The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-04-03
VOL. 5, NO. 5O.-WHOLE NO. 25S.

, p1.ees' auo ulsrups every tie that bind
this Confederacy together" that are the pet
and favorites of modern Democracy. Thes
are the men that rule the party and the ma
tlon at home, and are sent to nisrepresen
US abroad. And, sir. how that party mus
have fallen. how entirely it must have for
gotten or ignored the teachings Of the faith
ers, and how wickedly it betrays its trus,
when thus IT strengthens the hands of those
that preach treason, and crowns with hipl
honors the tercest enemies of this Confed
eracy of States,
Mr.. Chairman, will not pursue this in
vestigation farther. Enough, and more
than enough. has been done to prove tha,
the President and the Democratic party il
both branches of Congress, sanction disun.
ion as well as pro-slavery doctrines
turn from the black record, chacrined
humiliated. 1t is a sad thought, that scores
Of honorable members-our own fellow.
eountrymen, sworn with us to support the
Constitution, and pledged to labor for the
honor and welfare of the whole Confedera
ey.~eSshould be found willing to rise in their
Pi"OeS heI. .ra I~~l--- Il. L. U.:
shall not survive the election of Republi.
can President. say, sir it is sad. a hu.
initiating thought. But say, at the same
time, there is no terror in these threats
They have been often heard before, and the
people OF the free States have learned to
look for their repetition at the approach Ct
every Presidential campaign. And these
very threats have contributed lmmeasura
bly, to awaken the freemen of the North to
the real dangers that beset the country.
Listening to these reasonable sentiments.
they have asked. How and why is this ,"
And with all their native shrewdness, their
indomitable energy. and devotion to coun.
try unsurpassed BY any race of men, they
have turned to a careful and thorough in.
vestigation of political affairs. And what
have they discovered?
They have found the General Govern.
ment exclusively pro.slsvery in it's character.
They have found it devoted to the per.
petuation of slavery.
They have found it Ignoring the rights
and interests Of free labor, and devotinc its
energies to the defence and support of slave
labor.
They have found it denying all aid to
harbor and river improvements. so much
needed for the protection of our commerce,
and squandering its millions of money up
on party favorites and for party purposes.
They have found it ready and anxious
to acquire Southern territory, without re-
gard to cost in men or money, but tamely
yielding when our Northern boundaries are
In dispute
They have found it Offering millions up
on millions for the purchase of Cuba, with
its mongrel horde of ignorant slaves and
vicious freemen, while it was compelled to
issue Treasury notes to defray its ordinary
expenses.
They have found, in fact, that there is,
back Of the Government. and stronger than
the Government, power that for years
has ruled the country with tyrannic and
despotic sway. Tha. power is slavery. 1t
has made Senators and Cabinets and Presi.
dents. 1t has made compromises. used
them for its own benefit, and violated them
when they were 70 longer serviceable. Ii
has sought by fraud and by force, to con-
troll the new regions Of the West; and for
this purpose has used. as its willing in.
struments, the National Government and
its horde of dependents
All these things, and many more, Mr..
Chairman. have the people of the free
States learned Of the action, and the pow
er which controls the action, of the Fede-
raj Government. And out of this knowi.
edge, out of this state Of facts, legitimately
and necessarily, sprang the Republican or
ganiza,ion.
Mr.. Chairman, more agreeable task
now devolves upon me than that which l
have been performing. There arc yet
bright spots in American politics.
There Is yet hope for the country. The
people own the Government. and they will
preserve it. They will rescue it from the
unworthy hands into which it has fallen.
They will purge it of corruption, and re-
store it to its original purity. They will
make 1t once more an agency for good, not
an instrument of oppression. They will see
that it is no longer destructive of the ends
for which i, was instituted, but that it is ad-
ministered ''for the benefit Of the govern
ed" To do this is the mission of the Re-
publican party-a high and holy mission.
which, l trust, it will fearlessly and consci-
en,iously fulfill.
doubt, Mr.. Chairman, whether any po-
litical party in the United States has ever
6een more ferociously assailed, more malig-
nantly traduced. or more recklessly belied,
than the one of which | speak. And it is
in view of this fact that l propose briefly to
examine the position Of the people of the
free States upon the subject OF slavery, tha,
| may show what Republicanism as. and
what it is mt.
All will readily admit that the masses in
those States are, to greater or a less de.
gree. anti slavery in sentiment. The most
radical portion are those who sympathlze
with and follow the lead of William Lloyd
Garrison. This class is confined chiefly to
New England, and even there il not hume.
rous. These men regard the Constitution
Of the United States as q pro-slavery instru
ment; in this respect fully agreeing with
the disunionists Of the South And, if
am not mistaken. they join the 6re-eaters Of
the South in clsmoring for disunion. And
1 may here say that they are the only dis
unionists to be found anywhere in the free
States There is no other portion Of oul
anti.slayerv population that seeks or desires