to undortand tho circumstances out of whicl
the Republican party rose.
Tho winter of 1871 found Mr.. Adaml
and myself struggling in the II 'uso of Rap
resentativcs against gag rules, and in fav0
of the right of petition and tho freedom O
debate. We had labored for the election O
Mr.. Harrison. were zoalous Wings. expect
ing that tho President olect and his Cabinet
of which you were ono, would bend their in
hucnce to maintain tho constitutional righ
ofpctition and free debate.
After duo consultation, l prepared
speech upon tho Florida war; by which
intended TO expose the dospolism of slavor,
and of tho gag rules. 1t was delivered OF
the oh OF February, A ID. 1871, about tn,
tmo of the Presidents arrival. as vol
as yours, In tho city of Washington.
In that speech ! shadowed forth tho doc
trine that Congress possessed no constitu
tional powcr to involve tho pooplo of the
FREQ States in war for Tho recovery of fu
kilIf0 bidNcs tHui UuT EcuCful UOvefuuCu
had no authority to maintain or abolisl
slavery in the States. 1t excited much ia
dignation with slaVeholding members, on,
of whom publicly insultod mo a. tho time
lIo was soon appointed to foreign mission
and at tho end of four years retired with
fortune, although no had not even votoc
for Gen Harrison; while l, having laborec
zealously tor that object, received from the
,iofn lnkI la, Of lie
pleasure; and rs you intimate what you
think MIR. Lncoln's inaugural address viii
contain, you may perhaps recoIlCCt tina
General HarrisOn's inaugural, as it was orig
lnaily prepared, contained u paragraph SO
verey condemnIng those who in Congress
were agitaring the subject of slavery, anC
that this offensive paragraph was stricken
out at the suggestion of Mr. Clay, to whom
the address wus submitted. do not know
that you were cOnVeTsant with this fact
though lthen supposed you were, and still
presume you must have been consulted il
regard to it, speak upon the aut hort,
of ono whose name shall 10 given you /
desired.
To Mr.. Adams more than any other man
arc We indebted for the re-iteration of ou
Republican doctrines, but you and thu
country are aware that tho practical appli
cation of those doctrines as the basis of po
ltical organization Wds put forth by The hum
bic individual ioho now addresses you. /