Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-07-31

rily excludedfby' acts of Congress know
I as the Indian intercourse laws. On III
: introduction of the Nebraska bill, there
fore, the question arose whether legal ef
feet should now be given for the first tim
to this old prohibition--in other words
whether Congress should, as the result o
its action, now apply the Wilmot provs'
to Nebraska and Kansas !! To have givet
legal effect to this old prohibition woulc
have involved d total abandonment of tn,
cardinal principles of the compromis,
measures of 1850, so tar as they related t.
the organization ofnew territories. These
measures rested upon the great principle.
Of government. which secures to ever,
people the right to form and regulate theil
! own domestic institutions in their owl
way, subject only to tile Constitution o
their country. [Applause.
Why should not the people OF Nebras
ka and Kansas be permitted to decide this
question of slavery for themselves as you
did in Pennsylvania and we did in Hi
nois? Are they not capable of self-gov-
ernment' Who are they and where did
they remove from, that this mark of in
feriority should be stamped upon them p
Did they not go and are they not nov 60
! ing by the thousands ffem the east and
| the west, from the north and the south
! from oil the States of the Union, old and
Dew, free and slaveholding? Were they
not as well qualified &c decide the question
correctly before hey started, as you are
who were their neighbors and kindred
Do you think that they lost any conside-
rahle portion Of their intelligence by the
way-side. SO that they were less compe-
tent to nudge fer themselves when they ar
rived in the new Territories with their
wives and children Suppose you, who
are listening 70 me with such kind atten.
lion, should conclude to emigrate to those
fairy lands; do you think that when you
should have arrived at your new homes
ard have become familiar with the coun-
try, its resources, condition, and wants.
you would Be lees capable Of deciding for
yourselves what Find of laws and institu.
tion would promote your happiness and
welfare than you are before you start, and
when you know very little Of the country
Doubtless you think yourselves perfectly
qualified 10, decide the question now
would you be less competent to decide il
thens Applause. 'iF
As an excuse for violating this great
principle Of s-Egoeernment in the organ
ization Of the Territories end in the adj
mission of new States the abolitionists tell
us that slavery isa monstrous evil. II is
no part of ny purpose 70 discuss the mel :
its of slavery as a domestic or political in.
st.ution. If it be an evil your State and
mine have acted wisely aud performed
their duty nelly N removing Il from then
limits. Standing by and vindicating the
decision which the people OF Illinois have
made upon this subject, claim for Kan
sas aud Nebraska-yea, | demand for ev-
Iery new State which shall be admitted IN
all time to come, the right to determine
| tor themselves and to exercise every pow
er which the Constitution has secured to
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
land Territories are called upon to provide
adequate legislation. There are many
good and true men among US who con-
scientiously believe that the manufacture,
sale, and use Of ardent spirits and intoxi-
eating drinks is a grievous evil, which
calls aloud for the application of the ap-
propriate remedies; ye. while temperance
societies have been organized every where,
ard lectures deliveted. and the pledge cir
culated, and strenuous efforts made to in
duce 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
/ Congress, pray ing that the Maine liquor
law shall be imposed upon the Territories
aud new States as a fundamental cohdi-
ton Of their admission into the Union. re-
gardless of the wishes and in defiance of
The rights Of the people who may reside
therein and be affected thereby, [Cheers. ]
Crime, In any Of its forms and shapes,
is very great evil in any State or Terri
J tory; yet Congress has never presumed to
enact criminal codes for the Territories and
States-to declare Mhat shall and wha
shall not be deemed c,iminaL-to prescrib,
the penalty aud point cut the mode o
J punishment. These things. have Away
been left, aud, l trust, always Will be lei
to the people Of the different States ane
Territories, to be determined by them
through their local legislatures in accord
ance with their sense Of light and duty -
Why should we make an exception of the
slavery question, and apply TO ii rule
which is admitted to be unsound and sub,
yersiye of constitutional right, when ap
| Sled to any Other matter OF ioca! aud Co
q nestle concern Are not the people Of
| the Territories capable of sef.governmenl
Il not why give them leg stature at all
why allow them TO make laws upon AM
{ subject? II they are capable o. self-gov
eminent, does it require any higher degre,
of intelligence tolegislate for the pegys
than for the white man, or to prescribe III,
|, relations Of master and servant than those
]. tof husband and wife. aud parent ane
child =
.gs.ss.l. + : - So
! But, in order TO excuse themselves for SC
ralpableaa Reputation Of the great princi'
! pie Of self-goyernment. the a5oli,ionisi'
/ tell US that slavery is a violation OF the
4 law of God, and therefore the people o
the Territories and new States should no
be entrusted with the dieision Of the cues
tion as provided in the Nebraska bill