Excerpt from The Republican Party: Its Origin, Necessity and Permanence Mr. Calhoun regarded Slavery as a permanent institution; Mr. Adams regarded it as something transitory Mr. Calhoun vaunted it as a form of civilization; Mr. Adams scorned it as an unquestionable barbarism. Mr. Calhoun did not hesitate to call it the most stable basis for free government; Mr. Adams vehemently denounced it as a curse, full of weakness and mockery and doubly offensive in a boastful Republic. Mr. Calhoun, not content with thus exalting Slavery, proceeded to condemn the early opinions of Washington and Jefferson as "folly and delusion" to assail the self-evident truths of the Declaration of Independence as "absurd," and then to proclaim that human beings are property under the Constitution and as such, may be transported into the Territories and there held in Slavery; while Mr Adams added to the glory of his long and diversified career, by persistent efforts, which are better for his fame than having been President - upholding the great rights of petition and of speech, vindicating the early opinions of the Fathers, and the self-evident truths of the Declaration of Independence; exposing the hateful character of Slavery; insisting upon its prohibition in the Territories; denying the asserted property in man, and especially and often exhibiting the unjust power in the National Government, usurped by what he called "the little cluster" of slave-masters, whose yoke was to him intolerable. Such, most briefly told, were the antagonist opinions of these two chiefs. Never was great conflict destined to involve a great country more distinctly foreshadowed. All that the Republican party now opposes may be found in John C. Calhoun. All that the Republican party now maintains may be found in John Quincy Adams. Choose ye, fellow citizens, between the two. The rule of "Principles, and not men" is hardly applicable to a man whose life now bears the sacred seal of death, and whose name is the synonym of principle, yet I do not hesitate to say that our cause is best appreciated in its precise objects and aims. Proud as we may be to tread where John Quincy Adams leads the way, there is a guide of more commanding authority found in the eternal law of Right, and the concurring mandate of the Constitution itself when properly interpreted, which teaches the duties of a good citizen. Such is the guide of the Republican party which, I say fearlessly, where most known, will be most trusted, and which, when understood in its origin, will be seen to be no accidental or fugitive organization, merely for an election, but an irresistible necessity, which in the nature of things must be as permanent as the pretensions, moral and political, which it seeks to constrain and counteract. Let us dwell, then, on the Republican party, its Origin, its Necessity, and its Permanence: All must admit that if no Republican party existed now - even if that halcyon day so often promised by cajoling politicians had come, when the Slavery Question was settled - still there would be a political necessity for a great party of Opposition to act as a check on the Administration. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.