Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-01-02
Che gepablifan.
A RETROSPECT.
Thirteen Years of the Nation
1S54-1867.
A stirring Chapter of Ameri.
can History.
[Frsm Putnam,. Maraziue for Jannrrr.l

In one of the latter numbers of the frs
series of PutadBa's Monthly, we pub
lished an article entitled "Our Parties ant
Politics. The da'c, September, 1854, wa
Immediately after the passage OF the Kan
sas- Nebraska bills, repeating the Missouri
+ Compromise, and opening the Natona
Territories TO slavery. On that hint w
spoke. We now resume the discussion
afser an interval of thirteen years. Durin.
this period events have occurred more i'm
pOrtant In our history, as people, thai
even those of our War for Independence
because involving population ten times
larger in struggle en-iold more sublime
and terrible, resulting in revolution not
merely of our national regime. but of oui
social institution aud entire system OF in
dustry.
Mr.. Pierce had but two years before been
elected by majorities which swept all but
three of tie States; Jefferson Davis, his DO
som friend in Mexico, who had been most
efficient in securing his nomination, was his
Secretary OF War; the fugitive slave law
had been passed the revival OF the African
slave trade was broscbed; Mr.. Buchanan
was Minister TO England, and was plotting
the Ostend Manifesto: Captain George b.
Mcclellan was detailed ON secret service in
the harbors of Cuba, under instructions
from the Secretary of War; General Quit
man, Lieuienont Beauregard, and Others,
were plotting fllibuSter NJ raids against
that island, fol which the government soon
after made an offer of one hundred mil
lions; the Senate, House, and nearly all
the Stale governments, our foreign diplo-
macy, our army and navy. our civil sci vice,
Custom Houses, Post Offices. all prefer
nlent, much of our business. and even our
society, and large majority of our
churches, were controlled by men who
either were pro-slavery. or preferred to re-
mail on friendly terms with the insiitu-
tion. rather than incur the dangers Of a
quarrel with il; Parson Brownlow had
written savage work in lis defence, and
was challenging Northern clergymen to
disputeits divine authority the stand made
under NanBuren, and Adams, and the
Democratic Free Soilcrs of IN, had APP
parently accomplished the purpose of las
leader in defeating Cass and electing Tay-
ior; instead of a self sacrificing martyrdom
for principle, il proved to have been
prompted by personal spite. which, being
satisfied, the Vanl5urens and most of their
supporters, except few sincere free-soil
ers, were humbIy doing penance for the sin
OF pretended devotion To- freedom, by dan
cling attendance in the anie-chambers of
Democratic officials and defending their
fidelity to the party before the dull unwi-
ling ears of Tammany. The United States
Msrslals, appointed solely for the subser-
viency TO slavery, gloried in assisting slave
traders in fitting out their vessels, and
shareholders in recovering their negroes
Uncle Toms Cabin had been written. and
lis leaven was rapidly spreading, but had
not affected TIE voting masses, Gerrit
Smith, DIR. Howe, liehry Ward BeecLer,
Owen Loveioy. the saints al Oberlin, and
lew hundred others, were doing "A quiet
and limited business overlhe underground
railway; John Brown had not yet left his
farm in the Northern wilds; the Republ
can party was not vet lc.med. Ina word.
the anti slavery sentiment seemed like
Christianity at the hour OF the crucifixion
-as if it could never be party, or even
sect, but was mere flicker, for which the
world was waiting to say, There. II is
gene
In the survey of '0ur Parties and Poll
tics. to which we refer, we affirmed that
our War Tor National independence grew
out of "a new idea-the American idea
the conception OF a State founded on the
inherent freedom and dignity of tie indi-
yldual man IAN idea which, we said,
" siiIl transcends the highest practical
achievements OF our race ...."Bu:, among
the States which ism the elements of the
Codiederacy, there are some not strictly
democratic and scarcely republican. They
are aristOcracies or Oligarclies. built upon
a diversity OF races. Their political and
social privileges are confied TO class while
consequence has been growing divergen-
cy, though 1t was not always apparent or
even suspected. between the convictions.
the interests. and the tendencies of one
half the Union, which was eminerily free
and democratic, and those of the oiher half.
which was slaveholding and arisfocraiic"
We asserted. that '-when, in the progress
OF empire. the question arises whether The
social system OF one or the other shall pre-
vail, to the exclusion which is unavoidable,
of its opponents" "a strenuous grappe and
fight would be imminent. And we closed
by demanding THE REPEAL OF THE FUGI-
TIVE SLAVE LAw-THE REsroRATION OF
rlE Missouri CONFERENCE.-THE MogE
SLAVE STATEs-No MoRE SLAVE TERRIFIC
RIEs-THE HOMESTEAD FOR FREE MEN on
THE PUBLIC LANDS"
in lis first National Convention AT Philadei-
phia, and organized on this platform. nom
mating Fremont for the Presidency. an
Iobscure individual, remembered by a few
as having once represented Sangamon Dis
irict, Illinois. in the House, and opposed
the Mexican war, in an awkward, ingeni-
Gus and extremely unpopular argument.
received a few complimentary votes for
Vice President, in competition with Dir.
Dayton, the nominee. Captain L. 5, Grant,
hardly suspected of being an army OIL
Ger by those who bought molssses or cord
wood from him, was generally for a
steamboat captain temporarily stranded by.
sircek of iil-luck, or who had hardly the
requisite energy 10 succeed ina business
calling for SO much of these qualities, and
who had therefore collapsed into a spccu
lator in sundries- Mr.. ". 4. Sherman was
teaching school in Louisiana Generals
Sickles, butler, and Logan. were rough and
tumble Democratic lawyers OF some noto-
riefy., Two of the most prominent and
promising officers of our little army were
Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston. and Lieu
tenant Colonel r. f. Lee. Brief as Is the
period since then, we have but two men in
official lie, Mr.. Seward and Mr. Chase.
whose prominence has not either been Gre
ated or overthrown during this eventful
epoch. Even these two regulations have
been greatly changed. Mr.. Seward, then
the Gibraltar of Radicalism, has be.
come a leader of the Conservatives. Mr..
Chase. maintaining with marvellous unity
his political consistency, has acquired his
chief fame as Minister of Finance, and
founder of the National Banking System.
OF the men in power at that time, the most
accomplished representative of the Arisfo-
Democratic party, Jefftsson Dayis.emerges
from confinement as an arch traitor and
chief rebel, and accepts bis liberty upon
bail, offered by two Aboltionists whom be
then chiefly despised-Gerrit Smith and
Mr.. Greeley Yancey, the Wendell Phil
lips OF the South, and Howell Cobb. Mason.
Toombs, SlideIl, Floyd, Hunter, Wjefall.
Foote and Rust whose imperious demands.
forth in the Senate, wereobeyed