Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-12-24

- in~,r1ntly, by an overwhelming MAJORITY II
." "%' Inv Il negative vote. THIS shows thata ma
;-f,v are aga nst it. They disqahiAE huu us
y'.a..ti.e every man who is against 1t, thus reter-
- ,h. slavery clause to n minority of the people
III - aad leaving that minority free to vote
S- = AGAINST tn slavery clause rs they choose
!" ~ e ;. AK YOU if that is a fair mode of submit
49,, III, slavery clause! Does that mode OF sub
hitting that particular clause leaVe TUG PcOPte iIee
Ut, S,ts for or against slavery as. they choose! Am
-, t,.yote as | choose on the slavery queStlon,lf
~ cal, m, I shall not vote on it until 1 vote on the
In Iinuor law! Am l free to vote on the sla-
r.rv o~t,.tion, if you tell ms that l shall not vote
,.,t.r way until | vote for n bank! Is 1t freedom
:" Lotion to make your right to vote upon one
n,.,t5pn depend upon the III rle IN which you are
u N y tie on some other question which has no
Eaa.,;on with it! Is that freedom of election!
7, ,L,t the great fundams entail principle of self
.r,rn,n.nt for which we combined and struggled
n this body and throughout the country; to estab-
~ az the rule Of Of action in all time to cOne?
T5a President of the United States has made
mo remarks in his message which it strikes me
!, would be very appropriate to read III this con-
ncetion. lie says: &,
..Thc friends and supporters of the Nebraska and
r,rs.s act; when struggling on u recent occasion
.IS,S,,;n lis wise provisions before the great tri-
hooI Of the American people, never differed about
~ trus meaning OIL this subject! Everywhere
tr n,iout the Union they publicly pledged their
f.tl and honor that tIcy would cheerfully submit
The question OF slavery to the decision of the bona
Ill p,lpIe of Kansas, without any restriction or
.n,,Itf.ation whatever. All were cordially united
,n,n the great doctrine of popular sove reignty,
which Is the vital principle of our free institu-
tons
Marx this:
Had it been insinuated, from any quarter, that
If would have been II sufficient compliance with the
Teauisitions of the organic law for the members of
convention thereafter to be elected, to withhold
n question of slavery from the people, and to sub
stituic their owu will for that Of u legally ascer-
tanned majority of their constituents, this would
have becm intautly rejected"
Yes. sir, and l will add further, had it been then
minated from any quarter, and believed by the
American people, that We wonld have submitted
th, slavery clause in such q manner as to compel
= man to vote for that which his conscience did
NOT approve, in order to vote on the slavery
clause, not only would the idea have been rejected
hut the Democratic candidate for the Presidency
would have been rejected; and every man who
backed him would have been rejected too.
The President tells US in his message that the
whole party pledged our faith and our honor that
the slavery question should be submitted to the
people, without any restriction or qualification
Whatever. Does this schedule submit without
qualification? 1t qualities it by saying, ''YOu may
vote on slavery if you will vote for the constitutions:
but you shall not do so without doing that" That
is very important qualification qualification
that controls n mans vote, aud his action, and his
EOl-GltNtNy II III - RA hF4AGSG AAtLAA"
cunf2sselly in violation Of our platform. We arc
toll by the President that our faith and our honor
are pledged that the slavery clause should be sub
without qualification of auy kind whatever; and
now am 10 be called upon to forfeit my faith
AMI INV honor in order to enable n small minority
Of the people Of Kansas to dcfrnud the majority Of
that people out of their elective franchise? Sir,
my honor is pledged and before it shall be turnish-
ell, | will take whatever consequences personal to
myself may come; but never ask me to do an act
which the President, in his message, has said is n
forfeiture of faith, IL violation Of honor, and that
merely for the cxpedicncy of saving the party, l
will 60 as far as any of you to save the party. /
have As much at heart i'll the great cause thatbinds
u together rs u party as any man living. L will
sacrifice any thing short Of principle and honor for
tue peace Of the party; but if tho party will not
stand by its principles, its faith, its pledges will
stand there, and abide whatever consequences may
result from tn. position.
Let me ask you, why force this constitution
down the thrOatS of the people of Kansas in Oppo-
Sition to their wishes, aud in violation of our
pledges. What great object is to be attained?
Cai-b9Hol What are you To gain by it,. viii you sus
tain the party by violating its principles! Do you
propose to keep the party united by forcing u di-
vision: Stand by the doctrine that lOavGs thepeoplc
rerieely free to form and regulate their institutions
Tor themselves in their own, aud yOur party will
be united aud Irresistible in power. Abandon that
great principle, and the party is not worth saving,
and cannot be saved, after it shall be violated. l
trust We are not to be rushed upon the question.
Why shall it be done! Who is TO be benefited?
Is the South to be the guiner2 Is the North to be
the gamer! Neither the North nor the Soath has
the right to gain u sectional advantage by trickery
or fraud.
luT l am beseecbed to wait until / hear from
the election on the 2lst of December. 1 am told
that perhaps that will put it all right, and will
save the whole difficulty. How can ii? Perhaps
there may be a large vote. There may be q largo
vote returned. daughter. But Ideny that it is
possible to have a fair vote on the slavery clause;
and | say that it is not possible to have any vote
on the constitution. Why wait for the mOCkery of
an election when it is provided, unalterabiy that
til. people cannot vOte-when the majority are
dstrauchiscd!
But l am told on all sides, "0h, just wait; the
prosiavery clause will be vOteddOWn." That dOe{
Hotobyintc any Ofmy objections; itdOes notdifninish
any Of them. You have no more right to force a
frse.Statc constitution on Kansas than n slave
State constitution. Ii Kansas wants q slave State
constitution she has q right to it; il she wants q
iree-Siate constitution she has n right to it. 1t is
hone OF my business which way the slavery claus sc
Is decided. L care not whether it is voted down
% voted up. Do you suppose, after the pledges
S'my honor that would go for that principle and
leave the people to vote as they chose, that would
now degrade myself by voting one way if the sla-
very clause be voted down, aud another way if it
be voted up! l care not how that vote may stand.
take It for granted that it will be voted out. l
llink | have seen enough in the last three days to
make 1t certain that it will be returned out, 10
matter how this vote NAV stand -EEauqhkPr1