Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-09-15

g else Of that power, unless upon some Conservative
D principle, as | conceive it, akin to what I have
g said in relation to the abolition of slavery IN the
District Of Columbia
Now, sir, II is obvious that these views are in
Compatible with the faithful carrying out of the
uoc'lhc mat oil men nrO created equal, and en-
uo"su win the right Of liberty. His views are
~ Pa'nIy and so publicly uttered, that it seems to
uepr'Ve any anti slavery man, Of any excuse for
supporting him. When in Congress in 1919. no
was what 70" and all anti-slavery men called A
northern doughface, he voted with the Soutb
against the North ch the slavery question. no, ID
every instance, but enough to show his pro-slo,ery
feelings and character.
Now sir, in view of the known political antocs:
dents OF the mat, the aforementioned preceden,.
OF the courts, and the manifestly conservative ,en.
denotes and professions Of the party. together with
the consideration thdi while the doctrines of tho
Dec. of independence are generally treated as alb
fractions. and that the above specific opinions are
upon highly practical points, and in hnrmonyboth
with the usages Of the government and the pref:
udices,o t the people, which, nsk will probably pre-.
vail in the supposed administration Of Mr.. Lin
colh-the abstrac. right of all men to liber,N. Of
those three great violations Of this right, the fuki;
tive slave law-slavery in the District Of Columi
bia-and the intcr-states slave trade I It certainly
can require no extraordinary intelligence to deter;
mine this. None Of Lincoin's intelliteht ffiSbdi
claim that he will maintain practically the great
principles of the Declaration of Independence. I'd
the ovowal of which, yb1 say he owes TIE boiiSt
OF his present nomination. and as a qualification
for the high Office to which he aspires, such al
avowal is not worth the mentioning.
Again you say, eleven years Of subseEue1I
study, thought and observation, have brought Mr.
Lincoln to the satisfactory conclusion that life:
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. are oia, Of
God, constituting tho rights Of man for the pro.eci
ton OF which, governments are instituted But
my dear Mr.. Giddinss, are you ignoran, of the
fact that we have in the United States, low as vd
are tal!en, Mullins of men, who have alcays bel
ileVed this. and that it is d Political axioml And
what mist be the charactef Of 5oHt Candidates.
mind, and what his MEANS Of educatioh, thai Il
should have taken him tho last eleven years Of his
life to come to the satisfactory conclusion of tie
truth of the great political axiom of human equal.
iy on which the whole fabric Of our government
was originally based Surely you thake bit a
poor defence Of yout Client.
You Say Id conclusion that in our territories.
in the District of Colombia, and upon the high
seas, our Federal Government holds exclusive
jurisdiction. Then Mr.. Lincoln stands pledged
by every obligation that can rest upon him, to
maintain to the full extent of his moral and Official
powers, these rights which pertain to the human
SOUL But have we not seen by his replies 90
Judge Douglas, that he stands pledged definitely
to the contrdryP And did not those very replie,
elicit the commentator of that radical pro.sleyerv
Senator. Judah P. Benjamin, in H1s late speech
against Judge Douglas in the U. 8. Sers.ef And
you WIZ totice too that these replies Soht5fn an
EXPRESSED pledge. for the official frlslln4ent Of
which his faith is definitely pligh' ed; the other III
only an implied pledge. which no intelligent,
Ameficah reasonably expects him to regard pracii.
cally by ahy definite act. 1t is by such vague
distractions, theoretically endorsed Iii Aotfe psp.
sing remark, that the an,i.slgvery senliDiehts of
the country is deluded and duiStsd, vbiIs tbs greet
damning crime of slavery, works steadily on,
saping and mining tie walls CT freedom, and fottf
millions of slaves vail on in hopeless woe. Sir,
look at this matter in the light of practical com.
mon sense. Is il no. well understood shat Lincoln
and the Republican party stand pledged to no
positive anli-slavery action, but to the simple is
sue OF the non-extension of slavery into territory
JuotlJ JO1I uulUA
your anti.slavery reputation to awaken and keep
alive the false and delusive expectation that Abra-
ham Lincoln stands pledged at all to maintain to
the full extent of his moral and official powers.
those rights which pertain to the human soul.' 1
view with no moral complacenCy the course Of
such men as yourself. lchiboG Codding. and Owen
hoveJoy, In prostituting an anti-slavery reputation,
to reconcile the friends OF liberty, to a political
system, which is directly antagonistical to all those
great measures of reform which aboIitiohis:s have
toiled and suffered for for the last ,hirls years.
am amazed that protested anti-slavery men should
think OF voting with the present Republican par-
ty. In 1856 there wa more APOLOGY for them; the
pr0slayeryism OF the party was not 30 uudissuis.
ed; now there is no reasonable excuse; no up,rsrs.
eled mind need be deceived; the party has evident
~ sacrificed the right of the slave, for the spofls
Of Office; and the only encouraging reflection tbsA
l can indulge, is, that in 80 doing it has soued the
seeds Of it's own dissolution.
Sir, you are Of venerable age and reputsbls
position. Your name carries with il mucb anti.
slavery influence. But sir, you have al avs stood
aloof from and discouraged the seltsacriHcinR bio.
neers in the cause Of freedom. The gloriour for
lorns hope Of liberty has never been animated into
the breach by your approving voice. And now
by a great law of human nature, and under q
retributiVe Providence, you find yourself to-day in
the monstrous position OF commencing to The
American people, a candidate for the Presidency
who is definitely committed against all the exr-
dinal measures of anti-slavery reform. Nny
who desnitely s~aRe.iops q legislative act, which
strikes down the more sacred rights Of an
American freeman, and renders obedience TO the
hottest prOmptings Of humanity, and the imperious
mandates of true religion. a penal offence.
Respectfully but faithfully
GEORGE W. BASSETT,
OTTAWA. ILLINOIS, Sept. l. 1860,
RESPONSE FROM IOWA.