The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-09-07

4 ItOlit
sustained that platform hy an overwhelm-
ing majority. such As had not been known
Ia an election for President since the earli-
est days Of the Republic. What was that
platform on the subject Of Slavery Ii
Clearly defined lis future by both aiiirma-
ton and negaiion. il prescribed first. that
il might continue 10 exist in the states
where il then existed without Federal in
reference: and secondly. that it should
not De extended into territory then free.
And the people arose i'm their might. and
in "a legal and constitutional manner deci-
ded with al emphasis that could not be
misunderstood or misintcrpreted. that such
should he the future status OF slavery in
this government Did the slave power ac-
cept these conditions Did they Weld 10
the clearly expressed will OF the people
Ii II had. | would be the last man 10 advo-
cate the abrOgalion OF the compact be
lieye the President would be the last man
10 sanction any such disregard Of the clear
~ expressed Will of the people
But ma. The slave power decided not Ia
accept The terms. Ii deliberately rcpndia-
/ ted the democratic doctrine. that the ma
l0nty shall rule. refused 10 accept the
terms thus preacgih,si and c.olv dotor
mined 10 risk all before il would consent 10
yield a particle. By lis acts il clearly
enuniciated the doctrine slavery must be
J National and not Sectional" ifit il cannot
be 81 considered I'm the Union the Union
must DE DESTROYED in order that "A new gov
ernment may Doe Instituted IN which this
doctrine shall be recognized
The slave power then and for "A brief pc
riod thereafter. still had the government in
its own hands. and commenced and up 10
the coming m OF the new administration
continued a series of robheries. thefts. and
spoilauOns and dispersion of war material
and strong places OF the government. and
and oi lis treasurers and material strength;
and soon after thai event. turned the same
against the government and commenced
battering ava, at It's walls for lis destruc-
tiOn. And an for what To destroy the
government in order 10 defeat clearly ex-
pressed will OF the people and 10 establish
"a slayeOcracy IN its stead. And still there
are men here in the loyal north who have
the hardlhoOd 10 claim that the government
Is still bound by compact of non-inlerfer-
ence with slavery IN the States. when that
compact has oveD 50 emnhalicalk rejected
by tho slave power. The rebels have better
ense-they claim no such thing. No man
in his right mind who is not n political
knave. and im the interests of the Slave
power itself viii SET up any such claim.
But II l. said, thataiter some Of the States
had made known their intentions, the Presi
dent in his Inaugural address and even aftel
the first gun had been fired on Sumptcr an,
The war had been inaugurated, COngres:
declared lis adherence 10 the doctrines pro
mulgated Dy the Chicago Platform IN rela
lion 10 Slavery in the states In order thai
there might be no misunderstanding of Ou
position 10y the nations OF the world, IN or
, der that pOsterity might be- fully informed
, OF the disposition oi the government tOwar'
the cause of the impending strife. and in or
der that there might be no excuse LET, 10
r the insurgents themselves on the ground q
uncertainty a. 10 our purpose, IL was Wis
- dom thus 10 incorporate IN the records q
the government what had been so clear
decided by the people Al the polls. And a
p that time too the insurgents had not :
b. clearly defined their position. IL Is tru
l. they haU made threats and some slight den
2 OnstatiOns, hut their purpose was not 5
4 clearly defined a il has been since. The
= ---.. s..-..--s.s - ,iiu-s f,ssr,a, asa
: a some Democrats seem still to think, tha
r she sui5cuto mi1ht bc won back bS COZ
ces>lon and new assurances. But now tha
e those efforts have all failed that there is n
I hope lett Of any possible arrangement shOl
p OF submission on the part of the govern
p ment 10 dissolution, and Acknowledgment
Of the independence of the insurgents, n0'
\ that three Years of bloody and rclentles
4 war, such a. is nowhere recorded in history
= have caused rivers of loyal blood 10 fiOW
q filled tens oi thousands OF loyal hearts wit
- anguish imposed upon The people the bul
den OF an enormous debt and all for th
( aggrandlzement OF the Slave power, al th
, expense OF the very existence OF the govern
D ment how can any man be 50 cOwardly :
= mean, SO puslllanlmOus. 50 regardless OF hi
z own honor and the honor of the nation
Z Goth ofwhich should be one and insparablo
= "a, lo stand up IN the face of lOyal cOmmU
4 niiy and advocate by speech or vote. "A con
p ilnuance vi concessions and guarantees [
- that power. or anything short of wiping
Out root and branch. and huryng il so deeI
I and booming 10 10 an Oblivion 80 periecl
. ami visiting upon il damnatiOn 50 crush
: ing that nO political resurrection can eve
A tnd Il. Or rosuscItate il, IN all future age.
+ except IL be 10 hold up lis miserable ghO-
= and the example OF it, mscreant support
/ ers 10 the scOrn and dcte-tatiOn Of the hur
p dred millions OF loyal people yet 10 inhab
r the beautiful country heretofore cursed Wit
e lis pestiierous presence.
4
I TION, ," cry ont the leaders Of the opposition
p and straightway every understrapper froI
, the lowest grOggeries AL the way up 10 IN
I Halls Of Congress takes zap the cry, ia
= Constitution, the Constitution. while pei
b laps in a majority OF cases they would no
I be able 10 distinguish that sacred instrt
p ment from a Bible il the TWO We're laid De
fore them, knowing about a. little Of th
, one a. OF the other The President an
E Congress they say. are violating ever
- provision OF the Constitution in the pros,
cutiOn OF the war" You may depend uI
Il on il that the men who raise this cry rear
p the war itself as unconstitutional. and tha
e il they had the power, the Independence
e the Southern Coniederacy would be a.
kuOwledged and this country dismemDere
B forever, entailIng upon future generation
the bitterness Of anarchy and interminab
4 striie-. Give US say they. the COnst
d tuition a. il Is, and the Union a. IL was
q which being Interpreted. means " give I
n the offices and their emnlumenfs once more
: 90 The Constitution a. u D. aud the mon a
il was" means with these men nOthin
r more nor less than the Democratic party
z il was IN the DAYS Of James Buchanan, und'
- which the rebellion was permitted 10 be nu
o tured into existence. and actually hatche
=. a living mOnster-the days rhen there Dc
. no pO1rer Cf coercion under the COnsfitl
q tim. May an all wise Providence so dire
b the minds Of the people that this cOuntI
7 may be delivered from having such an infi
- ton superaddel 10 all il other Woes.
q cannot stop here 70 argue the constitution
\ allty Of the dOinCs OF the administration
n even II IL were necessary. The TACT l., asie
L from their prO-s.4Yery creed, OppOSitiOn
Q me ! administration l. the only creed Of Il
O Democratic party Of to-day; and they gre
q dIly espOuse whatever they think vii CO.
due 70 that end. While they pretend 10 plal
g themselves upon the Constitution, We III
: Them holding up that sacred instrument b
tween the government ana lis assailant
q Ine government meanwhile planting itse
Z firmly upon the principles of tie C0nsfat
!. -iCn. claims the right 10 perpetuale IL On
e existence a. d right incident 10 all govern
i mells: anl ~ that end 70 Use al The meal
e and appliances known 70 civilized warfa
j. 70 beat back lis a-sai.alls IN arms, and
r suppress their agelrOr- although witDO
a. arms. whenever ana Wherever iney iaav