The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-12-26

or against slavery a. they choose. Am
free to vote as choose on the slavery ques-
ton, il you tell me shall not vote on it
until vote for the Maine liquor law? Am
free to vote on the slavery question, II you
tell me that l shall not vote either way until
vote for q bank? Is it freedom of e'ec-
ton to make your right to vote upon one
question depend upon the mode IN which
YOU are going to vote on some other 4ucs-
tion wl,icl, has no onncxion with itI Is
that freedom of election Is that the great
fundamental principle Of sclfgovernmeni,
for which we combined and struggled in
this body and throughout the country to
establish as the rule Of action in all time to
come?
The President Of the United States has
made some remarks in his message which i
strikes me il would be very appropriate to
read in this connection. lie says:
1.-THE friends and supporters Of the Ne
braska and Kansas act. when struggling on
a recent occasion to sustain its wise provi-
sions before the great tribunal of the Amer
lean people, never differed about its true
meaning on this subject. Every where
throughout the Union they publicly pledged
their faith and honor that they would cheer
fully submit the que-tion of slavery to the
decision Of the bona fGe people of Kansas,
without any restriction or qualification what
ever All were cordially united upon the
great doctrine Of popular sovereignty, which
is the vital principle Of our free institu-
tons"
Mark this:
"Had it then been insinuatcd from any
quarter that it would have been sufficient
compliance with the acquisitions Of the Or
ganic law for the members Of . Convention,
thereafter to be elected, to withhold the
question of slavery from the people, and to
substitute their own will for that Of legal
~ ascertained majority Of their constituents
this would have been instantly rejected"
Yes, Sir, and I will add further, had it
been then intimated from any quarter, and
believed by the American people, that we
would have submitted the slavery clause in
such a manner as to compel . man to vote
for that which his conscience did not ap-
prove in order to vote on the slavery clause,
not only would the idea been rel cted, bnt
the Democratic candidate for the Presidency
would have been rejected; and every man
VINO backed him woul 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
strictiou or qualification whatever. Does
this schedule submit it without qualifica-
toni It qualities it by saying, "You may
vote on slavery il you will vote for the con.
stitution, but you shall not do SO without
doing that" That is a very important
qualification; a qualification that controls
mans vote and his action and his conscience
If he is an honest man; a qualification con.
fessedly in violation Of our platform. We
are told by the President that our faith and
our honor are pledged that the slavery
clause should be submitted without quaiifi-
cation OF anJ kind whatever; and now am
1 to be called upon to forfeit my faith and
my honor in order to enable a small minori-
ty Of the people Of Kansas to deiraud the
majority Of that people out Of their elective
franchise! Sir, my honor is pledged; and
before it shall be furnished ] will take what
ever 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, a'violation Of honor, and
that merely foi the expediency Of saving
the party. ] will go rs far rs any Of you
to save the party. 1 have as much heart in
the great cause that BIZ ds US together as
party as any man living. j will sacrifice
any thing short of principle and honor for
the peace Of the party; but if the party
will not stand by its principles, its faith, its
pledges, I will stand there, and abide what
ever consequences may result from the po-
sition.
Let me ask you, why force this constitu-
ton down the threats OF the people Of Kan
sas in opposition to their wishes and in vio-
lation of our pledges. What great object is
to be obtaineds Cui bono. What gre you
to gain by it? Will you sustain the party
by violating its principles? Do you pro-
pose to keep the party united by forcing
division? Stand by the doctrine that leaves
the peoI lie perfectly free to form and regu-
late their institutions 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 viola
ted. trust We are not TO be rushed upon
this question. Why shall it be done? Who
is to be benefited? Is the South to be the
gamer? Is the North to be the gamer:
Neither the North nor tn: South has the
right te gain sectional advantage by trick
cry or fraud.
But I am beseeched to wait until hear
from the election on the 21st of December.
I am told that perhaps that will put it all
right, and WILL save the whole difficulty.
How can it? Perhaps there may be large
vote. There may be large vo:e returned.
(LaughterJ But l deny that it is possible
to have . fair vote on the slavery clause
and say that it is not possible to have any
vote on the constitution. Why wait for the
mockcry of an election, when it is provided
unalterably that the people cannot vote;
when the majority are DISTINGUISHED!
But I am told on all sides, "Oh, just
IL oil IL L.
down" That does not obviate any Of my
objections; it does not diminish any Of
them. You have NO moro right to force
slave-Statc constitution. Il Kansas wants
a slave-State constitution, she hiss right to
it; if she wants a free-State constitution,
she has right to it. 1t is none Of my bust
ness which way the slavery clause is decid-
ed. care not whether it is voted down or
voted up. Do you suppose, after the pledg- |
es of my honor that ] would go for that |
principle and leave the people vote as they
choose, that I would now degrade myself |
by voting one way if the slavery clause be |
voted down and another way if it be voted |
up? Icare not how that vote may stand, |
take it for granted that it will be voted |
out. think ! have seen enough in the last |
three days to make it certain that it will be !
returned out no matter how the vote may !
stand. Laughter.
Sir. ana opposed to that concern, because
it looks TO me like system of trickery and |
jugglery 70 defeat The fair expression Of the |
will Of the people. There is no necessity
for ersE8ing this measure. So nufair. SO an
Just as It is II Ill its aspects, upon Us. Why
can re not now do what We proposed to do |
in the last Congress, We then soted thro'
the Senate an enabling act. called the |
" Toombs bill" believed to be just and fair |
u oil It's provisions, pronounced to be almost
perfect by the Senator from Nev Eanpahire.
Mr.. Ha's.) only he did not like the man,