Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-07-05
Indemnity of the Opposition.

The Opposition might, at nrst view, seem
divided into three branches. Ii acts as
Union party at the Sobth, as peoples par
ty in the middle States--Pennsy lvania, New
Jersey and Delaware--and as a Republican
party in the far North, East and West. But
these three branches sprsng, budded, bloss-
omed, leaved and ..ructi6ed from common
trunk. That trunk draws its chief vigor
from the old whig and conservative senti-
ment Of the nation. # has; however, been
largely vitalized by forces drawn from the
of Democracy. The proofs can be briefly
stated.
The Union party met at Baltimore. Its
old Whig members and Democratic converts
were known to be conservative. 1t behaved
itself,as might havebeen expected,with peace
and dignity throughout. 1t nominated Bell
and Everett-men conservative beyond
question, snd men whom every intelligent
citizen respects. 1t thought it polite to
say nothing 10 particular--a great mistake.
Still every man knows, from the own COM
position Of that body, that i, favored the
constitution, the Union and the Ia 4s, as
they have always been interpreted and up
held. It opposed in sentiment, as Southern
Wings have always done, all infraction and
extention of the rights Of Slavery. In brief
it resisted innovation of any kind, desiring
to have every thing stand as It had stood for
sixty years, under the principles and prac-
Of the fathers Of our Republic Although
silent on protection, 1t doubtless had ma
jority favorable to that interest.
The peoples party of the central States
then met the Republican party Of the north,
east and west, at Chicago. They organized,
conferred. deliberated, resolved. nominated,
separated peacefully and decenty, like free
men, patriots and gentlemen. They pro-
clAimed their principles aloud, especially
their faith in o protective tariff. They
nominated a northern man, baptized by the
name of Abraham Lincoln. Their candidate
is, of course, inclined to favor freedom and
the labor Of white men in our territories.
But he has never gone so far, either in
words or action, os Thomas Jefferson, II en-
ry Clay, or Daniel Webster. He has proven
by test votes in Congress; that Washington
Hunt J. R. lngersoll old Wing companions
with him, and leading spirits in the Union
Co invention at Baltimore, voted "yea," ant
he voted "nsy," for the abolition of slavery
in the District Of Columbia, uuless the peo
pie were consulted and the owners paid. HI
took the same ground taken by Clay ant
Adams that the proposition was violation o
an implied contract, and would be unjust
and of course impolitic, without first consul
ting and paying the parties interested.
| Is It any wonder that record like this
consistent for more than twenty years -,
record showing Fl lelity to the natural claim
of freedom, and also to the bargained right
of Slavery-ar record more temperate in wor
and though. than any made by Clay, Jeffer
son, Adams or Webster-shoud draw fort
general spprobationi 1t is surprising lths
every leading Bell and Everett paper In tn
chief Southern cities has pronounced him
more able. honest and reliable man tha
Douglasi Is II strange that they shoul
prefer his election over every one but Bell
! IL is singular that Edward Bates--an ol
Clay Wing in the Slave State of Missour
ard himself prominent candidate of tn
Opposition--should come in strong advoca
Icy OF Aoranam Lincoln!
I 1t Is remarkable that, throughout tn
whole north and west, as we'll az in thes
Genital Stated, more than one half Of tn
old Fillmore Journals. and more than thre
fourtbs Of their followers. have already com
come overio the cause of Lincolnl
None Of these things are strange. for th
t following good reasons:
Democracy is corrupt in all branches
the administration, Tor which see repor:s
the Coyode Committee
= Democracy met in Congress, Il did notl
ing in the House but defer organization
: long ss possible. In the Senate It frus.ra,,
: all action on almost every question Of n
tional importance. Protection. the HON
!, stead hill. the Pacific Railroad, indeed ever
thing OF consequence, was baffied by frau
All that the Opposition House could d
was to compel the Senate to aid in redeem
the present and pressing debts of the n
= ton
,rl Democracy met In national convefItio
. first at Charleston, and then at Baltimor
h 1t quarrel ,schrieksd,s ,swore fought in BIO
Il cities alike, In both Il split It's globe in
= two hamisp pheres-the one bearing an art
q the other an antartic front. Neither is ss
or satisfactory. The Douglas portion
n some points ultra northern, and is every vi
II heterodox, false and treacherous The 9th
half is ultra southern. deeply tinged wi
If disunionism, and inclined to make the neg
q interest dominant over all others, "a
,tl The southern and northern conservative