The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-11-27
THELIeERTY PARTY OF ls45.

The LIBERTY PARTY OF lSd5.
We are indebted for the following ex-
tract from the speech of Judge Chase. sr
the formation of this historical party. 70
''Warden's Life of Chase"
What, then, is the position of TIE
political parties of the country in r.la
rion TO this subject? One of these par
ties processes TO be guided by the most
. liberal principles. Equal and exact
justice to all meu;' Equal rights for all
mem 'inhexible opposition TO Oppres-
sion are its favorite mottoes. 1t claims
TO be the true friend of popular govern
ment, and assumes the name of Demo
cratic. Among its members are, doubt
less, many who cherish its professions as
sacred principles, and believe that the
great cause of freedom and progress is
to be served by promoting its ascend
ancy. But when we compare the max
inns of the so-called Democratic party
with its acts, its hypocrisy is plainly re-
vealed. Among its leading members we
find the principal SHAREHOLDERS the chiefs
of the oligarchy. 1t has never scrupled
to sacrifice the rights of the free States,
or of the people, to the demands of the
slave power Like Sir Pertinax Me
| Sycophant, its Northern leaders believe
| that the great secret of advancement
lies in 'bowing WELL No servility seems
too gross, no self-deg-adation too great,
to be submitted to. They think them
selves well rewarded if the unity OF the
party be preserved, and the spoils of
victory secured If, in the distribution
| of these spoils, they receive only the
! jackal's share, they content themselves
with the reflection that little is better
than nothing They declGim loudly
against all monopolies, all special privil-
leges, all encroachments on personal
rights, all distinctions founded upon
birth, and compensate themselves for
these efforts of virtue by practising the
vilest oppression upon all their country
men in whose compilations the slightest
trace of African derivationacan be de-
tected.
''Profoundly do LCe Te1eTe the HGrims
Of true Democracy; they are identical
aOith those Of true Christianity, in TelG-
ton to the rights and duties Of men as
citizens And our reference for Demo
cratic principles is the precise measure
Of our deteStdtion Of the policy Of those |
aChO are permitted to shape the action of |
the Democratic party. Political concert |
with that party, under its present leader |
ship, is, therefore, plainly impossible. |
Nor do LDe entertain the hope, IChich !
many, no doubt, honestly cherish, tint |
the profeSSed principles Of the party tDiH |
atleRgth bring 1t right upon the question |
ofSiaCery. Its professed principles have |
been the same for nearly half century, |
and yet the subsection of the party to |
the slave power is at this moment, as |
complete as ever There is no prospect !
of any change for the better until those |
Democrats whose hearts are really pos |
sessed by generous love of liberty for |
all, and by an honest hatred of oppres- |
sion, shall manfully assert their individ- |
ual independence, and refuse their sup |
port to the panders of slavery.
''There is another party which boasts |
that it is conservative in its character |
Its watchwords are, a tariff a bank
ing system, The Union as it is Among |
its members, also, are many sincere op-
ponents of slavery; and the party itself, /
seeking aid in the attainment OF power,
and anxious to carry its favorite meas
ures, and bound together by no such
profeSsed principles as secure the unity
of the Democratic party. often comedies
much to their anti-slavery views 1t is
not unwilling, in those States and parts
of States where anti-slavery sentiment
prevails, to assume an anti-slayery atti-
tude, and claims to be an anti-slavery |
party. Like the Democratic party,
however, the Wing party maintains alli-
ance with the STAKEHOLDER. 1t proposes,
in its national conventions, no action
against slavery. 1t has no anti-slavery /
article in its national creed. Among its
leaders and champions, in Congress and
out of Congress. none are so honored
and trusted rs shareholders In practice
and in principle. Whatever the Wing |
party, therefore, comedies, to anti
SIaUeTy. must be reluctantly conceded.
It's natural line Of action is TO maintain |
things as they are It's natural bond Of |
unfon Is regard for Interests rather than
for rights.
There are, doubtless, Jealous opponents |
of slavery who are, also, Jealous Wings. /
But they have not tine general confidence |
of their party; they are under the ban |
of the shareholders; and in any practi
cal anti-slavery movement, as, for eX-
ample, the repeal of the laws which sane
zion slavehOlding in the District of Co |
lumbia, would meet the determined op- |
position of large and most influential |
section of the party, not because the |
people of the free States would be op- |
posed to the measure, but because it |
would be displeasing to the oligarchy, |
and fatal to party unity. We are con-
strained to think, therefore, that all ex-
pectation of efficient anti-slavery action |
from the Whig party, as now organized, |
will prove delusive. Nor do we perceive |
any probability of a change in its organ
ization. separating its anti-slavery from
its pro-slavery constituents, and leaving /
the former in possession of the name and /
influence of the party. With the Wing |
party, therefore, as at present organized, |
it is as impossible for us, whose notices
are Equal rights and fair tcGges for
all" and "THe Union as 10 should be, ITO
act in alliance and concert, as it is for us /
to act with the so-called Democratic !
party. We cannot choose between these
parties for the sake of any local or par
tial advantage, without sacrificing con-
sistency, seif-respect. and mutual conf
dence While we say this, we are bound
to add that, tCere either Of these parties
to diSdppoint our expectations, and to |
adopt into its NATIONAL CREED. AS ITS |
LEADING ARTICLES, the principles ,Chieh |
tCe regard as. fundamental, and enter up |
on q course Of HElfeigrled and earnest |
uctlOIt ulJItItSL tue SYSTEM ~ StuCtIH- UC /
should not hesitate, regarding. as tce do, |
the question of SlGoeTy as the paramount |
question Of our day and nation, to giUe |
to IL our cordial and UigOTOUs support, |
until SldueTy should be no more"
The last of the foregoing sentences |
opens the way to understanding of the |
following extract:
with what party, then. shall we actl |
Or, shall we act with nOnel Act, i'll some |
way, we must; for the possession of the |
right of suffrage, the right of electing !
our own lawmakers and rulers, imposes |
upon us the corresponding duty of vot- |
ing for men who will carry out the views
which we deem of paramount impor-
tanee and obligation. Act together we
must. for upon the questions which we
regard as the most vital we are fully !
agreed. We must act then-act togeth- |
er-and act against slavery and oppress-
ion. Acting thus, tCe necessarily act as !
a party: for IChGt is a party 61it a body Of |
citizens acting together politically, ingoOd |
faith, upon common principles for
common 0tject7 And if there be party
already in existence. animated by the
same motives and aiming at the same
results as ourselves, We must act with
and in that party.
THAT there is such party IS lceH
knoDn. IL IS the Liberty party IF the
United States. Its principles, measures
and objects we cordially approve. II
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