Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1853-1853, 1853-09-12
Aaouniao Of Senator A,cAi,oaS Speech at Psrksvils
Aug, 9Th, lsSa
~ -"
(Continued.)

aug, oth, Ao9ss
(Continued)
When Nebraska shall be settled, and
people shall desire to en'er this Union as a
State, it is the right Of the people to form
their institutions 10 suit themselves. They
may adopt slavery as one OF their insti'u.
tons, or they may exclude 1t, rs they shall
deem expedient, II il is the will OF ma
jority. of the people of the Territory, at
that lime to exclude slavery, be 1t so. 1t is
their business, not ours. Let'hem present
IS with republican form of Governments;
his is all that should be asked. would
vote IT'S admission into the Union. TIL,
Territories of the United States, prepare
DRY TO their ADMISSION into the Union a
States, have the right to form their own
rsiiiuIions; rs much so as States ot tn
Union have right TO change their insli
GiionA
No person will doubt the right Of SoutI
Carolina to abolish slavery None wi
lnubt the right of Massachusetts In eStah
ish slavery. The Territories have o.
anne right when they form THEN Crn'N"
IONS. and ak admi,>inn into use t....
as States. Now am understood! l. there
anything doubtful in nv uosIron! lW,'
thank any gentleman to catechise me, that
! may be clearly aud distinctly under
stood, Tor desire upon this question Ia be
understood know that my opinions up.
m this subject have been by some misun
lerstood, nv Others mSrepreNentrd. No
person questions Tue. Then | am under.
stood.
Inow, fellow citizens, call YOUR attention
to a letter OF Col Bentou's to certain gen
,lemen Of Cole county; then more especial
.ly to u letter of his, TO citizens OF Monroe
county, (the Col, is interchangeable in writing
leiterS). Ia the former letter, he gives i, as
his opinion that certain portions of the
Nebraska Territory are open 10 settlement
bv white men, and advises them, ifnot di-
rectly, at least indirectly. to settle it.
was called upon for my opinion in relation
to this matter | gave it rs my opaion,
,Sess shs~e I,s,rtiop OF that eousNsSS,
open TO settlement 10y white mCn, and that
is the issue. II is a mere question OF law,
about which there is aditisysnce of opin-
ion, not only between Col. Benton aud NV
self, BUTCHERS. Col. Benton is man Of
great experience, learning and industry--a
man Of "head aid thought" and upon all
subjects in which he has no feeling TO bias
his Judgment, freely admit, that his opin-
ion should far outweigh mine; but where
there was the least tiRSc Of iptcrtS', anything
that would do him good or harm, such is
my want Of confidence in the integrity OF
his mind, that would not place the most
implicit confidence in it. Bat it is not NV
intention, on this occasion, to use epilhetS
and apply abuse to the Col, for mus, do
him the Justice to say that his letter 20 the
citizens Of Monroe county breatheS mild.
erSpirit ;han anything have seen from him
lately. will not therefore permit him to
"out do me" in courtesy OF bearing
In that letter he only charges me with
ignorance or misrepresentation, and all the
members OF both Houses of Congress with
ignorance. He does not once use the term
ratification, diSunioL, treason, conspiracy,
or any thing like it, and these terms gener.
ally constitute the warp and wool at his
chaste correspondence upon political sub
jectS. This question is not TO be settled ei-
Their by Col. Benton's opinion, or that oil
Your humble servant. 1t is the province
Of tho executive and judicial departments
of the Government to conStrue and exc
cute, the laws. If the officers Of the Gov
eminent, whose duty it is to administer
our land laws, and to enforce treaties, and
execute the laws regulating intercourse
with the Indians, shall declare the country
mentioned in Col, BentOn'S letter, open for
then it will be safe for YOU Ia
act upon that declaration, and not until