The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1857-01-21

in this particular to a new State-which the
Senator from Illinois admits, and which the Su-
preme Court has decided to be unconstitutional
--or else the Republican orators have mislei
their people into the belief that the Missouri
act Of 1920 had the character of a permanent
regulation; whereas it was temporary, and must
soon have lost all its effect. I'D. el --ll
But all these Senators insist that the doctrines
Of the Republican party must be ascertained
from its platform. The Senator from New
Hampshire has never seen man anywhere who
advocates the power of Congress to legislate on
the subject of slavery within the States. 1J1he
Senator from Massachusetts, has see several
such and supposes they amount in all te some
thousands. The Senator from Illinois says that
the doctrine has been repudiated distinctly in
the Philadelphia platform. The Senator from
Maine says the Republicans disavow all conncc-
ton with men who profess that doctrine
Mr.. FESSENDEN. All connection with
their principles. rl - H.s -" 9fHT q
Mr.. fCt$fF Taccept the qualification. II
does not affect the argument. When questioned
closely, however, he acknowledges that this dis
ayowal is not contained in the PhiIadelphia
platform; but then he says, it was made I'M al
the Republican newspapers When referred ia
the New York Tribuner, hdwove, he admits
thatatl the Republican newspapers did not pur.
sue that course--but only some Of them; which
to be sure, he does not tell us--none that | re-
member.
Mr.. FESSENDEN. take it that the Sen
ator recollects my explanation. 1t was that
a party in making its platform does not under
take to assert what it does not hold-what ii
does not agree to--but what are its positive
| prnciples;1and there was no necessity for the
Republican party to set forth in detail what doc.
trines it did not maintain, but only those which
lit did hold. That party does not deal in mega
| tives.
! Mr.. PUGH. 1t seems to me, with all due
respect to the Senator, that proposition cannot
avail him. Tho Cincinnati platform is fall Of
resolutions denying the power Of Congress to
do this, that, and the other. The platform Of
the old Wing party was full Of such negative
rcsolutionsi aad in fact, the Philadelphia plat.
form contains one resolution Of that sort. a
party is just.as much bound to declare its, ,opin-
ion against particular measure as for it--against
q particular course of legislation or particular
claim of power as for it. a afassgre., l.sli
| Mr.. FESSENDEN. Does the Cincinnati
! platform disclaiR all connection with the prin-
ciples of those men? Docs that deny theln?
! Mr. PUGH. Yes. sir .I ystga aas.i,.1c4
] Mr.. FESSENDEN. Where? ..gghaT 70 aa
Mr.. PUGH. will show the Senator the
difference between the platforms presently. 7-
Mr. FESSESDEN. do not ask for the
difference; l ask where the Cincinnat platform
distinctly disayows its belief in the principles o
the ltra-Abolitionists? .s. aEfaag
Mr. PUGH. 1t declares that Congress has
no power, directly or indirectly, to interfere
with slavery in the States. That resolution is
at least twelve years old. rrma .aa
Besides, Mr.. President, the second resolution
of the Philadelphia platform, if it has any sig
ni6cation, affirns that Congress can and should
refuse to admit new States into tho Union, o.
cept upon the condition that slavery shall be
thermore, shall so legislate as to abolish slavery
in the States which now tolerate it. | have
that resolution before me; I will read it: aas
%. Resoloea, That, with our republican faith.
| hold to hn colf tr,1fl tl,o4
all men are endowed with the inalenabc right
to life, liberty, and the pursuit Of happiness
and that the primary object and ulterior desig,
of our Federal Government were toseeure those
rights to all persons within its exclusive juris-
diction; that as our republican iathers when
/ they had abolished slavery in all our national
territory, ordained that no person should bt
deprived of life, liberty, or property, without
due process Of law, it becomes our duty to main,
tain this provision of the Constitution against
all attempts to violate it, to prevent the cstab
| lishment of slavery in the Territories of the
United States by positive legislation prohibiting
| its existence therein. And VIC deny the author
! ity of Congress, of Territorial Legislature, 0
any individual or associated Of Individuals, Il
give legal existence to slavery in any Territory
] of the United States while the present Consti
tuition shall be maintained" i,.-. III. .,...,
| Now, il neFher Congress, nor. a Territoria
Legislature, nor any individual or association
/, not even convention Of delegates 70 form j
State constitution, can give legal existence. I,
slavery nndor the, Constitution Of tho Unitet
States, as here asserted, there certainly cal
never be another slaveholding State admitte(
into the. Union. ~, ~.
! Mr.. FEssENDEN. If the Senator will al.
low me, llcail his attention to one Of the ar
ticles Of the Philadelphia platform, which reads
in this way: H .,-.. r-.,.t4...a A
| "Resolvel, That the maintenance Of the prn
ciples promulgated in the Declation Of lnde
pendencc, and embodied in the Federal Consti
tdtidn, Is essential to the preservation lof oni
1 Republican institutions; and that the Fedora
Constitution, the rights Of the States, and tht
Union Of. the States, shall bepreserved" 4@''
Mr.. PUGIs Itseenls to me, with all defer,
cnce, that nothing is gained BY that suggestion
The question, what are the rights Of the States
remains to be decided. The Senator and his as
socates profess to 10 in favor Of the Union,
/ do not call in question their sincclityi but dq.
i ring the last summer | was astonishcd, AM
! ashamed, as an American citizen, to read. tht
declaration made, or reported as having beer
made, by one Of their prominent leaders
mean the present spoakerof the House Of Rep;
rescntatiyes--thathe he could look forward to thu
time when the whole Of this country should be
consolidated undcr central military despotism
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