The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-08-23

for those events by securing a vote
to the negroes, and the negroes to
herself.
Gentlemen Republicans, Are you
willing, IN order to further this par
tlsan scheme, TO jeopardize not only
our Government, but all free govern
ment? Are you willing to continue
this disgraceful spectacle-which ]
know in your souls you are ashamed
of-ot subjecting ten States to mere
military despotism for the purpose
securing more strength to your party
l do not claim more disinterested
ness than other men, but / would
gladly consent that the Democratic
party shovld be excluded from pow
er during my lifetime, if that would
induce you to restore the Union, to
reinstate the Constitution, and rein.
ivigorate throughout the whole sys
tenn the principles of free govern
ment.
REPUBLICAN PARTY.
When I ventured lately to con
demn the whole policy of the Repub
lican party, and influential party
newspaper exclaimed" but what
remedy does Mr. Pendleton propose!
He exhorts US to return to and stand
by the Constitution-we do not ex
actly understand what he In cans by
that"
Gentlemen, that is true: that is the
whole difficulty. The Republican
party does not now, and never did
know what it is "to stand by the
Constitution" They have never
made it the rule of their conduct
the guide of their action. They have
never cultivated respect for its bind
ing obligation, and so they have
never studied its spirit or its letter.
Whatever they desire to do, whether
from a sincere belief that the good OF
the country demanded 1t, or that
their party interest required it, that
they have always done. Their own
Will, not tile Constitution, has boon
their rule. And to this standard,
and none other they hare always
been perfectly true.
In 1920 they opposed the establish
ment OF the Missouri Compromise
Line. In 1854 they opposed its ab-
rogation. In 1860 they opposed its
re enactment.
In 1916 they refused the use OF
State jails and State magistrates to
execute the Fugitive Slave law, on
the ground that the return of fugitives
was the duty of the Federal Govern
ment. In 1850 they refused to vote
a more stringent Federal law, on the
ground that the return of fugitives
was the duty of the State, Govern
ments. In 1856 they passed personal
liberty bills, on the ground that the
State should not assist the Federal
Government; and in 1861 they re-
pealed all laws on the subject, on the
ground that neither State nor Fed
eral Governments should execute the
Constitution.
In 1858 they had possession of the
State Governments; they magnIfed
States' rights, adopted the resolu-
tions of '9S and so at their conven
tions, exalted the idea of confedera-
ton as against unity, and prepared
to array the States in armed conflict
with Federal authority. In 1862
they had possession of the Federal
Government; they denounced States
rights; called the Kentucky resolu-
tions treason, and have, as far as is
in their power, oy mere brute force.
as we'll as by Legislation, reduced and
degraded the State Governments.
In 1856 they declared that "no
war could be right, and no peace
could be wrong" that if the South
desired to change their political re-
lations and form OF Government,
their right could not be denied. In
1862 they declared that the trinity of
our salvation was "taxation, eman-
cipation and war"
In 1854 they declared that the in
terest of the country required the re-
st-s~tiop euffrego enr3 that the
Germans and Irish and English and
French ought to be disfranchised.
In 1867 they declare that the interest
of the country requires IFS extension,
and that it must be given even to the
negroes.
In 1859 Mr.. Chase, then Governor
of Ohio, asserted: ave have rights
which the Federal Government must
not invade; rights superior to its
power, On which our sovereignty de-
pends; and we mean to assert these
rights against all tyrannical assump-
tions of authority" In 1857 Gen.
Hayes, who aspires to be Governor of
Ohio, asserts that the States have no
sovereignty whatever.
In 1864 they asserted that tho Prns-