The Journal's Charge of Forgery.

2

September 3, 1858.

The Journal of last week raises a great howl over the resolutions read by Mr. Douglas at Ottawa. It charges in big capitals, that the resolution in question "is a base fraud, a vile, infamous and willful forgery." &c. Now it turns out, unfortunately for the veracity of the Journal, and its beg cap. display, that the resolutions are neither a fraud nor a forgery; that Mr. Douglas was merely in error as to "the particular spot" where the republican party gave them birth; an error under which Mr. Lincoln as well as Mr. Douglas labored at Ottawa, for Lincoln admitted at Ottawa that they were passed at Springfield, but said that his name was put on the committee that reported them without his consent.

Mr. Lincoln's friends subsequently ascertained that the resolutions read by Mr. Douglas were passed by a republican convention at Aurora. The principle resolution is as follows:
Resolved. That the times imperatively demand a re-organization of parties, and repudiating all previous party attachments, names and predilections, we unite ourselves together in defence of the liberty and constitution of our country, and will hereafter co-operate as the republican party, pledged to the accomplishment of the following purposes: To bring the administration of government back to the control of first principles: to restore Nebraska and Kansas to the position of free territories; that as the constitution of the United State vests in the states, and not in congress; the power to legislate for the extradition of fugitives from labor: TO REPEAL AND ENTIRELY ABROGATE THE FUGITVE SLAVE LAW; to restrict slavery to those states in which it exists; TO PROHIBIT THE ADMISSION ANY MORE SLAVE STATES INTO THE UNION: to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia; to exclude slavery from all the territories over which the general government has exclusive jurisdiction; and to arrest the acquirement of any more territories unless the practice of slavery therein shall have been prohibited."

The same resolutions were adopted by nearly every republican convention held in northern Illinois in 1854. During the discussion at Freeport on Friday last, Mr. Douglas read a set of resolutions passed at Rockford, on the 30th of August, 1854, by the republican convention that nominated Mr. Washburne for congress, which cover about the same ground as do the resolutions read by Mr. Douglas at Ottawa, The third resolution is as follows:

Resolved: — That we accept this issue forced upon us by the slave power, and in defence of freedom will co-operate and be known as Republican pledged to the accomplishment of the following purposes:

To bring the Administration of the government back to the control of first principles; to restore Kansas and Nebraska to the position of free Territories; to repeal and entirely abrogate the fugitive slave law; to restrict slavery to those States in which it exists; to prohibit the admission of any more slave States into the Union; to exclude slavery from all the territories over which the general government has exclusive jurisdiction, and to resist the acquisition of any more territories unless the introduction of slavery therein forever shall have been prohibited."

To show the paternity of these resolutions, and that the sentiments they embody are fully endorsed by the republicans, we quote as follows from the Freeport discussion.

"Mr. Lincoln was aided in his efforts by many leading Whigs throughout the State. Your member of Congress, Mr. Washburne, being one of the most active. (Good fellow.) Trumbull was aided by many renegades from the Democratic party, among whom were John Wentworth, (laugher,) Tom Turner and others with whom you are familiar.

Mr. Turner who was one of the moderators, here interposed and said that he had drawn the resolutions which Senator Douglas had read.

Mr. Douglas — Yes, and Turner says that he drew these resolutions. ("Hurrah for Turner" "Hurrah for Douglas.") That is right, give Turner cheers for drawing the resolutions if you approve them. If he drew those resolutions he will not deny that they are the creed of the Black Republican party.

Mr. Turner — They are our creed exactly. — (Cheers)

This does not show that the resolutions committing the republican party and its candidates to the repeal of the fugitive slave law; opposition to any more slave states, &c., are a base "fraud and willful forgery" of the democrats. Here we find Mr. Turner, a leading republican, acknowledging the authorship of the resolutions; that they were adopted by the republican convention, and declaring that such is the creed of the republican party; and in addition, we find the mass of the republicans present cheering the resolutions, and the declaration of Mr. Turner, that they embody the republican party creed. Does such evidence show that the democrats have attacked fraudulent resolutions of their own manufacture?" After such a crushing refutation by republican testimony of its charge, will the Journal raise another howl of forgery?