The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-03-10


70 judgment in relation to this whole matter.
N Quite recently, however, change has taken
III place The democratic party M the state
q has lost its aSccndancy, and new party,
N with different yicws-and, ! may add, in
u many respects with discordant ones--haying
re obtained possession of the legislative power,
u the resolutions which have just been read
N are the result Of its action, and call upon me,
Z as well rs upon the other members OF the
delegation, to vote for dcpriying American
s. citizens in the territories of the power to
regulate one oi the most important Of their
'c domestic cOncerns--that Of the relation be-
q tween master and servant, and for the repeal
OF the fugitive slave act. passed to give effect
!! TO solemn qua anty OF the constitution.
n As pcrcmptorly decline to do either, and
c. intend to retain my place, it is necessary, in
s. my own vindcation before the people Of the
state, whom desire respectfully to address
n from the seat which here occupy by their
Z, favor and kindness, that should now do
r what was not required to do on the former
y occasion--to ascertain the limitations" up
II fen the right Of instruction, or, 10 speak per.
y haps with more precision, "thc extent" of
A the duty Of obedience, so far as concerns ny
:. present position. And | have TO say, sir,
d that the circumstances in which the power
Q TO pass these resolutions originated consti-
:. tutc one Of the very cases which occurred
y to the at the time those words Of caution
a were spoken as restricting the obedience Of
W the representatives. The practical question
. briefly stated is this; Has party, when.
n ever 1t accedcs 10 power by whatever com
IS binations, the right TO pass resolutions which
= its opponents, and legislative trusts, are
l. bound to obey, or i, prevented from obeying
'e by their conscience and consistency, 10 re.
l. sign their pos,ion2
}. Inc consequences Of such rule Of action
le are too obvious TO need detailed exam mination,
u are too serious to be incurred without press
y ing necessity. Into this body il wouldin intro
r. duce changes, radically affecting its orsani.
l. zatlon, and incompatible with the objects Of
Is its Institution as the representative branch Of
the sovereignty Of the state. 1t would lose
/ every characteristic ofpcrmancncc, its mem.
Is bcrs going ont year byyear, as political fiuc-
d tuatons might transfer power from one par.
Il ty to another For at all times would it be
u easy to select questions for this process o.
l. removal, which no honest man OF any oppo-
l. site party could support. Some Of these are
% constitutional and Others scarcely inferior 10
A. them IN Importance, involving points of poi.
'e icy, forming the very landmarks Of the deba-
r'' 5'ou"u ""Iiv ""' S""ES,'' ha,
"'N'! "''Sto'''c t"hc P'"c' iuat WIS
. po"'4 "'"'N oe ''G,ii HouSla .h'ee'' '"r 'hl'
P"'Po'e' ao uan WIN oe''!. ine .At''cihsh''
'', ~ Wv p'9t ""in uS 40 " mha' 'he ni'uI
"o"'u o'l"e w" IT, anu u'h' thc u's"u
"T,''u ~ ''.e '',".1 VI Wv 'St'
'o' II % VI atopt '''"l " vac Gr.tu VI
- '''.'' I''p'n "a. "'tn t,'''4'
'"' '''! ~ o'' "o' '''0 '"s''''''
e 80"
- 80. ~ ""n S,"'oIo ""u nave o0S"P'eU
:, 80 ~ '''' "y"! "'" ,i'!s"'I, o"e v
~" ~ l'N1''1'o' ""' ''' c",'' ~!
'c"''Sue ",'''s d" o'uo' VI my HfS' ~ III III
!" " ee' 't'e, p "oI'''e al" u'''l su's''eu CIV
!, Ms"S, o''" u''a,o"ou the Vp Heauoh oi III
un'uo"9, anu "o,' ie''sc'' a. 'Tast ~ one
instance u o"'J 'l't rNP'',sea VIII VI '4t 'ee
!, 'so5u'G convey" 70 tuo'h oy us resolutions
y anu oc'iy'e uelr views "lcre III CONFORM
1, Fy Witt 'f'e of''f''''''o' t''e'f parry IN h-
''n'e,
~ ap noI oa1I.u upon 70 u'S'u,a ."e Sch'
Z aar9 -. -. sssh Is 10 eAp'sli WY
q. - 80 '."o seny 'hos'
~, n, 49,. "u ",e" .Iuy 'oe po"
n ,r:si:e '"'JJ' VI w ',e ",u' wv
Io1 'I ~ - % % po',' o. W
n .'; ,a. 80 W u.'.Y'' % .i',
'r office, fee tnat my object is accomplished.
&c lpresume there waSnota member OF tie gen
l. eraI assembly, whose viii is embodied IN that
rs document, who did not know that no human
u ronsidcrtion wGE'i inInre me 10 support
I. the measures winch ma such iayor IN their
!" eyes. 80 iar as respects myself 1t was the
e vacation o' ti' Once 'ha' was h"Ped i'r'
" MT, fI.suth', strange doctrines arc a.
! brpa'' ana strange organizations arc employ
u ed to promuIga'e ahI enforce them Our poi
:, n'cai history contains no auch 'haPtsr IN Inc
progress oi our country az tiiat "hich iSnow
opening. Inc grave questions oi conS,'iu'
uo"Gi'y ana po''y "hlch nave Deeh so l'nS
'he ba'ti'u cry oI raru'o are tohteinp'H,
ouSy iIJSc'gu, ana lhIo'GFahce' rti'5,ous ana
> po",ica',linas Hea'ons'ahu '.hay pe 'hey.wili
prove Su'ccNsiui ad'ocat'N' III inc niidu'e OF
y Tue ninetcenth century, boastlHs with much