Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-02-14
Then ana Now.

Democratic party, is, that the Republicans
are going TO enforce the laws that will pos
sibly provoke resistance, which In their
original mode of thinking would be war.
Il Is now demanded that Republicans shall
take ND the Democratic doctrines 10 salts
fy demands of disunioDists. Among the
.eryiIe truckers none is more a6surdly RI
dicuIous in dirt eating than the Ohio
Scotsman. The Cincinnati Gazette res
urrects the following leading editorial from
that Journal written Feb. Is, 1857.
At that time the Statesman it will be
seen scorned the idea of defeating of op-
position by ''conciliation and sacrifice" and
advocated prompt resistance, the same as
did the Richmond Enquirer in 1856 an
extract from which We quoted in late
number of the Express.
Hear what the Statesman said:
Mr.. Buchanan's Special Mes.
sage.
To the exclusion of much other matter,
we present this morning the Lecompton
Message of President Buchanan. Our
opinions upon the subject of this document
are already fully stated, and remain entire
ly unchanged. We still feel the most thor
ough conviction that neither the peace of
Kansas, the welfare of the country, nor
the safety of the Democratic party can be
promoted by sanctioning the Calhoun Con-
stituiion. We agree to the letter with Mr..
Buchanau's former Message, in regretting
the non submission OF that instrument
We still earnestly applaud his recommend
alton, that the Minnesota precedent be
followed in all future cases, because the
principle Of that precedent is Democratic,
Our objection to "Lecomption" is that it
fslls into the latter category. 1t would
set up precedent conflicting with sound
Democratic principle, which would plague
the American people every year or two, to
the end of time.
Neither do we understand that Kansas
is now q slave State, in the extreme serse
urged by The President. There has been
a formal, but by no means fair and full
choice of the people on this specific subject,
and until that is had, it cannot in our
opiuinion, be claimed that Kansas is either
a slave or free State. But il would not
matter feathers weight with us, whether
it were a slave or free State, in determin-
ing the right of expediency Of admission.
Whatever institutions the people may es-
tabIish, we say. let them have; but impose
none upon them which they have had no
direct, open and free opportunity ar affirm
ing or rejecting.
So far as the fate of the Union is involv-
ed on this question, we cannot bring our
selves up TO the point of entertaining the
least possible apprehension. Disunion en-
tiers into no part of our calculations. We
have neither faith in it, nor fear it. But if
the salvation of tie Union depend upon SO
slight chance as the adoption or rejec
zion of the Lecomption Constitution is
claimed TO hang upon, its days are about i
numbered al all events, and there is no
balm in this question, however decided,
which could save it long enough TO be
worth much further trouble.
If there is a party strong enough in the
South to dissolve the Union, in consequence |
of the rejection Of the Lecomption Consti
tuition, the rejection would not restrain or
postpone their efforts a single month. III
they fail IN finding one pretext for carry |
ing on their trditorous machinutioas, they
soiu soon seek and find another, until they
come to an end in success or failure, If
so bent on their hellish designs, THE LAST
MEANS of opposing and defeating them,
which pe shoued recommend, would be
tie cancellation and sacrifice. Tile true
iray to 5aulk extreme a0ickedRess as 10 |
meet it wih PROMPT AND EXEMPLARY RE-
sIsrANcE. Yield one demand to bad and
violeat men and they wW eacroach upon
you wiM another still more .1fogitous and
intoieroble.
We don't believe the South are disun-
Jon people. But if their loyalty to The
Federal Government and its Constitution
can only be secured By JoJeiting the right
of the people to self government, it is well
to let the country know the full extent of
the danger. Such an eyI surely cannot be
lessened or averted By running awoy. from
1t. 1t is our decided opinion, however,
that those who hold this Union so cheap
that they would break up and abandon il,
because the enenies Of popular sovereign
ty in Kansas may be defeated in schemes
which few approve and Yet fewer dare apol-
ogize for, are too few in number 10 cause a
moments peril, if they are guarded and op-
posed with proper courage and vigilance.
1t is source of heartily graduation to
all true patriots that the enemies of the
Union, after thirty years of effort, have at
last been compelled TO settle down upon so
slight pretext as the decision of the Le-
compton question.
They must find some more substantial
aggression" than undying adherence to
popular sovereignty by the true friends of
that principle, before they can either fright
en- one seclien of the Union from its pro-
priety, or instigale the other to the last
act of treason.
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