Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1848-10-03

nave Iisetl, lii now we Dehold her deal
ing out lnerited punishment under her VIC.
iorious eagles to one nation, while with
muniicent hand she sends forth to another
the food that keeps them from starving.
cannot, would not if could, forget
that these are the glorious fruits of our
time honored constitution and its patriotic
compromises. Are these not worth pre-
serving Will you tread with angry foot
steps upon the political chart which our
revolutionary fathers have left US, as the
richest, best heritage.
But must follow the gentleman lit
tie further-and here allow me to say that
| regretted much to hear the tokens of
dlsrespect he so freely. so studiously ut
tered against orr most prominent states
men of the present day. He even told
you that Gen. Cass was dough-face-so
soft that the print of your finger upon his
nose would stay till morning, and then he
turned upon Gen. Taylor and called him
all sorts of hard names. 1t is not my
purpose to defend Gen. Taylor. But this
must be allowed to say, in all frankness
and candor, that as man, admire him,
and as general would not pluck leaf
from his laurels. He has bravely fought
our battles and covered the eagles of our
country with lasting renown. But for
President of this great Republic, | give
him credit for candor and truth, when he
tells US in his letters that he has never
studied the political economy of our coun..
try. Yet, feel too sensibly the example
| have seen this night, of the abuse Of our
great men, to even mention here, the OBJ
jections | have to Gen. Taylor. But TO-
wards Gen. Cass, the gentleman was Pc
culiarly severe. The man who was plant.
ed in the midst ola western Wilderness
who has from youth spent his days in de-
votion to the west--who has perilled his
life in defending his country who when
he saw his commanding General ignobly
surrender, shivered his sword in atoms
rather than yield'it to the hands of exult-
ing foemen--who has administered the
government of this great west for many
long years, without murmur or COM
plant from an individual--the man who
filed the post Of Secretary of War under
one of the greatest men of the age--the
man who was for many years our minis
ter at the Court Of France, and by the in
fluence of his high character, was able to
dash into oblivion the combined treaty Of
the greatest powers OF Europe, and save
our shipping from the right Of search
the man who has visited our cities and
built up scientific institutions by lectures
and acts OF encouragement-the man too
that stood by our country in the late hour
of our need and when factious and dis
contented party spirit attempted to prevent
appropriations TO carry on foreign war,
at moment when our army was in the
midst ofan enemy's country, Drawing their
cannon and the ten thousand proiectiies
which are fruit Of the science of war
while one who now sits in your midst was
then among his country's foes--then it
was that Lewis Cass might be seen stand
ing by the rights Of his country, in the
United States Senate, urging the factious
band of grumblers to send them provisions
and the means Of self defence--,his man
your orutor has told you was made of
dough, so soft that he could leave his fin
ger prints upon his nose. My friends,
let me ask you if you delight to listen to
such language towards your public men
the defenders of your country
But he has told you that Gen. Cass is
in favor of the extension of slavery. Lei
us for one moment see how this is. Gen.
Cass said, in his Nicholson letter, that he
could not perceive in the constitution any
power to legislate on the subject of sla-
very. H.. a#s I
He says, "Briehy, then, am opposed
to the exercise of jurisdiction by con yress
over this matter; and am in favor OF
leaving 10 the people ofany territorywhich
may be hereafter organized, the right to
regulate it for themselves under the gen.
eral principles ofthe constitution. Because
81. | do not see in the constitution any
grant of the requisite power to congress,
and am not disposed TO extend doubt. |
ful precedent beyond its necessity-the
establishment of territorial governments
when needed-leaving to the inhabitants
all the rights compatible with the rela.
tons they bear to the ConfederacY.
"2. Because | believe this measure if |
adopted willweaken if not impair the union
ofthe States; and would sow the seeds of
future discord which would grow I'D and
ripen into an abundant harvest of calam. |
ity." s'
II he is elected President Of the United
Statas,h he will as your speaker has already
told you, stand up with uplifted hand and
swear before his God to support the con-
stitution OF the United States. Now irtbe
power TO legislate upon the subject is not
granted by the constitution, do you want
him or any other President to exercise if?
Can it be that any party spirit or any
misguided zeal can so far lead you from
remembrance Of your duty TO your coun.
try as that you would desire to trample