Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-12-25

|
scribed the slave trade, when they made the
articles of the association that bound together
| as one people the inhabitants Of these thirteen
colonies, they assumed no power over slavery
in the States. When the Articles of the Con-
federation were made in l77S, no power was
then specifically granted to Congress over the
local affairs of the States. When the Consti-
tuition was framed, the men who framed it did
not intend to give Congress the power to abol-
ish slavery in the slaveholding st ties. Open
ing the Constitution of our country, we find
no power specially granted to Congress to
abolish slavery in these States. Sir, the Re-
publicans, like the Garrison Abolitionists and
the Radical Abolitionists, are opposed to sla
very. We believe with Burke, that "slavery
is q state so degrading TO the feelings and ca
pacities of human nature, that it ought not to
be suffered TO exist" We believe with Henry
Clay, that slavery is a curse--a curse to the
inaster-a wrong, a grevious wrong to the
slave; that it is all wrong, and no possible
contingency can make it right" We believe
with President Pierce, that everything con-
nected with slavery is "odious;" and, in the
expressive language of the Trainer of your Gin
cinnati platform, ave are in favor of freedom
and free soil wherever man lives throughout
! Gods heritage"
Since l took my seat in the Senate early
| in February, 1855, l have travelled more
| than thirty thousand miles in fourteen Of the
| free States; | have seen hundreds of thou.
! sands of American citizens in council; have
counseled with them and never yet heard
one word uttered claiming power in Congress,
or proposing to usurp power in Congress, to
! abolish slavery in the slaveholding States.
The venerable Senator from Michigan Mr..
Cassl mistakes in the idea that many persons
voted under the conviction that they were vot-
| ing for the abolition of servitude in the States
| The Republican party was brought into
| being because the people saw there was an at
tempt making to reverse the action of the
| Government for sixty years, and to revolu-
tionize the whole policy of the Government
in regard to the Territories. The people of
the whole country were summoned to meet
i'll June in Philadelphia to organize move
ment on the basis OF the inhibition of slavery
in the Territories by congressional action. The
| Republican party was then organized; and
it announced to be its sentiments, principles
| and purposes
The maintenance of the principles promul-
gated in the Declaration of Independence, and
embodied in the Federal Constitution;
The Federal Constitution, the rights of the
States and the union of the States, shall be
preserved.
1t is a self. evident truth. that all men are
endowed with the inalienable right to liberty
and the primary object and Interior design of
our Federal Government was to secure. this
right to all persoes within Its exclusive juris-
diction;
No person should be deprived of life, lib
erty, or property without due process of law;
That it is our duty to mai--tain this provis-
ion of the Constitution against all attempts
to violate it for the purpose Of establishing
-, - tl,o
by positive legislation prohibiting its exis.
tanee.
We believe in the sublime doctrine of the
Declaration of Independence, that all men are
created equal and have an inalienable right
to liberty. We believe that doctrine to be en-
bodied in the Constitution, that without due
process Of law no person can be deprived of
liberty. We do not believe, with Mr.. Cal.
Eoun, the Declaration of Independence to be
a % rhetorical flourish We do not believe it
to be what Mr.. Petit pronounced it" self
evident lie.' We do not believe it to be ian
eloquent and passionate manifesto of revo.
lutionery war mere gllttering and sound
ing generalties of natural right" We believe
it to be living truth, from the pages of the
New Testament, expressed in the Declaration
of Independence, and embodied in the Con-
stitution of the United States We believe the
maintenance of that truth everywhere under
the exclusive jurisdiction of Congress, to be
the constitutional and imperative duty of
Congress.
Then we declare, That the Federal Con-
stitution. the rights of the States and the
Union Of the States shall be preserved" Sir,
we went before the country with this declara-
ton, that the Federal Constitution, the Con-
stitution as it is, should be preserved; and
yet the President has arraigned us before the
civilized world, and charged US with an at
tempt to undermine the Constitution and laws
of our country, and doing SO for revolutionary
purposes-purposes that will battle the fields
of the country in blood, involve cities in con.
hagration, aud carry death throughout the
land
Senators have declared on this floor that we
have not disclaimed the right TO interfere with
slavery in the States l understood the SEN
ator from Ohio chr. Pugh) to say that we
had not made that disclaimer. l say to that
Seoator-I say to all, that it was intended by
this expression, Ct The rights of the States
shall be preserved to cover that and all 9th
er questions of State rights. Sir, the Re.
publican party Of 1856, like the Republican
party of 1900, IS the party of State rights.
We believe the security of liberty in America
depends upon the preservation Of our own
town authorities, of our comfy authorities,
of our State rights and, if State rights are
broken down, if the Government is central
izei-ind it is tending in that direction-we
believe the liberty of the country will be in
peril. These doctrines we have avowed ev-
erywhere, before the people and in the public
press. We vindcate the rights of the States
the right OF the Southern States, if they
choose TO hold men in slavery, and the right
of Massachusetts, Vermont, Michigan. and
Wisconsin, to protect, by their own legisla-
ton, the liberty of every man that treads their
soil, until his liberty has been forfeited by
due process of law.
Then we are charged in the message with
having entered upon path which has no
| possible outlet but dsunion. When the Re-
publican party was organized, the avowal
was made that the Union mnst be maintain
| ed. The declaration of Mr.. Webster, F" Lib.
| erty and Union, now and forever, one and
inseparable I" the declaration of Andrew
Jackson, "The Union must be preserved"
| were borne throughout the canvass on all our
banners. In the public press, and before the
| people everywhere, the doctrine was main
tainod that we were for the Union and if
any men, North or South, laid their hands
upon it, they should die, if we had the pow
er, traitor deaths, and leave traitor names in
/ the history of the Republic.
This charge of disunion made against the
| Republican party by the President, comes
with an i'll grace from the chief of a party
which has in its ranks every political dis.
unionist of the United States. The Senator
from Georgia, Mr.. Toombs) not now here,
declared, IF Fremont were elected, the Union
would be dissolved. and ought to be-" The