The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1861-01-15


riot at the polls--no "stuffing" Of ballot boxes
no fraudulent returDs-uo driving of free
citizens from the polls at the point Of the bay
onet. On the contrary, all was peace and
quiet, and the friends Of the numerous candi-
dates for that high Office had fair opportu-
nifty of being heard. 1t is true that from al
parts Of our country the cry Of secession and
disunion was sounded, and the weak and
tmid were thereby sought to be influenced
it the casting of their votes.
The theory Of our government is that the
majority shall rule, and that each voter may
exercise the right Of suffrage according to the
dictates Of his own conscience, and il we
have erred because we exercised that right,
it is an error that freeman will always commit.
A Republican has been elected by the people
to the highest office within their gi #, and for
four years from and after the fourth of March
next lac will be the President of tho United
States, unless the Almighty in His wisdom,
shall direct otherwise. We havo confidence
in his integrity and ability, and believe he
will administer tho government with wisdom,
firmness aul moderation, and in strict accor-
dance with all the requirements Of the Con-
stitution. 1t is claimed that the .'platform"
upon which he was elected is sectional in its
character, and in conflict with the comp,oms,
es Of the Constitution, and at war with the
rights Of the e-hoding States. l deny
the charge l do not deem it proper, on
this occasion, to examine in detail the rcsou-
tions of the Republican party. They have
been published throughout the length and
breadth Of the Union. TIER merits and dc
merits have been thoroughly canvassed by an
enlightened people, and a solemn verdict has
been rendered in their favor; and now. after
the battle has been fought and the victory
won, the vanquished and discomfited oppo.
nents of this great party cooly ask US under
a threat Of tearing and mutilatng the "last
will and testament Of our fathers'--to give
up and relinquish the principles of our party,
and abandon all the flushed fruits of victory,
even before we have plucked them from the
tree. They 90 further, and ask us to cut
down and cast into the fire the very tree
which bore these ir,ts. We cannot consent.
We are asked to surrender our manhood-to
abandon principles which commend them
selves to our consccnces and to the civilized
world-to forget tho early teachings Of Wash
ington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Of all
the patriots Of tho reyolation-to neglect our
rivers and barbors-to forego free home.
stead law-to reopen the slave trade, and to
devote all the mighty energies of this great
nation towards the extension and perpetual
ton Of human bondag,. Again repeat, We
cannot consent.
The President Of the United States. in his
recent message, has seen fit to arraisn the
twenty two millions Of free people at the
North, at the bar of public opinion, and to
hold them up to the execration and scorn Of
the civilized world, as the meters Of servile
insurrection-as the disturbors of the public
peace and constant agitators Of the slavery
question: and we are told by him that "the
lopg.con,inued and Incorporate Interference
of tn. Northern people with tho question Of
slavery in the Southern States, has at length
produced its natural effects" and the "malign
influence on tho slaves, and inspired them
with vague notions OF frccdom;' and that a
"scnse of security DO longer exists around the
family altar Born as | was in the North,
and loving and cherishing her free ins,itu.
tions, and called, as have been, to preside
over one Of the free States, thus directly poin-
ted at by the President, cannot pass by
with indifference the libel heaped upon U.S.
My own selfrespect, and that duty which l
owe TO the people Of my State, their honor
and good name, will not allow me to remain
silent under this caumny, least the civilized
world should deem the silence confession
Of guilt. The charge thus preferred ty the
President are general in their character,
"without time, place, or attendant crcnms!an-
ces." l deny tha: the North has ever sought
to Interfere with the question of slavery in
the States The right Of tho s,ave-holiing
States, "to form and regulate their domestic
institutions in their own wav," never has
been questioned by the people of the North.
1t is true, We have discussed the question of
slavery in all its bearings, and particularly
with reference to the introduction OF that in-
sttution into the Territories of the West
Ii this is crime, then. indeed, arc we gull
ty. We have discussed it at our fre-sides, in
our primary meetings, in our conventions,
and in the Halls o. Legislation, but always
with temperance and moderation, fully recog-
nizing and respecting the rights of the slave
holding States. When VIC cease to discuss
that or any other subject at the dictation Of
any man or set Of men, it will be when our
Constitution no longer guarantees freedom Of
'peech or of tho press, when Bunker's Hill
is no longer remembered, when our ancestry
and their glorious deeds, are all alike forgot.
ten. The free discussion Of this subject, and
Of Republican principles by Republicans of
the North, mover finds its way into the
South.
There is a portion Of the Northern press,
which for base, cowardly and selfish purposes
has constantly, for the past six years, instled
into the minds Of our Southern brothers the
vile libel that the Republican party is party
Of aggrcssion-a systematic organization, hav.
inc solely in view the liberation Of tn, slaves,
and the melting Of them to insurrection-that
The Repub leans Of the North are "fana,cal
and ever ready to welcome the
'lave with open arms, though he come with
bloody hands from the charred Threshold Of
MS master. This press has always found free
10 the South. Southern papers
nave copied largely from it, and it is not sur.
,rising il at Ie; st the people Of tho slave.hold
ng States have been made to believe these
'ile ibes, and "henco sense Of security no
ong' 'r exists around the family altar" Such
If made known to the slarc,
would be likely to produce "maign inhu-