Demoine courier., 1856-07-31
Judge Hendershott,s speech.

MR. EDiToR:-Y0n are doubtless
ware that the above named promi.
hen. gentleman, on Friday evening last.
the citizens OF this rIaee. 10 q Ia.
Buchanan speech. Wi,hou, dis
or denying. the proprie,y Of .
Judge descending from the bench, TO
in political matters, We mnst say,
hat having once engaged in il. We should
expect him TO represent the political is
sues Of the day, in an unbiased l,ghl and
not mislead the people, by unfouudsd
constrn e.ions Of law and exposi,ions OF
I propose to review briefly hi.
speech. and see whether he did main
tain a character Of political honesty, in
accordance with the special and emphat.
ic professions, with which he prefaced
his remarks. By the by should not tie
Judge have deferred the question OF his
honesty TO the jucgemen, OF his hearers.
without attempting 10 forcsiAll public
opinion. The frs. par. Of his speech.
was devoted, 10 the establishment o. The
position. tina, popular sovereignty is the
principle. in the declaration and main.
tsnsnce Of which, our revolutionary
fathers dissolved their connection with
the mother country. He labored very
earnestly, to prove, that in opposing the
stamp and tea acts, the coloniss were
asserting the principle iha: they had q
right 10 govern themselves, and equally
hard, BY the inu seduction Of voluminous
authorities, 10 show tina. in the formation
Of the government, and especially in
the Articles Of confederation,
the people we're very careful, to instruct
their delegates. to reserve to the States.
right to regulate their own municipal
and local affairs, and. exclaimed he, in
his issue, the "na,ional Democratic par
y" asserts this same principle. ant the
party denies il. He assumed
other words. that the assumption by
Of the right to tax the colo
MES without their consent. wss analogous
10 .he claim BY The Republican party.
That Congrass has . right to prohibi. els.
very in the Territories. Let us see il
The cases are similar. Grea! Britain
'laimed tbs. she had a RICH, 10 ,ax the
of the colonies. without their con.
lent. and wi,hou. their being represented
q Parliament. The Republican party
:laim, that before the Territories are Sc,
led, Congress has a righ. to declare that
certain kind Of property shall no, be
axen into them, ,ha, thei: future charac
er as regards slav cry. may lawfully be
Sxsd by q legislative &C. Of the general
government. The principle claimed in
The former case dePrivss the people OF
and makes them liable 10 Tho
imposition OF g~lievous aud enormous bur-
lens, without the ability of in,erposing
o prevent il. But the principle claimed
n the latter Ease, does not infringe upon
he vested rights Of anybody, or dsprivs
my people Of liberty. 1, simply says,
hat Territory which 10 now free, shall
lever DO bligh,ed by The curse Of slave
y. But, the slave-holdcr would say,
there is a hardship in this for | am not
permitted 10 take . certain kind Of my
property there" This may be-. but il
he stakeholder 10 permitted 10 90 there
With his slaves, the free mechanic Or faS.
ner 10 deferred from going there. for he
Inowss thar where slavery exists, free
ahor 10 nsisher respectable nor 2rof,a
Die. So that il the Republican prir ci.
,!s works wrong, il prsven.s . greater.
But il does n work any wrong, for the
can 60 to The territories; be
must simply leave bic s:.avss behind
This then 10 the distinction between the
wo cases, o deprivss men Of liberty,
be other prevents IN enormous syil.,
Nor 10 there any analogy, in the case
Il the reserved rights Of the States. To
'isld to the general government. the reg
Of the mun'cipsl affairs of the
would be to resign State sovereign.
y. An uniEhabi.ed territory has no
'ovefeignty. for if it has. i: 10 an infringe.
nens of thar sovereignty. for Congress
form . territorial governmen, for il.
W. think his honor wss wrong in
that the "national Democratic
advoes.es squauer sovereignty.
We beg his pardon. They may advo.
il. bot they do not practice il. Even
he Nebraska bill. 10 guilty Of this same
great snormi,y which he U The Re.
publican party. with wishing 70 commit.
That bill gives TO the President. the ap
oi the executive. the Judicial,
md the vaaO mart If sh> 1.~:l>:.. -