Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-12-24


honor that they would cheerfully submit the
question of slavery to the bona fde people of
Kansas, without any restriction or quallhca-
tion whatever All were cordially united up
on the great doctrine of popular sovereignty,
which is the vital principle of our free instl-
tutions."
Mark this:
Had it been insinuated, frsm any quarter,
that il would have, been sufficient compli-
ance with the acquisitions of the organic law
for the members of a Convention, thereafter
TO be elected, to withhold the question of Sla-
very from the people, and to substitute their
swn will for that of legally ascertained ma
Jority of their constituents, this would have
been instantly rejected"
Yes, Sir, and | will add further, had it been
then intimated from any quarter, and beiiev-
ed by the American people, that we would
have submitted the Slavery clause in such
manner as to compel a man to vote for that
which his conscience did not approve, In or
der to vote on the Slavery clause, not only
would the idea have been rejected, but the
Democratic candidate for the Presidency
would have been rejected; and every man whs
backed him would have been rejected too.
The President tells US in his message that
the whOls-party pledged our faith and our
honor that the Slavery question should be
submitted to the people, without any restrlc-
ton or qualification whatever. Does TINS
schedule submit it without qualification 1t
qualities il by saying 81 You may vote on Sla-
very if you will vote for the Constitution /;
but shall not do so without doing that
That is a very important Qualification
qualification that controls mans vote on bis
action and his conscience, if he is an honest
mana qualification confessedly in violation
of our platform We are told by the Presi-
dent that our faith and our honor are pledged
that the Slavery clause should be submitted
without qualification of any kind whatever
and now am | to be called upon to forfeit my
faith and my honor in order TO enable small
minority of the people of Kansas to defraud
the majority of that people out of their elec-
tive franchise? Sir, my honor is pledged
and before it shall be tarnished, l 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 forfeiture of faith, violation of honor,
and that merely fer the expediency of saving
the party. / have as much heart in the great
cause that binds US together as party as any
man living. | will sacrifice anything short of
principle and honor for the peace of the party;
but if the party will not stand by its princi-
pies, it's faith, its pledges, | will stand there.
and abide whatever consequences may result
from the position.
Let me ask you, why force this Constitu
ton down the threats of the people of Kansas,
in opposition to their wishes and in violation
of our pledges. What great object is to be
attained? Gun bono! What are you to gain
by it1 Will you sustain the party by viola
ting its principles? Do you propose TO keep
the party united by forcing division p
Stand by the doctrine that leaves the people
r. L. II.
stitutions for themselves in their own way,
and your party will be united and irresistible
in power. Abandon that great principle and
the party is not worth saving, and cannot be
saved, after it shall be violated. / trust we
are not to be hushed upon this question:
Why shall it be done? Who is to be benefit
ted3 Is the South to be the gamer? Is the
North to be the gamer? Neither the North
nor the South has a right TO gain a sectional
advantage by trickery or fraud. But am
beseeched to wait until hear from the cleo
ton en- the twenty-frst of December. | 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 large vote returned. Laugh
ter. But deny that it is possible to have
fair vote on the Slavery clause; and say
that 1t IS not possible to have any vote on the
an election, when it is provided unaterably
that the people cannot yote-when the major
lty are disfranchised? But am told on all
sides, Oh, just wait; the Pro Slavery clause
will be voted down" That does not ebyiate
any of my objections it does not diminish
any OF them. You have no more right to
force a Free-State Constitution on Kansas
than a Slave-State Constitution. If Kansas
wants Slave State Constitution, she has a
right to it; If she wants Free State Consti-
tuition, she has right to it. 1t is none of
my business which way the Slavery clause is
decided | care not whether it is voted down
or voted up. D0you suppose, after the pledg-
es of my honor. that weuld 90 for that prin-
ciple' and leave the people to vote as they
choose, that l would now degrade myself by
voting one way if the Slavery clause be voted
down, and another way if it be voted up
care net how that vote may stand. think
have seen enough in last three days to
make 1t certain that it WI be retarned out,
no matter how the vote may stand. Laugh
ter.
Sir, am opposed to- that concern. because
it looks to me like aJsystem of trickery and
lugglery to defeat fhe fair expression Of the !
will OF the people, There is no necessity for |
croWding this measure, so unfair, so unjust as
1t Is IN all its "ects, upon US. Why can we
aOt nu" 10 fnat we proposed to do in the
last Congress9 We then voted through the
senate an enabling act called "the Toombs bilr'
oeheVed TO be just and fair ID all it's provis-
,ls lons, pronounced to be almost perfect by the
'Fsnatsr from New Hampshire. (Mr. lfaIe.)
re; he did not like the man then President
the , United States, who would have to make
% peop1d ont af coo,;9.a, a ~ y. .L no1 saAe tna'
: 80 ~ 1t clause taken from the Minnesota
,rrsss; W aleh ne thinks should be a general rule,
,arr ing the Constitution to be submitted to
n ~ ople, and pass that? That unites the
y intee last CONGRESS- WI WI nae. TOT tnat oiii'
!" psoleill nowf Ignore Lecompton, ignore
a. treat both these party movements Az
oara - ar ana VOID pass fair hill-the one
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