Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-08-16
What RepubIicans wish to do,


Hon. John Sherman, on the occasion of
bis speech when re-nominated for Con-
gress, wound up review of his course as
follows:
Well, gentlemen, we had Republican
Speaker and Republican majority, on
every important committee, and what was
the result? Did disunion come! Were
any of the institutions of our Fathers jeop-
ardized or over-trownl Oh, no! You
may point with pride to record made by
Republican House of Representatives.
The petition of the people of Kansas for
admission as free State, with constitu-
ton sanctioned by her people, was prompt
ly and favorably acted upon. A liberal
Homestead bill, securing to every head of
a family portion of the public domain
for cultivation, was promptly sent to the
Senate. A simple provision of law to with
hold the public lands for len years from
the greed of spectators, followowed soon
after. The stain upon the national honor,
the adulterous practice of polygamy in
Utah was penal ofense. The slave code
of New Mexico, passed to please a few
Democratic Office holders there-together
with an inhuman law regulating or rather
rendering more barbarous the practice of
serfdom, were repealed in pursuance Of the
express power reserved to Congress by the
act organizing New Mexico. A carefully
prepared Revenue bill was passed, which
while it provided revenue to the support
of the Government, did it in way least
burdensome to the people, and most serv-
iceable to the industrial interests of the
country.
A rigid scrutiny was instituted into
some branches of expenditures, and the
most corrupt, demoralizing practices, reah-
ing even to the President, were disclosed.
And last but uot least, large and radical
reduction of the expenses of the Govern
ment was effected. After careful exmi-
nation of the anual estimate for the next
year, the House of Representatives. redu-
ced them to $43,O0O,0OO so that, if the
action of the House had been sanctioned
by the Senate, the entire expenditure next
year, exclusive of puclic debt, would have
been S47,OOO,OO0, instead of 66,OOO,OOO
expended one year ago. Even in the face
ofa determined effort off Democratic Sen
ate, the appropriations for all purposes,
other than the pnblic debt, was reduced to
about $5O,OOO,OOO.
Why are not all these wide measures the
law of the land? It's because an intense
sectionalism, based ON the labor OF slaves,
has still possession of all other powers of
the Government except the House of Rep
resentatives. Kansas is not admitted, be-
cause the acts of its free settlers would con-
duce to the success of the Republican
cause and therefore they are still disfran-
chised. The Homestead bill is not law,
because it will encourage homes for free
men instead of plantations for slaves. Po-
lygamy is not prohibited, because the
same power might prohibit its Twin relic
in the Territories. A wise Revenue law
is not passed, because it might encourage
free labor. Expenditures are not confined
to the revenue, and public debt is created
to furnish corruption funds. A Democrat
ic President and Democratic Senate, con-
controlled by the power of slavery,
has still power to defeat each and all of
these measures, and they can only pass
when Republican President and Senate
will aid a Republican House.