The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-12-24


other thirty States the confederacy. Now say
that that is wise, that is just that is statesmanke
and no matter what may have bees the opinions OF
any man in regard TO the propriety OF submitting
the whole constitution TO the people, its not being
done does not authorize any man, least Of all IN the
democratic party TO excite this torrent Of abuse and
caumny against the President Cheers and appause)
have not one unknd word 70 say OF Senator Douglas
admire his ability l respect his statement that be has
not joined the republicans; but presume he will not deny
that the republicans have joined him. daughter and ap
pause) Gentlemen do not speak entirely without the
book. read 70 day in the New York Tribune this extra
ordinary statement on the 10th of December, 1857
Our last Washington advises report full and fa1i con
on the latest aspect q The Kansas affairs
full conference between Senator Douglas and leading
republicans the Kansas affairs! You and never had
conference with republicans any adair-Qaughter)-
least Of all this, which Is important 10 the demo
cratic party. But word further. The Tribune says;
The results were mutually satisfactory.
VOICE." Oh, Lord, save from the republicans ~
Mr.. VAN BuRxs-The result Of the conference be-
tween Senator Douglas and leading republicans
we have had with them, certainly have
never had that was Satisfactory" TO u.s. TRUST
se himself right in regard to the Of that state
men And fellow citizens have spoken to you Of
the precise position OF this Kansas question Let me ask
what the objections urged by the people Of Kansas in
reference votngs Some OF them that this question
was submitted 10 them that they must vote for the con-
sttuon before they could vote either way upon the ques
ton slavery regret that exceedingly but that Is not
the objection that would have prevented as citizen
o. kansas from voting last MONDAY upon .ne question
full pswer TO abolish slaveryas they have notbecause
two hundred slaves would still remain in the Terri
tory whichever way they may vote Well all they could
do in regard that would be to provide that those
slaves should have a certain length Of time to be
taken ont Of the Territory or that their masters
should be paid for their emancipation because that they
legally held under the laws and constitution Of the
United states there earthly doubt These then are
the two objections which may have prevented some OF
the people Of Kansas from voting last Monday and when
they present themselves at the door of Congress these
from the members of Congress- as quite certain they
will from the President OF the United States But beyond
this there nothing in the whole Kansas question to au
thorize in my humble Judgment the raising OF this DIN
and caor against the President Of the United States for
the WISE just and scasonabc suggestions that no makes
in regard to the subject. taking ii the day Of
the date of his message and acting with all the light
and all the information that was then youchsafed to
him. Now, have said that the only question that con
in the Territory OF Kansas slavery That
is undoubtedly true. You and would never think OF
bohering ourselves about of the Governors Of
cc or the qualifications for the office of Governor What
kind or judicial system they had, or what kind OF
bank system they had in Georgia. in South Carolina In
Kentucky in Kansas; but when comes to the ques
ton Of slavery you TO precisely that question which
affects the relative importance Of the different members
of the conederacy, question of property You are
aware tina, slaves are represented this confederacy
and whether less of them shall be represented
question that concerns all the other states That vs.
therefore, the only that dsurb the other States and
when that is withdrawn from the consideration OF the
Unior-whatever may be the result in Kansas-thc
thirty existing States left in the condition Of tran
guilty and peace, which Mr.. Buchanan pledged himself
to restore and which is 30 essential to the prosperity of
the w ssS country ss OF ING
party was non nterventon-that Congress should not
egsate at all upon the subject Of slavery neither to
tablsh II TO prohibit it, and Ia order to sustain that
view of the subject call your attention to the admirable
letter Of Senator Hunter, when he was candidate this
last time for the Senate of the United States, in which he
said
rally party which should be able the Union
npon constitutional principles some sacrifices Of o
not such would have been framed by the parans Of
baps Of the Southern whom believed
h. in slaves much enti,ed' the protection
anything else But while the Northern friends of the Kansas
the Missouri so as 70 remove The ban under which,
the institutions Of The south had been placed by re-
slavery in the Territories not TO egsate slavery into them,
S he % in
stuon in their subject only TO the constitution OF
the United States.
Now to tell you what have said upon this sub
ject Will state 10 you how endeavored to explain In
almost all the free States OF this confederacy PROBABLY
in the United States has had occasion 10 address
more public meetings in the last Presidential campaign,
in the different free states than and uniformly stated
that the great principle OF the bill that referred
the question Of slavery thej people of the Territories
in order that they might dispose of themselves and do
favor Of the free States than ever went whom he says
that that must be done by direct vote, and cannot
be done through the intervention of Conven-
lion (Aprdause) Now, gentlemen, / have detain-
cd You longer upon this portion OF the sub
us pass along to another subject which has been
good deal discussed and think not very much under
stood and that is what is commonly called popular SO
vercignty or squaer sovereignty Senator Douglas and
others contend that that violated by not submitting the
constitution OF the state 10 the people OF Kansas Well
gentlemen have looked carefully through the Nebraska
bill and carefully through the Cincinnati PLATFORM and
there II word about popular sovereignty
word about squat,cr sovereignty 10 eithcr Nor did l
ever in addressing the people, undertake 10 say that
they contained any such principle or that even under
stood what was meant by popular sovereignty. was
told that popular sovereignty some principle Of the
Revolution which had been brought forward 1854 aud
applied TO Nebraska and Kansas We'll said, Gentlemen,
this principle Of the Revolution that lain
from the time Of Washington to the time OF Pierce,
strikes me would not suffer from few years more OF
undsiurbed repose Qaughter) Least Of all did see
how could bring FORWARD a principle and claim to
patent nov, IL had been principle In existence at tho
time OF the Revolution, and understood NY the founders
Revolution As understood Il, II was the right OF the
people TO frame their own government Well fellow
czens how was that TO be carried out by the Nebraska
blH Why, application To DO made " Congress Tor
the privilege Of forming government, and then bill
was 10 be passed by Congress making the framework OF
the government after should be established Well that
would have been funny principle Of the Revolution. n
John Hancock aud George Washington had applied to
Great Britain, under the principles Of the Reyo-
ncrt aud the passage OF an enabling act, and the
frame work OF the structure u strikes the revolution
applause. Avoicc- That So. What this principle Of
popular sovereignty that suits 40 well republicans, be
cause II s entire abstraction, OF earthly
qucnce, and therefore fitted to form platform for
thcmi i no, popular sovereignty when the thryouc
states Of the Union meet In Washington and pass law
establishing government Kansas, and making the
government exactly what they pleaseS That u popular
sovereignty and the object Of this bin TO get rid ~
exactly that thing, and put the people Of Kansas in
dtinn where they could form their institutions for
themselves In their way. But told that
when they electa convention and that convention forms
constitution, and that l. their way unless is Mr.. Doug
lass way and Governor walkers way, II Amt their
own way. strikes that whatever way
they choose 10 form a constitution = their own
way. Now, LET whether there is anything
IN this theory that after they have formed their nstiu
tons they cannot change them Senator Douglas take
an interest In a take interest in him "a
lawyer for he studied law in State before he went 10
Illinois But he lays down the proposition that Kansas
" admitted into the Union, with constitution tha
after 1884 may change the consi sutton particular
way cannot change II before The President says
earthly power prevent their changing i the dag after
they admitted into the Union AMI changing everv
other day they choose. C'Thats So and applalse.l
Why, this a principle OF the revolution, stated
by those who advocated il. How lid the State Of New