The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1860-07-03

were all nomin ated in this extemporane-
Gus manner--al OF them were elected
have known Mr.. Lincoln for more than
twenty years, and therefore have right
to speak of him with some confidence.
AS an individual he has earned a high
reputation for truth, courage, candor,
morals, and amiability so that, as man.
} he is most trustworthy. And in this par
} ticular, he is more entitled to our esteem
then some other men, his equals, who
had far better opportunities and aids in
: early life. His talents and the will to
use them to the best advantage, are un-
Questionable and the proof is found in
the fact that, in every position in life,
} from his humble beginning to his pres
ent wellearned elevation, he has more
than fulfilled the best hopes of his friends.
And now in the full vigor of his man
hood, and in the honest pride of having
made himself what he is, he is the peer
of the first man of the nation, we'll able
to sustain him self and advance his cause,
against any adversary, and in any field,
where mind and knowledge are the wea-
pons used.
In politics he has but acted out the
principles Of his own moral and intel
lectual character He has not concealed
his thoughts nor hidden his light under
a bushel. With the boldness of con-
scious rectitude and the frankness Of
downright honesty, he has not failed to
avow his opinions of public affairs upon
all fitting occasions.
This | know may subject him to the
carping censure of that class of politici-
ans who mistake cunning for wisdom and
falsehood for ingenuity but scuh men
as Lincoln must act in keeping with their
own characters, and hope for success on
ly by advancing the truth prudently and
maintaining it bravely. All his old po-
litical antecedents are, in my judgment,
exactly right, being square up to the old
Wing standard. And as to his views
about :" the pesilent negro question" |
am not aware that he has gone one step
beyond the doctrines publicly and habit
ually avowed by the great lights Of the
Wing party, Clay, Webster, and their
fellows, and indeed sustained and carried
out by the Democrats themselves in their
wiser and better days.
The following, l suppose. are in brief
his opinions upon that subject: /. Sla-
very is domestic institution within the
States which choose to have it, and it ex-
lists in those States beyond the control Of
Congress. 2. Congress has supreme
legislative powers over all the Territories
and may at its discretion, allow or for
; bid the existence of slavery within them
3. Congress in wisdom and sound pol
icy, ought not SO to exercise Its power,
directly or indirectly, as TO plant and es-
tabish Slavery in any Territory therefore
free. 4. And that it is unwise and i'm
polite in the Government of the United
States to acquire tropical regions for the
mere purpose of converting them into
Slave States.
These, | believe. are Mr.. Lincoln's
opinions upon the matter of Slavery liz
the Territories, and | concur in them.-
They are no new inventions made 10 suit
the exgencies of the hour, but have
come down 10 US, as the Declaration Of
( Independence aud the Constitution have,
sanctioned by the venerable authority of
the wise and good men who established
our institutions. They are conformable
to law. principle and wise policy. and
their utility is proven in practice by the
as yet unbroken current of our political
history. They will prevail, not only be-
cause they are right in themselves, but
also because a great and still growing
majority of the people believe them TO be
right, and the sooner they are allowed to
prevail in peace and harmony, the better
for all concerned, as we'll for those who
are against them as those who are for
them.
lam aware that small partizans, in their
little warfare against opposing leaders, do
some times assail them by the trick OF
tearing from their contexts some partic-
ular Objectionable phrases, penned per-
haps. in the hurry Of composition or
spoken in the heat of oral debate. and
holding them up 10 the public as the lead
ing doctrines OF the person assailed and
drawing from them their own uncharit-
able differences. That line of attack be-
trays little mind conscious of its weak
ness, for the falsty of lis logic is not
more apparent then the Injustice of its
designs. No public man can stand that
ordeal, and, however willing men may
be 10 see it applied 10 their adversaries,
all finch from the torture when applied
to themselves. In fact, the man who
never said foolish thing, will hardly be
able TO prove that he ever said many wise
ones.
consider Mr. Lincoln a sound. safe.
national man. lie could not be section
al if he tried His birth, education. the
habits OF his life. and his geograph-
ica position. compel him to be national
All his feelings and interest are identi-
fed with the great valley Of the Missis-
sippi, near whose centre he has spent his
whole life. The Valley is not section,
but, conspicuously. the body Of the ma
tlon. and, large as it is. it is not capable
of beng divided into sections, for the |
great river cannot be divided 1t is one
aud indivisible, aud the North and South |
are alike necessary to its comfort and
prosperity. Its people. too, in all their
interests and affections, are as broad and |