The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-06-23
THE PRINCIPLE OF sELF-G0vERNAENT sUs
~

9th inst of which the following abstract win be found in
teresting
On notion Franklin Slosson, of owego, was appointed
presidents David Wallis ofTioga and Col II Mccormick
Of owego vice presidents and Charles Ransom of Toga
and ]. d. Edmonds, of owego, secretaries
The president briefly stated the object of the meeting
be to consider the policy which Congress had concluded
TO pursue in organizing the Territories of Nebraska and
Kansas lie believed that policy right-was demo-
! cratic,
On notion the president appointed H. A. Beebe Edwin
Goodrich, A. Munger j. b. Wnot and Edward Rayns-
ford committee Of FIVE draught resolutions expressive
of the sense of the meeting.
After eloquent address by s b. Cushing of Ithaca
Hiram A. Beebe, from the committee resolutions came
forward and read the following which he said the commit
tee were unanimous in instructng him to report;
Whereas the right of every community whether called
State or Territory to make its local laws and frame its
own domestic institutions without interference from any
quarter lies at the foundation of republican system and
whereas the maintenance of this right only be secured by
consistent practical and uniform adherence to the doe
tne OF congressional nonnevenon with the local policy
and regulations of the people: therefore,
Resooed That the bill recently passed by Congress- pro-
viding territorial governm for Kansas and Nebraska
founded it is, upon, and recognising as does the right
Of the people to govern themselves by laws to be enacted by
their local legislatures meets the cordial appreciation of
this meeting and entitled to the support of the people,
without regard to section party division.
Resoued That the principle of nonineryenton by Con-
with the local affairs of the people of the States and
Territories ought henceorth to be regarded the settled
policy of our government thus ehecuay removing from
the theatre of political agitation and the halls Of
ona legislature the only element which has seriously
disturbed the of the country threatened national
existence.
Resolred That the course of the Hon. John j. Taylor
in cooperating from the outset with the friends of free gov
eminent in support of the Kansas and Nebraska BILL well
by his voice his vote entitled to the admiration and the
hearty approval of his constituents.
Reoped That the Congress and Executive in 1854 like
their predecessors in 1885, by recognising the constitution
supreme above dangerous precedens and unconstitutional
compac deserve the united thanks and the lasting gratitude
of the country having thus furnished rule of action
in principle correct in practice and peaceabe in its
denotes.
Resopcd That the essential characteristic of all slave
y arbitrary power by or set of
another restriction of the natural right of
govern himself the selfstyled advocates of free
dom guilty Of fragrant inconssten cy in assuming to
ercse the power master the slave by prescribing
laws to the free inhabitants of new Territories.
Resoled, That those who, every occasion when the
ordinances of government conflict with they
be their conscientious convictions appeal to revolutionary
principles and recommend extreme and sangunary
adopt of conduct in direct conflict with the spirit
the teachings and the principles of Christianity and utterly
incompatible with government in form which
leads in its immediate results to sedton to murder and to
anarchy and which, if it could have full sway would inev
taby conduct the people of this country it has already
conducted than nation in Europe to take refuge in
desposm In free government, where all real abuses
yield readily the corrective force of public opinion and
the ultimate determination of maorities and where c
feels the of any real grievance treas
enable wears according the individual and peculiar char
acterstcs of the who adopts it, the stamp of reckless
idocy, insane anaticism, premedtated treason.
The resolutions received with general applause
by If tbn
adopted by acclamaon-a dozen aboidoniss and, per-
haps two or three times that number OF boys who had
evidently there for the purpose of disturbing the de-
liberatons of the meeting, answering in the negare
The Hon Stephen Strong then addressed the meeting for
an hour His remarks received with decided tokens
Of appreciation.
The Hon. John j. Taylor being present in the hall,
having avaied himself of temporary Of Congress
to pay a short visit to his family, called for,
and forward amid enthusiastic applause, and adj
dressed the meeting for half hour expressing himself
clearly and with earnesncss and eoquence that
anded the attention of his hearers He asked the meeting
to accept his sincere thanks for the honorable mention they
had proper to make Of his in their resolutions
The question which they then considering was
upon which he had been called in another place He
had acted hastily but deliberately and always under
the dearest conviction that what he did right and that
he could act in no other way ara do his duty.
The question of selfgovernment in the Territories was
new one; there principle involved in the
under consideration which had been de-
cded before has been by the present Congress; II
which he decided in his mind years ago and there
any principle any question OF national policy,
upon which he had for several years past distinctly unequy
ocay and publicly ayowed his sentiments II this
against which hear much noise and little argu
ment He had again and again declared 10 his fellow c
that in his Judgment the true and only democratic
constitutional policy for government to adopt in relation
the Territories to allow the people in the Territories
n
interfere with the constitution the general Of the
knowing that such were his sentiments he had done it
in wiul negligent ignorance. He (Mr Taylor) had
only acted in accordance with such ayowed sentiments
and have acted otherwise would have been greater
rayal Of principle and greater shrinking from responsibility
than he capable Of Mr. I. then review the
different Of Congress based upon this principle showing
that ii had been adopted by government and acquiesccd
In heretofore by all parties, the established and settled
policy Of the country He had been somewhat loss to
for the degree Of agitation which had been excited
the North merely because Congress had allowed the people
in the Territories 70 enjoy Of those rights for which
fathers waged long and bloody Perhaps an article
which he lately in the New York Times wing ne VS.
paper OF the Seward stripe in the city Of New York
nished key TO the motives Of Of the leading arator
That paper said Il wanted different President next time
than have heretofore hadone that would truckle
the slave power oH the former Presidents had DONE The
agitation had IT, origin then, with partisan dcmagogues and
II there offices TO be in tho future reach
which hobby necessary, the present agitation
would die out in a week.
60 Truckle to the slave powcrr Did Washington, the
rather OF his Country Adams, Of revolutionary memory