The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-08-09


by law and treaty as an Indian territory,
from which all white men were excluded
by severe. penalties. Hence the 9th Sec
ton Of the Missouri act. which relates to
slavery, has remained adead letter on the
statute book for ,hirty.four years, having
no civilized people for it to operate upon,
and its application TO the Indians being
necessarily excluded by acts-o of Congress
known as the Indian intercourse laws
On the introduction of the Nebraska bill,
therefore, the question arose whether legal
effect should now be given for the first
time to this old prohibition --in other words.
whether Congress should, as the result Of
its action, now apply the Wilmot ,proviso
TO Nsbraska and Kansas! To have givep
legal effect TO this old prohibitionswould
have involved total abandonment Of The
cardinal principles of the compromise
measures of 1850, so far as they related
TO the organization of new territories.-
These measures rested. upon the great
principles Of sself.goyernment, which SO.
cures to every people the right to form
and regulate their own domestic institu.
lions in their own way, subjectsonly to the
Constitution OF 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 as we did in III.
inois? Are they not capable Of self-gov.
ernment? Who are they and where did
they remove from, that this mark Of infefi.
ori,y should be stamped upon them? Did
they not go and are they not now going
by the thousands from the east and the
west, from the north and the south-from
all States Of the Union. old and new. free
and slaveholding? Were they not as we'll
qualified to decide the question Correctly
started, as you are whoswere their neigh.
bors and kindred? Doyou think that they
lost any considerable portion of their in-
telligence by the wayside. SO that they
were less competent to jugde for them
selves when they arrived in the neweT Ter
9itoriesswith their wives and childreD?-
Suppose you, who are listening to mo with
such kind attention, should conclude to
migrate to those fairy lands; do you think
that when you should have arrived at yout
homes and have become familiar with tn
country, its resources, condition, and
wants, you would be less capable of dsci-
ding for yourselves what kind 81 laws and
institutions would promote your happiness
and welfare than you are before you start,
7-->a- .sher, you knowsyery little Of the
country Doubuess you all think yonr.
selves perfectly qualified to decide ths
question now; would ysu- be Tess conpa.
tent to decide it thenq [Applause.
As an excuse for violating this great
principle d self-government in Che organ
ization of the Territories and in the ad. !.
mission Of new States, the abolitionists tell
us that slavery is monstrous evil. Il is
no part OF my purpose to discuss the mer-
its OF slavery as domestic Or polical in;
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
decision which the people Of Illinois have.
made upon this subject, claim for Kan.
sas and Nebraska--yea. demand for ev-
cry new State which shall be admitted in
ail time to come, the rightto determine for
themselves and to exercise every power
which the Constitution has secured to and
has been exercised by the people of every
State OF this Union. Immense applause. 4
II it be an evil it is not the only evil for
which the people Of the several States and
Territories are called upon to provide ad-
'quate legislation. There are many good
md true men among US who conscien-
iousiy believe that the manufacture, sale
md use Of ardent spirits and intoxicating
thinks is q grieyous evil, which calls aloud
or the application Of the appropriate rem.
'dies; yet while temperance societies have
'een organized everywhere, and lectures
delivered, and the pledge circulated, and
trenuous efforts made to induce the legis.
atures of the different States and Terrific.
les to provide remedies by legislation for
his wide spread evil. have never heard
hat any party, society, or individual has
resented petition to Congress, prayinql
hat the Maine liquor law shall be imposed
pon the Territories and new States as
fundamental condition Of their admission
nto the Union, regardless Of the. wishes
nd in defiance Of the rights Of the people
rho may reside therein and be affected
hereby. Cheers.
Crime, in any Of it's forms and shapes,
very great evil in any State or Terri.
Dry; yet Congress has never presumed to
nact criminal codes for the Territories
nd new States-to declare what shall and /
hat shall not DO deemed criminal-to
rescribe the penalty and point out the
lode Of punishment. These things have
lways been left, and, trust. always will
Q left to the people Of the different States
nd Territories, to be determined upon by
lem through their local legislatures in 40.
ordance with their sense Of right and
uty. Why should we make an exception
the slavery question, and apply to il q H
lie. which 10 admitted to be unsound andt
lbversive Of constitutional right, when T,
opied to any other matter of local and
omestic eoncerni Are not the people OF Ii
. Territories capable Of selE governmentf Il
not, why give them Legislature At all-l,
ny allow them to make laws upon any
leject3 If they are capable Of sslfeov-
ument. does trsqure any hignsy degree /
Intelligence to leeislate for The negro II
90 for the white man, or to prescribe the ia
Lotions Of master and servant than those q
husband and wife, and parent and !
ildi a.alf
But, in order to excuse themselves "a q
spalpable a Reputation of the great prin. Il
pie Of self government. ,the abolitienist. | q