Washington sentinel., 1854-07-18
question now; would you be less competent to
decide it then? GApplause.


| AS an excuse for violating this great princi-
PIE OF selt-goyernment in the organization ofthe
Territories and in the admission of new States.
the abolltonists tell us that slavery is a mon.
strous evil. 1t is no part of my purpose to dis
cuss the merits OF slavery as a domestic or DO
litical institution. If it be an evil your State
and mine have acted wisely and performed
their duty nobly in removing it from their
limits. Standing by and vindicating the deci-
sion which the people of Illinois have made
upon this subject, | claim for Kansas and Ne.
braska-yea, | demand for every new State
which shall be admitted in all time to come,
the right to determine for themselves and to ex-
trelse every power which the Constitution has
secured 10 and has been exercised by the people
OF every State OF this Union. Immense ap-
plause.
If it be an evil it is not the only evil for
which the people of the several States and Ter
ritories are called upon to provide adequate
| iegisauon. There are many good and true
men among US who conscientously believe that
the manufacture, sale, and use Of ardent spirits
and Intoxicating drinks is greyous evil, which
calls aloud for the application of the appropri.
ate remedies yet while temperance societies
have been organized every where, and lectures
| delivered, and the pledge circulated, and siren
nous efforts made to induce the legislatures Of
the different States and Territories to provide
remedies by legislation for this widespread
evil, have never heard that any party, society,
or individual has presented petition to Con.
gress, praying that the Maine liquor law shall
| De imposed upon the Territories and new States
as fundamental condition of their admission
into the Union, regardless of the wishes and in
oehance or the rights of the people who may
reside therein and be affected thereby. Cheers
Crlme, IN any of its forms and shapes, is a
very great evil in any State or Territory; yet
Congress has never presumed to enact criminal
codes for the Territories and new States-to
declare what shall and what shall not be deemed
crmlnal-to prescribe the penalty and point out
the mode of punishment. These things have al.
ways been left and, trust, always will be left
to the people of the different States and Terri.
torres, to be determined by them through their
local legislatures In accordance with their sense
OF right and duty. Why should we make an
exception OF the slavery question, and apply to
1t rule, which is admitted to be unsound and
subversive of constitutional right, when applied
to any other matter Of local and domestic con-
cern? Are not the people of the Territories
capable OF selfgovernment? If not, why give
the m Legislature at al-why allow them to
make laws upon any snbiect? If they are
capable of selfgovernment, does it require any
higher degree of intelligence to legisate for
the negro than for the white man, or to pre-
scribe the relations of master and servant than
those of husband and wife, and parent and
child I?
But, IN order to excuse themselves for so pal
paole reputation of the great principle of
selt'goyernment, the abolitonists tell us that
slavery IS a violation of the law of God, and
therefore the people of the Territories and new
States should not be entrusted with the decision
OF the question as provided in the Nebraska
bill. Without stopping to inquire into the sim
fulness of slavery as a religious question, / do
maintain that the mode provided in the Ne
braska bill for determining the controversy of
its existence or exclusion by referring it to the
decision of the people, who are Immediately in
terested and alone responsible is strictly in ac-
cordance with the divine law. When God
created man, He placed before him good and
evil, and endowed him with the capacity to de.
eide for himself, and held him responsible for
the consequences Of the choice be might make.
Tremendous applause and cheers
This is the divine origin of the great princi.
pie OF selfgovernment. Applause. The AL.
mighty breathed the principe into the nostrils
OF the hrst man in the garden of Eden, and
empowered him and his descendants in all
and to bear the evils and enjoy the blessings of
their own deeds. The principle applies to com.
munities, and Territories, and States, as well as
70 individual men. The principle applies to
Kansas as well as to Pennsylvania-to Nebras.
ka as we'll as to Virginia. The Constitution of
the United States is in perfect accord with this
divine principle, leaving each State and the
people thereof, at liberty to govern themselves
and reap the harvest Of the seed they may SOW.
Immense applause-cres: "That is right"
that is right
repeat, therefore, that the Constitution OF
the United States does not establish slavery.
nor abolish it anywhere; nor does it either
enlarge or diminish its area. II recognizes and
protects all the institutions of the different
States, however dissimilar or whatever their
character, provided they are not in conflict with
any Of its provisions. Wherever slavery exists
in any State by virtue Of the local law, there
the Constitution recognizes and protects the
institution; and wherever slavery is prohibited
by the local law, the Constitution recognizes
and protects the prohibition in such State. The
Constitution of the United States is the su-
preme law of the land, to which all must Weld
implicit obedience. Applause.
1t authorizes Congress to legislate upon the
subject Of slavery in two cases only: First, for
Vic SuPPIeSsiOu VI tue IOTelRn haVe uaQe; ana
second, for the surrender of fugitives from SER
vice. Congress has exerted in good faith the
full measures of its authority in both cases
The abolitionists avow their willingness 10 abide
by the Constitution and law in the one case,
where the introduction Of any more slaves into
the United States is prohibited, for the reason
that the result is in harmony with their views
But in the other case, where the act of Con.
gress was passed for the express purpose Of
carrying into effect a plain provision Of the
Constitution, by returning the slave TO his mas.
ter, these same abolitionists say they will not
abide by the law-they will trample upon the
Constitution-they will set at defiance the con-
stituted authorities and bear aloft the standard
of rebellion against the federal government, for
the reason that this clause Of the Constitution
and the law for carrying il into effect do not
harmonize with their views, Their doctrine is
that they will abide by and claim the benefit Of
the Constitution and laws whenever and wher-
ever they tend to advance their peculiar theo.
ries and opinions; and, on the contrary, they
will resist both the Constitution and laws, with
force and violence, whenever that line Of policy
is necessary TO the accomplishment Of their
philanthropic views upon the subject OF slavery.
Efforts are now being made to orvanize new