, 1860-02-06
j3ress Trihuttt.
THE PRESIDENTIAL QUESTION


MONDAY, FEBRUARY q, 1860
TIE pKEs1DyST1aL QUESTION.
Without commitments 10 any one OF TIC
dozen or more OF tic Republican candidates
for the Presidency; willing to support TINT
man who cau, without Il surrender oi our po-
zition Or Il sacrifice Of principle, beat the enc
my; familiar with the conflicting elements
that Mill enter insc tho impending contest;
knowing the weak points in the States which
VIC must carry to insure Republican success;
thoroughly convinced Of the necessity Of over
coming the party by which tic liberties Of the
country arc Threatened, we have not been IN"
attentive observers Of the Presidential Held.
Tic time sccuis to hare conc in which it il
proper TO put tho earnest and honest men on
their guard against the dangers by which
victory is impcrriled. We state them With
out c;rcumlocutiop, in language rs Plain and
eimplc Us We can command:
Throughout all the Northern and North
western States, there nrc, acting with the Rc"
publican party, lurgc body Of men who arc
somewhat in advance Of that partys creed.
Tbey are jealous, honest and may prove i'm
practicable. Knowing that they have not the |
power to Interfere with Slavery in the States, |
they still hope that the election Of Republi-
can President will in some way tend to the
crippliug Of the institution that they hate.
They arc warm in their opposition to the Fugi-
1iyc Slave Law, and usually favor the setting
up Of Ill the in,pediments to its execution
which tho ingenuity Of their favorite leg'sla-
tors is ab;e to devise. Heretofore they lave
voted with the party, which, without being toe
radical to hopo for SUCCESS, is the
most radical Of I'LL tue parties that dare
indulge that hupo. They were anti-
Slavery Wings, old-fas;lioncd Liberty men or
Ffce Soil Democrats, and they are ultra
Republicans They nro too numerous and too
in.uent;M to be disrcgarded in the computa-
1iou Of available forces; aud too sincere in
their convictions to permit any violation Of
their sense Of right, without forcing them into
= struggle for its yiudicatiou. We have no
means Of knowing low largo this class is; we
only arc aware that it il numerically strong
enough to bring to naught any political calcu-
1ation in tire Norlh in which decent respect is
not paid to tAcis wisl,.e. They are sincerely
desirous Of beating the enemy; but moro de-
SIRIUS Of preserving their own integrity and
selerespoct. They would cordially support
any Qt man whose auti-S!avcry sentiments
were bounded by tile cnunc!ations Of the Re
publican party, if l!e were nominuted by the
party; bnt We should doubt tho SUCCESS Of the
experiment which essayed 10 cnrry them over
to any candidate w!,o did not come fully up
to tito Republican mark.
In Illinois, Indiana Pennsylvania and New
Jersey, we have to deal with another tAass
atil, not as large perhaps, but in I'LL those
States, by holding the balapce Of power be-
tween the Republicans and Democrats, quite
as rotcut for both good or mischief as the
class that NC have mentioned. Within cor
tain limit, they arc opposed toSlavcry; many
Of them, born and reared III Slave States, know
its evils, and woa]d not willingly, unless sup
posed greater danger wcre to bc aycrted there
by, consent 10 its extension. They acknow'-
ledge the Justice nf tho Republican cause, aud
have To reasou to quarrel with the Kcp4bli-
can policy hut fearing that the party docs
not wholly DECLARE i,sel: in its public enuncia.
tious decline to subscribe 10 its creed OF sccopd
4ts enlsavors. They also desire tho defeat nl
the Shan Democracy ard the restoration d
the old fratcrnal relations between the States
1t would now seem that ttcir votes are neccs
aary IN tie election ur 4 President, and tia,
candidate VII" secures them. if supported i,
either Of the other parties, will he tie tri
umrhant HAN when the contc>t is oycr. Here
tllcu, are tho dangerous contingencies wl,icl
compel us to accrpt defeat:
a!ler saying 50 much. VIC need not 1cc)ar,
ts, VIC are in favor Of III union uf such clc
nocnts Of: tic Opposition rs arc necessary 70
tn. rt:rt.iu overthrow of tue ::hasn-Dc,nocr:lc,
lst. Thut tile nominee at Chicago will bo
,nau whose position OIL the slavery question
will not unacceptable to large part {
the Republican party, is 50 utterly irrecoucla
bio with the prejudiecs common in doubtfi
States. that VIC shall come out Of the contes
with just the 1ltlnbcr Of electoral votes tn;
wc were able to give to Fremont 4
more.
I'd. Tint tl,e nominee will I've so ol.ectiosl:
bic TO Tho norc radical men Of the Morrill, VII
did lis good service in The Fremont campaisy,
thlr they will deem, it necessary 10 nominate
representative man who will draw Off enoug
strength to lose us three or four Of the Nortl
ern States.
aud tic inauguration Of. q new; just aud patr
olic Administration, if A.ut uuipn Gun Je edtclt
mnon te:1ls Nt'd are consistent sciM Ne olyec
snAiA Republicans hare had in rien. "
do not pretend to say }ow that union cam
brought about, nor What man eau be ncIu
mated as its representative. But VIC are
thoroughly convinced Of its necessity in ga
lug the country from the deplorable effects
:anutlcr period of Democratic misrale, tn
ticabfc. Entil those who doubt the nj
dom and necessity Of this policy, can show
l.ew. in the election Of an Opposition Pre-:
<cut tho yotes Of either Of tho classes can
d spcnscd with. we shall insist that ours is Il
course which wisdom mud patriotism l'romp
The country caunot afford again to suhmittot I
strain in its political and financial relations
which it has been subjected by the Democrat
party. 4 1lcpuslicau defeat would bc
lowed By consequences that would leave t
North only tue choice bstween submission
hateful tyranny or q resort to a bloody Te'
lntion. 1t will not be Our fault if our readt
are compelled to accept either alternate
We are decidedly for defeating the wick
Pr,slavcry party: and VIC intcud TO chot
tho most direct, ps,vious and certain method
accomplishing that which wamost desire.
THE WHITE MANS SLAVE COD
Th1 \. y. Courier d: Enquirer says it =
wc': known in Washington, tllrco days Def
= -. r