Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-07-08

while slavery, with his garments OF
blood and his demoralizing and de-
basing influences, sat at the other
They had for long time been sntago-
nistic players at the game of party
politics.
The game had been so played that
up to about the year 1854. a portion of
our immense territory was sacred to
freedom, and the krgsremsinder con-
demned to slavery. But in this year
another move was made on the politi-
cal checker board, by which Slavery |
supposed that it was sure of the whole
territory of the United States, and had
not the Republican party then been
formed and rallied to the assistance OF |
freedom, the accursed system of Afri- |
can slavery would have spread over the |
whole country like dark pail. And |
you, Democratic Senators, say that the
Republican party iwss based upon
fraud. Sirs, history does not sustain
your assertion but on the contrary,
upon more than a thousand pages, it
asserts that the Bepnblican party was
formed to prevent one OF the most stu
pendous frauds eTes attempted upon
any people. The Democratic party, in
1854 repealed the Missouri Comprom-
iSe, thus opening al the broad north
west to the entertainments of slavery.
From that time to the breaking out OF
the war, a large minority Of the Demo
cratic party was chmoring 70 have the
peculiar institution protected by Con-
gressional power il all the territory Of
the Union; while aportion of the party
was little more modest and moderate
in their demands, and only asked Tor
the doctrine OF squstter sovereignty OF
Stephen A. Douglis-
The repeal Of he old compromise
between slavery and freedom was
fraud upon the people, and called into
existence the party to which | belong
to-day. This Republican party was
born because of the fraud of the Dem-
ocrstic party, and its only object was
to bind slavery to that portion OF terri.
tory given it by the compromise OF
1920, and as increased by the aequisi-
tion of Texss.
These were our principles in 1856,
when John c. Fremont was our stand
ard bearer, and these were our princi-
pies in 1860, when Abraham Lincoln
was nominated at Chicago, and when,
in the autumn following, he was elected
President of the United States. Where
vas the fraud of our party up to the
inauguration of the President in March
1861? Any fraud in the campaign OF
1856? ANY badges of fraud in the cam.
paign of of 1860? All, | see where the
fraud wssl Our just aud true princi'
pies so commended themselves to the
great mass of the people, that they
voted our ticket and elected honest
Abe Lincoln President, and thus the
Democracy were "defrsuded" of 'grea
ezPeetatiops," and the spoils OF office
and rejected the doctrine that msjori
ties should rule.
Let me repeat what said moment
ago, that had the Democratic party, in
the fall of 1860, been in practice and
principle what it wss in name, the ter
rible war through which we have re-
Gently passed would have been avoided,
the burden Of taxation under which
we are now reeling. would never have
been laid upon US, and thousands OF
graves filed with the precious relicts OF
our dead would not have been dug
But they were not tue to their name,
nor true to their avoRed principles
they refused to submit to the election
/ of President in a constitutional man.
ner; and the great body of the party
appealed to the sword, hoping to wash
out in blood every trace ofa Democratic
government in one part Of our Union.
ask Democratic Senators again, and
especially the Hon. Senator from Wyan-
dot, to tell me where was the fraud in
! the Republican party before the 4th OF
March, 1861? Well, at that time,
think seven States had withdrawn from
the Union, and Mr.. Lincoln entreated
sthem to return. All he ssked was a
restored Union, with slavery, and all
their rights unimpaired; but loud
response from the entire South came
back, saying they would not return.
At that time, three plans were sug
gested. One, to compel their submis
sion, another. 10 permit their with
drawal in peace and, still another, fol
the Republican party to abandon all it
principles, give the reins Of Govern
ment to the slave power, ard devote
all our fair territory to the demon o
slavery. To this last, the Republican
marty would not submit for al instant
And was that fraud ? They had ad
vocated and proclaimed certain princi
pies, and those principles had net will
success at the polls, where the peopl
sneak; and we, as party, had right
and it was our duty, to hold fast ou
position.
But should we have permitted tn
seeding States to go in peace? Tha
would have been even worse than tn
last proposition, for that would hav,
not only been giving up principles
but abandoning our country, and form
! of Government also.
Our Government, I think, wisel
adopted the plan of compelling sui
mission on the part of the revoltin
States. The Senators and represents
tiTes in Congress from these State
withdrew from their seats and went t
their constituents to a;d in destroyin
, a Union which they could not control
and declared they would form neI
government, based upon human SLAVE
Ty. The revolted States gathere
, together their 81 mics and contemptI
+ ously defied the power of the Genera
Government. They fred upon ou
. forts, and more, they insulled our haI
: Mr.. Lincoln called for troops, and the
responded by the Thousands and b
the tens of thousands, and after th
! war had been in progress for a feV
weeks, our party adopted in Congre'
what was called the Crittenden resolI
tion. And the charge of the Senate
!. from Wyandot is, that that resolutio
I has not been observed by the Republ
! can party; that its passage was onl
! intended as q deception and frau
! upon the people, with no expectatio
, of carrying it out.
e That resolution was, IN substanc
/ that ''the war was not waged on OF
I part in any spirit of oppression, or II
' any purpose of conquest or subjugatiol
I. or purpose of oVerthroWing or interfe
, ing with the rights of established il
. stitutions of the States, but to defen
. and maintain the supremacy of ii
Consultation and TO preserve the Uniol
! with all the dignity, equality an
rights of the several States unimpaire
!, and that as soon as these objects we
i accomplished. the war ought to cease
No proposition was ever made in be
! ter faith, and that resolution embodiC
! the views of the Republican party, Il
! object being to give to the rebels
arms, in an authoritative form, the vieT
q of our Government. But how was