The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-06-09
A New Era of Good Feeling,

HTHE cordially OF the receptions
given to President Mckinley AZ
every point in the South and
Southwest where his train stop
ped on hts present tour throgh the
country makes a striking contrast
with the attitude which that section
held toward the earlier Republican
Presidents and Republican presided
tiai candidates. There can be 10
doubt that the rupture which came
Eith the election Of Lincoln in 1860
would have come four years before
that time II Fremont had been SUE
cessfui- Some OF the Southern lead
ers plotted secession in the event Of
the victory OF the Republicans in 1856
Charges we're made TO this effect in
the North during the canvass of that
year. but after the election. when
Buchanan instead OF Fremont was
chosen. they were denied IN the South.
There can be no doubt. however, that
some Of these accusations we're found
ed on fact. Robert Toombs. OF Geor-
gia. who had previously been Wing.
but who went over 10 the Democrats
in 1852 because be thought Scott, the
Wing candidate Of that year. was
hostile 10 slavery. wrote in the sum
mer o. 1856. four months before the
Gay for voting, that ~the election OF
Fremont would be the end OF the
Union. and ought to be. The object
OF Fremout's friends is the conquest
OF the South I am content that they
shall own US when they conquer as
but not before" Slidell, of Louisiana.
who. Ike To0mbs, was a member OF
the Senate. wrote about the same
time that IF Fremont be elected the
Union can not and ought not to be
preserved
Il is known that Henry A. Wise,
who had been elected Governor of
Virginia in 1855, was one of the az
tive spirits In attempting to secure
unity among the Southern states in
armed opposition to Fremont in case
Of his election. James NJ. Mason. one
Of Virginia's Senators-the Mason
who figured with the Siidell before
mentioned In the Trent case in 1861,
when Capt Wilkes. of the United
States war steamer San Jacinto,
seized both of them. who were then
Confederate commissioners TO Europe,
chant vessel Trent-throws light On
Wise's activity in that juncture. Wise
proposed in the summer of 1856, that
representatives of most of the slave
staes shoald meet in Raleigh, n. C.,
and arrange for united action in case
OF the success of the Republicans.
Mason told about this in a letter 10
Jefferson Davis. then Secretary OF
War in the cabinet of President Pierce
in a letter dated September 80, 1856.
FIVE weeks before the election. Il
have" said Mason to Davis. "a letter
from Wise of the 9th. fun of spirit
He says the governments of North
Carolina. South Carolina and Louisi-
ana have already agreed to the render
vous at Raleigh, and others will-this
in your most private ear. He said
further that he had officially request
ed you to exchange with Virginia, on
fair terms of difference. percussion
for flint muskets." Mason said for
himself that he did not know the
usage or power OF the War Depart
ment in such cases, but remarked that
If II can be done, even by liberal
construction, | hope you viii accede."
Mason also declared. speaking COR
himself. that ''in the event of Fro
mont's election the South should not
pause, but proceed at once to imme-
date. absolute and eternal separa-
ton"
The danger of dissolution of the
Union in case the Republicans should
carry the country was felt TO such IN
extent in the North that many of the
old Wings, who constituted the la-g-
est ingredient of the Republican party.
then only two years old. refused to
join the Republicans. and supported
Fillmore. the candidate of the Ameri-
can, or Know Nothing, party instead.
Fillmore polled $4,000 votes in Mas
sachusetts in 1856, "a 900 in New Jer-
sey. $4,000 in Pennsylvania and 1884,
600 in New York In the South the
contest was between Fillmore and
Buchanan. Fremont not being a Sc
rious factor in the struggle in any
of the slave states. In fact, some
OF the old Wings OF the North went
over TO the Democrats and supported
Buchanan. Conspicuous among these
was Rufus Choate. of Massachusetts,.
Webster's old personal and political
friend. Choate declared that the first
duty OF Wings is 30 unite with some
organization OF our countrymen to de-
feat and dissolve the new geogra-
phical party calling itself Republican"
According TO Choate. the Republican
party OF that day knew s'one-half Of
America only To hate and dread 1t.
from whose unconsecrated and reyo-
lutionary banner fifteen stars are
erased or have fallen; in whose ns-
tional anthem the old and endearcd
airs 81 Eutaw Springs. Kings Noun
tain and Yorktown. and those later
OF New Orleans and Buena Vista and
Chapultepec. breathe no more"
In the midst Of the utilization in
which the South INDUCED on account
Of the defeat OF the Republicans in
1856. there were some persons and
journals that foresaw the growing
power of the party which had selected
Fremont for its first candidate An
old Whig paper published in Augusta.
Ca. the Chronicle and Sentinel. which
supported Fillmore in the campaign.
warned the Buchanan men OF its sec
ton to so slow In their shouts over
his victory. They had no hand in
the defeat OF Fremont il declared
shortly after the election. They
know very well that il Mr. Fillmore
had not divided the North--if the Am