The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-07-16
REPUBLICAN STATE CONVENTION



upon more unfairly by the Democratic pre-
than tho Bill cf Rights. There Is mo othe,
part Of the instrument, excepting pcrhap
the Schedule, upon which stronger attempt
have boon made to create prejudice and vote
against the Constitution ITSELF than thi
tine objection to this article il. that il pro
sides Tor Indian and Negro testimony Tia.
appears to strike them ~ new and horribl
innovation upon old practices, and upon Il,
peculiar rights Of whlte citizens. Yet woul
II be believed, that only last winter, almo
every one Of these Democratic organs in ia
State were abusing the Legi stature for N
king similar testimony provision, unds,
oli C,asiiiattoa2 Suca wa, the fact u
der no old Constitution, which some Of o.
Democratic friend, are 90 anxious TO pr,
serve, the Legislature did precisely that, an,
no more than which they will have the rigl
to do under the New Constitution. TIL
testimony clause then, whether right ..
wrong, cannot be brought up d an objection
peculiar to the New Constitution. Itisth,
Tar now, and will continue 50 whether IT,
Constitutions, Is adopted or not, till Ds,.V
raey rules in this State.
But the Democratic organs have he,
nlled With passionate twaddle about anoth,
clause, Which provides that ain nil Grimm.
prosecutions and in case, involving the lit
and liberty &c al individual, the accuse,
shall havo right to = speedy and publ,
trial ey m impartial jury" etc. II there
"niBsr In the wood pile il may bs IL
lied upon that the keen and we'll practice
olfactory nerves Of Democratic editors wi,
scent him out. They are always smcllin
for = catch Of the peculiar odor, but arr
aonetimes ~ fault. They think they hav,
discovered ocgro in this wood pile, and ba,
like - nAay blood hounds. A citizen
ordinary intclliyencs, with his olfactor
nerves not particularly well trained for re
oogn,xing African odors, might read and re
read the above clause, and yet remain i
happy ignorance that IL contained anythin
to which IN honest man and true hearte,
American citizen might object But De
,0ccracy sces in il something terrible. l.
sees ncerc-it sees the word liberty in III,
section. That word alone has always Of
African scent to certain Democrats. whel
they sec Il, they see only Abolition. The,
have ceased 60 connect IL with white me,
and Republicans, and only realise its appli.
cation - an opposite to slave, and slavery.
This word out Of the section. and the,
would have no objection o. the whole affair.
The word Liberty condemns any ucu
Constitution In their cycs. They insist tina,
under this section, fugitive slave. and e,
e2pei criminals would b. entitled a. lar,
trlal- l. Il thar the, - much fear 9ar
trials, that terror II ,yrant- ffam Georee IL,
Iasrl L. TIC present day, - thai iugits,,
slaves and escaped criminal. should have asa
trial They sav thls conflicts with the Con
stitut,on ol the United States. II ~, tier
4 4 ,die n the wlnd-~of no impor,ane,
whatsoever. The Constitution Of the Unite.
Stats~, and treaties and laws IL tue Tnlie,.
States IN accordance With the Constitution.
sr declared by that instrument TO lie III,
supreme Law of the land. 10 the supfcn,,
Law, II may well he believed the Court anu
citizens Of Iowa, will never fail 10 pay prop
q respect and obedience,
We have good Democratic authority, J
&, HALL, prominent member IL tue Con
s,i'ntieual Convention, and a leader anon,
HI own partlsans there, thar the Courts
TIE State, will not, IN view of the L ;
Constitution, cu0struc this provision a. al
pl,cAbls to fugitive, from labor y and !" III.
gitlves from Justice 50 there i nothin.
IN Lila provision which should prevent an
psrsoo, whatever his opinion, ON slavcs,
Iron voting for the new Constitution. An
osea Democratic writer on the new Con.
stitaion says the objections to tue provi,-
ioas, "dgood against the new Constitution
are equally sood against al the Constitu-
tons Of al the States in thi. onion, and
svn against our old one, Cor In all Of then.
you viii find Substantially the same pro-
vAioa.h For the words "a life and i,rssrYn
N pSrtiralas, - Bill Of Right. in the Con-
stltutien Of each Of the following States.
viz: Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut.
Vermont, Rhode Island, Msssarhusett., Ken.
lucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Virginia, De-
aware. New Hampshire and Missouri. The
risui Of trial by jury - everywhere prs.er,-
ed y iuvsclnt< III conil,e, Of jurisdiction
between the Z. 5. and State authorize
could arse here under this provision, IN
fugitive sisre case, II could arise equal,
well under the Constitution u any VI IL.
States, either North VI south Tie fast il.
the prosisaon will have pccis<ly the ef.c,
here, and hone other, that II has in osLs,
States IL will apply oply 10 cases aIi.ing
under tue Laws Of the State, aud can no ,porc
ai'ec' OF defeat tie fugitive slave Law, than
q can Affect " d~esss any other law of Con-
gre~ Such Was the conssructioa given TIA,
provision In Convention, and thinking thu,
nearly every Democrat in she Convention
voted tor H. A. Cor the admission cf tes,,-
mony, the Constitution leaves il o. the i1ry
% oecaa< upon the evidence, according Ia
sae caa'sc'er Of the witness, his soundne.s
@ inssiises' and tue credihility Of b. story.
This u The spirit u the old Cousti,u,;er
and y y she spirit Il the new and az ,hs
Consultations u al States.
Let it b rscollectcd We have now A..
cisssd that ost a which the D.morr.,:.