Demoine courier., 1856-03-06
Letter from: Senator Harlan.
w AsHINGToN. Feb. 7th, IS

IA. -H
DEAR SlR:-I reply to tina. part o
your letter Of the 23d ult.. which refer.
TO the approaching. Convention Of the go
inst., allow me to say that you canno
be more sensible than | am, OF The neces.
sily Of lolbeerance, discretion and pru.
dence, on the part Of i,s. members.
ls cannot be expected in Republic,
where every opinion lie tolerated, that all
the views OF any one citizen will be a2
proved BY a Raiori,y OF the people. II
each one should require the incorporation
OF all his individual opinions il a poIiti
cal platform, there would be a necessity
for as many platforms as individual vo.
tiers. And as a consequence there could
be no decisive elections, no officers, and
10 The enc. no government. The very
genius ola Republican form of govern.
men., requires a surrender Of minor moi
vidual opinions, one after another, until
a majority OF The people can agree in the
supper. Of those which remain.
No knows better than you do,
that have decided convictions of the
policy which suppose a correct admin
iisira.ion Of the government requires;
which have never hesi.ated 10 express:
tina. | supported Mr.. Clay for the Pres.
idency in 1874, Gen. Taylor in ls4s,
and Gen. Scott in 1852. And | see no
reason. to day. tor a change Of opinion
on questions Of national policy.
There is no good reason for sending
u raw material to Europe 10 be manu-.
tlactured. We have in Iowa, along the
channels Of the Des Moinss, the Skunk,
the Iowa. the Cedar, the Wapsepinicons,
the Maquoketas, and the Turkey rivers,
and uf the small rivers Of the Missouri
and at the two rapids on the Mis-.
sissiPpi rive. near keokuk and Daven-
port, enough water power TO .dtiye all. the
spindles and looms. and other machinery
Of New England and Old England CON
b'ned. Ard ifthese were deficient, we
hare e~xhaussless coal fields and water 10
abundance, out of which II manufacture
steam enough ~ drive all the machinery
Of the world. These streams, too, irrf
gate about thirty-two millions Of acres Of
as fertile lands as can be found on the
face Of the earth; where the labor of ,he
hushandman receives lis richest award.
With these natural advantages | am at
a loss to perceive the wisdom of trans.
porting our raw material across half a
continent TO the sea coast, thence across
the Atlantic to be manufactured, for
warding in the same manner, bread and
meat TO support the operatives, aud ihen
importing the same material. in its chang
ed form, back again, along ,hesamc long
and perllous line, ia. Iowa for consump.
tion, leaving Tie profits growing out OF
The increased value of these commodities
over the value of the raw material, in the
old world. 10 support their decaying sys-
TENS of Dssro,ism. We would certain
ly avoid the enormous expense of this
transportation both ways, by erecting
shops and factories on our own soil,
where the bread and meat is produced
that feeds the workmen, and the raw ma
,erial which we seek TO convei. into more
valuable commodities.
Nor do now see any. reason for an
Unrestricted exercise Of the veto power
which, in connection with the bes,owal
OF more than fifty thousand lucrative Of.
fees. a self willed President may 80 use
as to effec,ually control the legislation OF
Congress,
You know, too, my Dear Sir, that !
was never ranked with Sectional agi,a-
tors az they are sometimes styled by
their enemies,-neyer voted With them,
never counseled with ihem-nor was
consulted by them, and that while | RI.
garded the enslavement Of men. women
aad children as an outrage on justice and
humanity, | have been compelled { ad
nit the great practical difficulty Of liber.
a.ing, suddenly, three millions of slaves
in such a manner as no, to result 10 10.
jury 10 the slaves themselves, and great
danger 10 the lives and property of theil
former masters. Nor have I.been able
to see how this could be effected within
the limits and jurisdiction of individu.
81 Mntes, by any action Of the Genera
Government. And in these views | be
lieye my opilions accorded with those
Of The people of ths United States.
But the character of this question hal
sadly changed. Men now claim tia
Slavery is morally right. Tha. i,s ex
%clusion from the North West Territory
embraced at psesen. within the limits o
Ave large and powerful States. by III,
ordinance Of 1857. and its exclusio,
from the immense public domain coyer
ed by the State Of lows. ths 'rerritorie
of Minnesota, Kansas. Nebraska, Ore
gon and Washington, by various acts 0
Congress, was unconstitutional an,
Uoid. That slave holders Fave the con
stitusional right to carry with them .thei
property in the bodies and spirits Q
their fellow men into all The te%rri,orie
belonging to TIE government ofthe Uni
ted States, any law of Congress to til
contrary notwithstanding! And a
who differ with them in opinion, al
denounced by administration papers an
administration conventions all over III
country, a. the victims Of the wilde.
fanaficisnb or as the authors Of the .
lest treason. Even the Presiden. OF Ii
United S,ates. as if he had forgotten III,
he 10 the Chief Magistrate Of the N.
TON, and not the mere leader of : mart,