The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-10-18
Address from the Democratic State Central ConAnit-
tee OF Mussnc husetts, 1s4s

tee OF Massachusetts, Isis.
! FELLOW CITIZENS OF MASSACHUSETTS, AND THE
UNION The democrats of Massachusetts,, though rarely
m majority IN the State have but once since the days
of Jefferson and John Adams found themselves in pop
ular minority IN the Union.
This consideration makes them jealous OF the preser
walton OF the Unon and of the supremacy OF the democ
racy OF the Union; for they this one great fact run
nng through all history viz that the democratic
party have alone preserved this Union, and that the
premacy OF the democracy has been and be sustained
only by The firm union Of southern and northern demo-
Gratis. tf.4. .la
In the present crisis Of false issues and false men, it is
most fitting time TO recall the vigilance of every demo-
cra north or south, east or west to the great chart OF
the republican fathers adherence TO regular n0m'na-
lions, adherence Of all sectional dOisiOns, and plat
form broad enough for the iohoie Union.
The prominent feature OF the present presidential cleo
ton is the struggle to make il turn upon geographical
and sectional Distinction founded on the local TACT that
fifteen States In this Union have local laws which au-
thonze the relation of master and slave, while the same
number daany OF which were originally slaveholding
Stakes bur abandoned when it became unproftable) are
happily without that domestic relation
The natural result is, that section approves and
the other condemns that form of servtude and hence
1t follows night the day. that if the two classes of
States rally upon this sectional eud and come into stern
collision this exciting topic which involves thou.
sand millions of the working capital of the South there
must be end to the Union, to be followed by separate
considerations and civil wars a
To guard against this fatal collisions the constitution
gave no power whatever to Congress the subject,
but reserved TO the States did all the relations of
property all the freedom Of the press and all matters of
these respects, but the States pass any laws they
please, in these matters, within their borders
In the Massachusetts convention to adopt the constitu-
ton of the Union, Samuel Adams defined State rights to
be- "tha each State shall chobse such republican form
of government they please, and Congress soemnly
gage themselves to protect it from every kind of violence,
whether OF faction at home or enemies abroad"
When northern democrats talk OF State rights and the
compromises of the constitutions they mean this doctrine
of non-nterference maintained by Samuel Adams, Thos.
Jefferson, and the republican fathers. 1t follows that if
the Safes can frame their own local institutions they
may establish abolish slavery they please If Con.
gress bound to protect their form OF government 1t Is
bound to protect from every form of volence and
so, not breach of faith for Congress- by slave ag-
ation to encourage and incite the very domestic vio-
ence it is bound to suppress!
By the mness of the democracy of the North in keep
ing the faith of their fathers with the South in this re-
spect, the first shock OF political aboonsm which was
aimed at the States turned aside. The aggressors
upon The South, who have long kept up this agitation,
admit, in their Buffalo platform, that Congress has
power slavery in the States; and if they are sin
this, that question has been put rest and far
the Union has been preserved.
But now comes another phase of the slave agitation
Discaimng to the States, it fasens upon the Terrific
RES 1t that OF the North wiser TO frame
domestic institutions for Territories thousands of miles of
than the people under their own political organization
will be to make local laws for themselves.
The democrats of the north say that this is anti repub
can. because it denies the right of the majority to govern
and to frame government, within their duties to the
years with Great Britain to maintain this principle; the
democracy of this Union stood upon it, by the side of
Governor Dorr and his compatros in the Rhode Island
suffrage question; and those who not false to funda
mental principles must stand by il now, when applied to
the organized political communities OF territories as well
as States 1t is here the democracy OF this Union and
their candidate for the presidency stand uon the funda
mental principles OF our Union" Shall Congress enforce
local laws upon political community shall the peo-
| pie make their own local laws!
1.-The Wimot Proviso," says Gen. Cass, in his plain
and staesmanke exposition OF his views seeks to take
from its legitimate tribunal he people, question OF do
nestle pocy-having relation to the Union as such
another (COngreSS1 created bV the
people for special purpose and foreign to the subject
matter involved in this issue By going back to our true
Leave to the people, who will be affected by this ques
on adjust it upon their own responsibility and in their
manner, and shall render another tribute to the
original principles OF our government, and furnish an
other guaranty for its permanence and prosperity"
And this brings in the relation OF parties as to the
presidency, TO the free-soa movement, as it Is called
The wing party in this contest as in many before it,
seeks to avail itself of the element of abolionism True,
has nominated the of two plantations of slaves,
while the candidate OF the democracy is from the free
States and yet far the north is concerned it insists
that the STAKEHOLDER in truth abolonst, while the
Shareholder for the extension of slavery Both OF
hese assertions are miseaby SECTIONAL and neither OF
them is true
The wings rely for their only chance Of success solely
upon the influence of abolitionism in New York, Penn
sylvania Ohio, and the plurality free States to draw
off enough democrats upon the free-so candidate to
duce the vote for Gen Cass below that of Gen. Taylor
They doomed to disappointment but the design is not
the less dishonest in ITSELF dsrepuabe to any party that
claims to belong to the whole Union, and deeply disoyal
TO that Union.
In this view let consider the free-so issue, and the
duty of democrats concerning 1t.
1t has ever been fundamental principle of the demo-
cratic party to admit INTO presidential elections none but
national issues that cover the whole Union This has
been the of the uniform of the democratic
party of the Union
Now, this free soil question, so far from being
tiona issue, exclusively sectional, designed to be
gressve and offensive to the South and is narrow in
its application that Oregon being already taken away il
has but two remote and spare territories to stand upon
whose soil habits and climate totally uncongenia to
slavery Then, again. the brief space of time in which it
can act the transition from territorial to State gov
eminent when the latter establish abolish slavery
in its sovereign pleasure, just as Massachusetts can
nov do ~
| The South say, let the new States come into the
Union with all the powers the old States had and where
is the power TO deny them this right in their local
Germs
But beyond this the free soil issue rests upon the sin
gle proposition that Congress shall pass law prohibiting
slavery in the Territories. a'.l.
Now, this offers possible practical result for, in the
first place, act oensve not unjust to the South,
she regards it, respect to California and New Mex
co-never pass the Senate In the next place. it is
wholly unnecessary for relates to territory which
Into the Union free, and where slavery, being solely
thing of municipal law, can exist without law
to create IT. or e
Thus says the Supreme Court of the United States in
the of Prigg against Pennsylvania. 10th of Peters,
the state OF slaveryls mere municipal reguaon found
ed upon and limited to the verge of the Territorial law y
that is, the limits of the State enacting it.
| And yet such is the folly well as injustice of the
false clamor of the hour against a pretended "slave
free territories without law, and there is law, and the
south ask for no law but only ask for what the cons
tuition gives them and no mOreyet designing and disap
pointed men, taking advantage OF the strong and mpusve