The Portland daily press., 1875-09-04
Fighting Facts.

The man who undertakes to fight facts
should keep quiet until after all living wit
nesses are dead. Then be may refute history,
but while millions are living who know the
facts.any attempt to wipe them out will be re-
garded as an evidence of audacity. Sooner or
later some ambitious historian will undertake
tovindicate the leaders Of the Democratic par
ty from the accusation that they were wholly
responsible for the costly and bloody civil var
of. 1876 Fifty years hence, some
learned person will doubtless maintain
that Jefferson Davis fought on the
Union side. But we suggest to the
argus that the facts are too recent and the
living witnesses too numerous for it to sue
cessfuIy attempt to shift the crushing respon-
sibiity Of the war upon any other than the
Democratic leaders. Its attempt to divide
that responsibility will be equally fruitless and
audacious. The suggestion that the
war was melted by handful of abolitionists
on the one side and an equal NUMBER of fire.
eaters on the other is too absurd for sensible
person to offer.
The work OF proving that the war to de-
stroy the ration was instigated by the Demo-
ocratic leaders of the South and had the
moral support of five sixths of the prominent
party leaders of the North, seems to be one
of supererogation. But as the argus has
seen fit to open ahs~questioa, or rather the
subject we can do no otherwise than give
the facts.
In 1862 Franklin Pierce was elected Presi-
dent on platform which recognized the Mis-
souri, Compromise as the final adjustment of
the conflicting opinions relative to the exten-
sion of slavery. In 1854, Democratic Con-
gress forced through bill abrogating the
Missouri Compromise and opening the terri
tories to slavery. This act of treachery on
the part OF the Democratic leaders produced
intense feeling throughout the North and the
Republican party was called into existence as
the organized protest of the outraged senti-
ment OF the North. The Slave Power did
not rest there, but at its dlctation, and en-
dorsed or apologized for by the Democratic
leaders and organs Of the North, the Pierce
administration undertook by federal bayonets
70 iorce slavery upon the free territory of
Kansas. Then followed the Presidential
contest OF 1855, where the issue was taken
squarely on the status of slavery in the ter
rltorles, the Democrats holding that slavery
existed therein and the Republicans contend
ing that by the most solemn compact, the
territories were forever consecrated to free
dom' The Democrats won. James Buchanan
became President and from the first was the
plant tool of the Southern leaders. At their
dictation, he declared slavery national, and a
large majority of the Democrats in Congress
took the same view.
In 1850, the Presidential contest turned on
the same issue. The Democratic party was
divided, one part holding that slavery was
national and the other maintaining that tht
territory was open to slavery and that state.
could be admitted to the Union with or with
out it as the inhabitants of the same chose
The Republicans made no threats against
slavery, but, on the other hand, declared In
the most emphatic terms that slavery in The
states where 1t existed, would not be inter
fered With. In brief the Republicans demand