Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-03-09

at the very moment when the RUSSIAN scrl is
cmancipated and the Georgian captive, the
Nuban prisoner. and the Abyssian savage are
lifted up to freedom by the successor of Mo-
hammed. The world preposessed in our be-
half by our early devotion to the rights OF hui
man nature, as no nation ever before engaged
in its respect and sympathies, asks, In won
der and amazemcnt, what all this demoralHa-
ton means Ithas an excuse better than the
world can imagine, better than we are gene
rally conscious Of ourselves, ylrtuous ex-
cuse. We have loved not freedom so much
less 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 to-
gether, and therefore we have, from time to
time, surrendered safeguards Of freedom to
/ propitate the loyalty Of capital and stay its
hands from doing violence to the Union
| The true state of the case, however, ought not
to be a mystery to ourselves. Prescicnce, in
deed. is not given to statesmen but we are
without excuse when we fail to apprehond
| the logic of current events. Let parties, or
| the Government choose or do what they may,
/ the people Of the United States do not prefer
wealth to liberty, capital to labor, African
slaves to white freemen, in the national Ter
ritories and in future States. That question
has never been distinctly recognized or acted
on by them. The Republican party embodios
the popular protest and reaction against po-
Icy which has been fastened upon the nation
by surprise, and which its reason aud con-
science, concurring with the reason and con-
science Of mankind, condemn.
THE CHOICE OF THE NATION.
The choice Of the nation is now between
IL 4 al. d. 1taa,
ty. Its principles and policy are, therefore,
Justly and even necessarily examined. | know
Of only one policy which it has adopted or
avowed, namely the saving Of the Territories
Of the United States if possible, by constitu-
tional and lawful means, from being homes for
slavery and polygamy. Who, that considers
where this nation exists, of what races 1t is
composed, in what age of the world it acts its
part on the public stage, and what are its pre-
dominant institutions, customs, habits, and
sentiments, doubts that the Republican party
can and will, if unwayeringly faithful to that
policy, and just and loyal in all beside, carry
it into trumphal success To doubt is to be
uncertain whether civilization can improve OF
Christianity save mankind.
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
may, perhaps, infer from the necessity o
the case, that it will, in all courts and places
stand by the freedom of speech and of the
press, and the constitutional rights of free
men everywhere; thatit will favor the speedy
Improvement Of the public domain by home
stead laws. and will encourage mining, manu-
facture and internal commerce, with necdfu
connections between the Atlantic and Pacific
State--for all these are important interests o.
freedom. For all the rest, the national emer
srl, al tplf
yidual influences, must determine, as societ,
goes on the policy and character of the Re
publican party. Already bearing its part il
legislation and in treaties, it feels the neces
sity of being practical in its care of the nation
al health and life, while it leaves metaphysi
cal speculation to those whose duty it is t.
cultivate the enobling science Of political phil
osophy.
WHAT IT ENCOUNTERS.
But in the midst of these subjects, or rath-
er, before fully reaching them, the Republican
party encounters, unexpectedly, new anC
potential issue-one prior, and therefore par
amount to all others, one Of national life ant
death. Just as if so much had not been al
ready conceded nay, just as if nothing at al
had ever been conceded, to the interest Of cap
ital invested in men, we hear menaces of dis
than ever, with the condition annexed, tina
they shall be executedlthe moment that Re
publican Administration, though constitution
ally elected, shall assume the Government.
do not certainly know that the people ar,
prepared to call such an Administration t
power | know only that through success
sion of floods which never greatly excite, anc
ebbs which never entirely discourage me, the
{ volume OF Republieanism rises continually
higher and higher. They are probably wise
whose apprehensons admonsh them that il
is already strong enough for effect.
HAS IT PLUCK?
Hitherto the Republican party has beer
content with one self-interrogatory - how
many votes it can cast These threats en-
force another-has it determination enough tC
cast them? This latter question touches it;
spirit and its pride | am quite sure, how
ever that as it has hitherto practced self-de.
na in so many other forms, it will in thi:
emergency lay aside all impatience of temper
together with all ambition, and will consider
these extraordinary declamations seriously
and with just moderation. 1t would be
waste of words to demonstrate that they arc
unconstitutional, and equally idle to show
that the responsibility for disunion attempted
or effected, must rest not with those who in
the exercise of constitutional authority main
tain the government, but with those who un-
coustitutionally engage in the mad work OF
subyerting it.
What are the excuses for these menaces
They resolve themselves into this, that the
Republican party in the North is hostile tc
the South But it already is proved to be
{ majority in the North it is therefore practi-
cally the people of the North. VIII it MOI
still be the same North that has lorborne with
you so long and conceded to you so much
Can you justly assume that affection which
has been so complying. can all at once change
to hatred intense aud inexorable?
You say that the Republican party is sec
tional one. Is the Democratic party less sec
tional Is il easier for us to bear your sec
ton away than for you to bear ours Is il
unreasonable that for once we should alter
natei But is the Republican party section
tional Not unless the Democratic party is.
The Republican party prevails in the House
of Representatives sometimes; the Democrat
c party in the Senate always. Which of the
two is the most proscriptive Come if you
will, into the free States, into the State o
New York, anywhere from Lake Erie to Sag
Harbor, among my neighbors in the Owascc