New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-10-20
STATEE QuAlITY..THE TRUE ISSUE.
An Address to the Free White Citizens o.
the yet Free States.
By JOHNSON II. JORDAN.

rcssed ~ exciting canvass; never have the Amen
can people been called upon TO vote importante
question: question fraught with such fearful ccsse-
qUences involving the future welfare and dearest in
trrsts Of this Republic Are you prepared fr the coz
test Do you fully appreciate It's Importance DO
YOU understand the true issue fear there are thou
sands-n-y, from my travels and intercourse with
the teople in the Western Sstes during the lat few
weeks | s.n convinced there are thousands and
tens OF thousands Of good and honest men in the
Fine States who do not know what the real 10
ste il How many, for instance, understand what
ia meant by State Equslty-this " new doc
trne," which turks in the Cincinnati Platform
in a disguised manner, and is boldly maintased
Throughout the South by the press and the
sneakers favorable to the election OF Mr. Buchanant
Yet this very doctrine, ACKNOWLEDGED by us advocates
~ h. A new doctrine plausible and harmless
enouch On lis face but full of deceit ard danger con-
s,,utes the true issue in the present canvass ven
r 70 saw TIA, no, more than one in ten Of the voters
in the Free States-psrty leaders excepted-knows
VIA, i. mean, by State Equality; and yet feed
quite sure tina, this doctrine fully understood ~
he free men Of the vet free North. there are Thousands
Of honest men vet lingering the socalled Democratic
and American parties Who would instantly and ndig-
uantly leave them and join the army OF Freedom ana
the Constitution. Bell, wing thus, my countrymen,
beg YOUR attention to this subject before too isc'
/ shall be brief using no more words OF my own 'naa
are necessary, and in my extracts shall use only sucA
as are direct to the point, and of acknowledged aa-
hority. l propose TO show what is meant oy ms
new doctrine of State Equality; that en'e"
into the Cincinnati Platform; and that IN
reality constitutes the true issue IN THIS CANVASS
In conducting the present campaign have noticed
that We differ very much from our Democratic oppo-
neuts. They charge Us almost exclusively with things
whhh we deny aud repudiate while We, a. general
thirg believe, charge them with no measures, doc
times or sentiments but euch as they Acknowledge
and advocate. We might retalate by charging them
falsely as they do U.S. but wcha,e no OCCASION Ihey
admit enough il seems To me, 10 rum any party !
certainly have no disposition 10 charge them WIN whas
thoy do not admit aud will not DO it, The proper way
~ learn the and principles OF party Is 10 ~
10 the party itself and not TO its opponents we should
NOT coIsr democratic authority know Whist are tho
principles OF the Republican party but should go 10 ne
tatiorm and to the writers ana spa aAers ot the parry
ITSELF and in order 10 know what constitute inc prnc'
pies of modern Democracy We should not rey upon
What Republican writers and eakers say but shoudgo
10 the Cincinnati Platform for formation anu 10 tne
| wri,pes and speeches of acknowledged Democrauo
| lenders of the pr cent day. This Is what propose
| IN do If there ever time when the Americas
people were called upon to vote intehigenuy 70 KNOW
ully what the question at ssue hLwnoa une 49,
and the patriot shouid ,D'oN .,e" ui., Iii -
the side of right-that time Is now Nhs WIN %
tho effect of NY vote What are the principles ana
| measures which am supporting, and what WI es
their probable effect upon the country, IL soop'tu.
shonld be the inquiry Of every honest man who loves
| hs country more than party. beg you, tbcreiotei
reader whatever may b. poltics-i you al heart
love your country and her free institutions ana arc
eppoecd TO the extension of Slavery, whether you may
fsyor the election of Buchanan Fillmore or Fremont,
70 90 with me patiently through this investigation;
thai you will read what have TO say, sna careiany
| examine the testimony offer ana men, al ASK u
| Won ia 10 vote al the coming election AZ your con-
scierce and your Judgment may dictate regardless
consequences. DO what you believe to De ngn.;
though parties and chques should DO ryen 10 a'ouTt
| | shall not discuss the question OF slavery. 4?
| such a. are favorable TO that institution ana
| liz "expanson,' l have not word 70 say,
except that they need not read any further, I
take it for granted that slavery an osn WI
| evil TO the State, an evil TO the slave, ana =
| greater evil to the master-and therefore, ehat u
should not be extended And It rs to such OF my coun-
trymeD only agree with me ID thus view, yet wno,
fear are unntenonaly going to vote directly TOR ITS
| extension that | now appeal. You know, my coun-
| tymen-for YOU have learned much on this subject
| during the last few months-that the history OF our
(oye!Lment from its earliest commencement, and
even before Il had an existepce-om the Declarsti0R
Of Independence tsef down to lSo0has been against
Slavery and its extension into free territory. Ino
Ordinance of l7s7 which prohibited ia all tho NORTH
wet Tertory-the abolition OF the slave trade whoh
took effect in 1908 and incorporated In our pres
| emit Constitu,ion-and the Missouri COMPOUNDS,
passed in 1870, and rsahrned IN the treaty alno.fe
Texas in l845 all show that IT has been an estao-
l.hed principle Of this Government Tor congress 70
| intervene" and prohibit Slavery In the Terri
| tories; in other words, to oppose hs extension.
Such has been the rule. The exception was ~
| the case of Utah and New-Meiico, organized IN
1850 where il was contended by Cay and Webster,
that as these Territories came to us iree-covered "
| the laws of Mexico which prohibited Savery-nwas
unnecessary TO pass any prohb.litory law im mem
Bosldes the country was such SAID epsie, ana o,nS
that Slavery could never be made profitable IN thoss
| Territories and hence would not seek 70 go tnefe.
| This Won see was a mere exception To the rue-&
mere matter of policy in that particular case whereas
tho prncple Of the Government Is aud has been To-
terytnrion and prohibition. And yet this mere excep-
ton in regard to tish and New-Mexico. Included ~
| the 'Compromiee Measures OF 1854, is the founda-
ton for the great Democratic principle OF noninter'
| y,ntion discoveud by Mr. Douglas in January,
| 1854! Only think OF ita mere exception to be called
| great princplel But let that pass. l have alluded
| thus briefly % the history OF our Government a. to
Nc exclusion of Slavery from the Territories that you
| NAV the better perceive the contrast between
| what has been It's established policy on this
| subject and that which certain class OF ex-
| uerimentng politicians are now trying ID fone
cy OF the Constitution aud the Government. The rsI
ssue and only sue, IN the present contest Is the ex
eustlp or extension OF Slavery INTO the lerritories
now free But it ID theugtt that the people 10 sumo
parts Of the country not yet prepared Tor 30 no
| u essufe the i-eue n sought 10 ne dsguftd oy m0
plsu,ble cat1h.wOrd Of St1e Equality thus palm
| ing off most infamous imp sItioo upon the honest
msusI ecting people of IT, Free Statcs. For wmio
after the passage Of the kanrasN ball. PopuAf
S,vereeTty il more isInilariy Called oq1a<
ter Sovereignty was the cry ard It deceived n% isw
Of tie hoIert masses; tor what more fnr tnnh
Sovereign w or the right Of the people Ia govern ne-
| s.lyes2 But it dlscoyered oy .ne ese.
yeilnut Guardians OF 81 the institution, hat n"s
h. used ns Free-Sol measure. IL was tnsrec1e re-
undated and State Equality substituted mo. NJ
| D I 80 -" Ia,nocra,ic party Bat State Equality
p 'e -, sIsxrv Extension With these preliminary