The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1854-07-28

ihey undertook to regulate the domestic
policy of their distant dependencies. They
imposed duties upon tea, without consulting
us, and in every manner assorted their right
to govern as. Our fathers, who had en-.
countered the perils of the ocean, and the
greater perils of a savage wilderness, who
had fed from Europe to escape political and
religious intolerance, could not long brook
such an unjust assumption. They petition
ed, importuned, demonstrated the British
government without avail; they took their
rights in their own keeping, and, after a
long and doubtful struggle, established a
new fundamental article in the science of
goyernment-the great American doctrine
Of the right of the people to govern them
seiyese. Great cheering.l No tenet in
political science has mere thoroughly yindi-
Gated its wisdom than this, and when
brought into issue its orthodoxy has not
been questioned for seventy-eight years un-
til few months past. It is said by some,
who have forgotten or renounced the teach
ings and principles of their fathers, now
that the people of Kansas and Nebraska are
incapable OF governing themselves, and that
the Congress must assume the same guar
dianship over these distant Territories as the
Parliament claimed over the colonies
Where is the American feeling in the bosom
of any man, who, from fanatical zeal for the
African slaves, whose condition he cannot
improve, is willing to renouDce this great
doctrine OF our fathers [Cheers. Aboli-
sionism and fanaticism mistake the heart
of this country, in supposing that when they
cry out against slavery, it will cause the
people to repudiate the principles upon
which the government is based. [Cheers.
The country owes my distinguished friend,
who will follow me, the "Littie Giant of the
Great West" Senator Douglas, Immense
applause, a debt of gratitude for his powerful
and successful advocacy of this principle
have been discussing, and for its triumphant
vindication in the Kansas Nebraska bill
With all the Misrepresentation which
has been poured out upon that measure, the
people are now beginning to understand tru-
iy its provisions; and its greatest principle
the one so fiercely assailed by wings and
abolitionists-is the very principle for which
our fathers fought the revolution. Will
you now take the side your fathers did, or
will you take the side Of the British Parlia-
ment? rr .g..... ....
The people of Kansas and Nebraska have
had conferred upon them by Congress the
right to regulate their own domestic concerns
according to their own wishes and inclina-
tions. Is it right? Who will say it is wrong?
Who knows best what are the wants of our
felIow-citizens in the valley ofthe Kansas, or
the Upper Missouri--the representatives they
elect to their own territorial legislature, or
the Congress of the United States, when not
a single member perhaps, has made foot
print in Kansas or Nebraska? and which
would likely legislate wisely for them-the
territorial Legislature or Congvessa The state
ment of the question carries the answer with
it. If a Pennsylvania now has the right to
make his own laws is there in the atmos
phere of Kansas when he moves there rem
dering him less competent to do the same
thing there? This right conferred by Con-
gress on the Territories, is subject to but one
limitation. which all concede is Just; ; and that
is that their legislation shall not contravene
the constitution of the United States-a lin
itation that exists as to the States, and should
in the Territories. ., . ....... ,.A. .....
As this is a democratic celebration, it will
not be improper that should say that felt
the highest pride in seeing nearly all of your
democratic representatives in Congress sus-
tanning the bill and maintaining that great
principle first asserted ON this hallowed spot
10 years ago by Rsnjamin Franklin, the
philosopher and patriot of ofPennsylvania, and
his compeers. 1t was becoming in the repre-
sentatives ofthe democracy of ofPennsylvania
to vindicate the principles which you have so
long professed, by coming boldly forward
and sustaining the, bill with enlightened wis
dom and manly Independence. (Cheers.]
But the revolution not only secured civil
liberty by deposing the authority of the King
ane making the people political sovereigns,
but it established another great American
principle which has exercised potent IN
tiuence on the moral nature of our race it
established religious liberty; it separated
church and State it denied the right Of the
former any political power as an organization.
1t said TO the Puritans, the Cavaliers, and
the Hugenots, who had fled religious intoler-
ance and prescription, here you may wor-
ship according to the dictates of your con-
science, and none shall make you afraid.
The timid feared that it would lead to inf
deity, religion, and anarchy, but time has
proven its wisdom. The support of the
ministry, the erection of church buildings,
and oil outlays for spiritual objects, is left to
the volition Of the citizen. lie. can give or
withhold. The law recognises no sect or de-