Ohio History Journal

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FOREWORD

FOREWORD

 

BY DR. WM. W. PENNELL

As a native of Holmes County and one of its resi-

dents for many years, my earliest recollections cling to

the things that claimed the attention of its people at a

very interesting period.

Among these were the threat of war between the

North and South if Lincoln should be elected president;

runaway slaves; and the story, Uncle Tom's Cabin.

These were not peculiar to that county; conditions there

could have been duplicated a thousand times.  The

threat had no deterring effect on political activity, but

the story seemed to crystallize the hatred for slavery.

The presidential election of 1860 was triangular.

Slavery had become an offense to humanitarians; it was

opposed to the principles sealed in the corner-stone of

American liberty. The Democratic party, so long dom-

inant, had come to the parting of the ways between its

northern and southern wings. Not the least cause of

this parting was the enactment of the Fugitive Slave

Law. The Republicans united in nominating Lincoln,

who opposed the extension of slavery; but the Demo-

crats, divided, could not heal their differences. The

northern wing nominated Douglas who was opposed to

slavery and favored the preservation of the Union; the

southern wing nominated Breckenridge who favored

southern interests, but their organizations lacked that

enthusiasm which characterized that of the Repub-

licans.

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