Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-06-28

Every reading man knows that the dis
unionists broke up and destroyed the
Charleston and Baltimore Conventions.
Pierce and Buchanan had both been cleo
ted on the doctrine of non-intervention
by Congress with slavery in the territor-
les. Nearly all the Southern States had
incorporated this plank into their local
platform, and it had become the expressed
and dearly cherished principle of the
Democratic party. But the disunionists,
under p%retence- of protecting Southern
rights, demanded Il slave code by Congress
for the territories doctrine that would
have been laughed to scorn by the foun-
ders of our Constitution, and treated with
absolute contempt. They knew this de.
mand could not be conceded, and if it had,
they would have regretted the ask
ing Upon its refusal they broke up
the Conventions, and at one blow des-
troying the Democratic party. Think
you they had not measured the effect Of
this blow upon the country? They knew
that to divide the Democratic party was
TO elect the Republican candidate. They
knew that between these twodivisions the
Republican President would walk to the
White House as easily as Moses and his
hosts walked through the Red Sea, when
the wind parted "hither and thither" at
the command of Jehovah. This was the
contamination devoutly to be wished, for
when that was done her the election of
Lincoln could be claimed rs 2 sectional
sct-a triumph of the enemies of the
South against the conservative men of all
parties. The D~isunionists made certain
victory which before was doubtful, that
they might the better achieve their ends.
The result has proved their wisdom and
sagacity.
With all these facts staring US in the
face, known aud admitted by every intel
ligent person, it is enough TO make one sick
with disgust at seeing the opposition press
daily attack the Republican party, and
day after day sing the same old song,
that we "are the enemies of the Union
that we are "warring on the rights of the
South'-that the election of Lincoln is
but the forerunner o. a speedy attack on
Southern Institutions +" and that "ths
power of the Government is to be used to
destroy slavery in the States" Such stuff
is the daily food of the Democratic press,
and SO long as it is tolerated by Northern
people, Just so long it will be impossible
to heal the difficulties with our Southern
brethren. 1t passes belief that Northern
men who love their country, and really
love the Union, will, for partisan purposes,
consent TO publish these infamous ISLANDERS,
thus becoming the plant tools Of the
traitors, and aiders and abettors of their
treason.
The platform of our party was laid
al Chicago. Its principles in regard to
slaveryare as old as the time when the
morning stars sang together over the birth
of Il infant Republic. There is not a
word there in regard to slavery that
Washington, Jefferson, and Madison
would not, and eave not, sanctioned, and
no word breathes hostility to any eonsti-
tutional right enjoyed BY the humblest
titizen. l believe that but for the gross
and wicked aid given by a portion of the
Northern press, secession wonld not have
dared TO raise its head, and the spirit of
dissolution would have skunk abashed
before the look of an indignant people.
l pass by the tariff, the bounty laws,
and the ship building grievances charged
against us, without notice, and come to the
personal liberty bills of the States, and the
Fugitive Slave law.
1t must be admitted here that the peo-
pie Of the North do not love slavery. In
common with nearly all the civilized world
they are opposed to its extensien-believe
the slave trade TO be piracy, and they can
not be brought to regard it with favor or
affection. They believe slavery to be an
evil-that slave labor tends to degrade
labor-that in its effects it is Injurious TO
the master as we'll as the slave. The
stroke of the whip-the clank of the chain
the voice of the ~auctioneer selling hu-
man flesh and blood to the highest bidder.
find no responsive spirit of approval in
the Northern breast. We love the song
of free labor, shouted by millions whose
hands are Drowned with toll, but whose
hearts swell with the knowledge that they
are free men and free women. We have
been taught to look upon this great North
west, cOnsecrated to freedom, with pride
and delight. Free labor has converted
nearly all its broad lands into happy
homes, and peopled them with souls who
love liberty as they do the light. Here
wealth is created, and owned by its crea-
tors-here knowledge is equally distribut-
ed, and the children of the poor and the
rich have equal advantages for learning
aid usefulness. But the most radical Re-
publican among all its people goes no fur
Their in his creed than Henry Clay in the
Senate of the United States, in 1850, when
he spoke these memorable words:
And now, Sir, coming from a slave
State, as l do, l 1--WE it to myself, l owe it
to truth, l owe it to the subject, to state
that no earthly power could induce me to
vote for a specific measure for the intro
duction of slavery where it had not before
existed, either south or north of that line.
Coming as l do from a slave State, it is
my solemn, deliberate, and well-matured
determination that no power-no earthly
power-shall compel me to vote for the
positive introduction of slavery either
south or north of that line. Sir, while you
reproach, and justly, too, our British an
cestors for the introduction of this ~institu-
ton upon the continent of America, l am,
for one, unwilling that the posterity of the
present inhabitants of California and New
Mexico shall reproach us for doing Just
what we reproach Great Britain for doing
to us"
There spoke the hero, the patriot, states
and sage. Who dared to charge
Henry Gay, when he uttered those God
like sentiments, with treason, or a desire to
the provisions of the Constitution?
Yet for a~Uo,1ing these identical sentiments
the Republican party is charged with war
upon the rights of its Southern breth-
rem, and all this clamor is raised as an ex-
cuse for civil war and a dissolution of the
American Union. The people of the
cannot be made to believe that
is right. They cannot believe that
4 man may be held in bondage-his labor
without wages-that he may be
,hackled, whipped, or burned at the pleas
Ire of his more powerful neighbor; and no
.'eassning drawn with wondrous skill from
Irvine inspiration-or the founders of dis
will ever make them change their
upon this subject. At the same time
hey know their duty, and they are a law
people. Hence they would scorn
he idea of interfering with the sacred
constitutional rights of theSouthern States.
Iet when a poor devil of a slave exercises
lis right to run away from bondage, and
,ets here on his way toward the glittering
light of the North Star, they will give him
God and meat rather han see him die of
tarvation, and they will not turn slave
atchers at the command of all the mar
balls in the world Taking into consid-
ration the fact that the Fugitive Slave
sw violates in its provisions the whole
noral sense of justice of the North-its
bnoxious and insulting provisions-it is
rarely the law is violated
T opposed. I have never known in the