Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-08-18
GBs 4alp Spp,
TUESDAY,. AUGUST Is. SEE.
senator DougIas'. Speech.

senator Douglass Speech.
Last week, in an article headed "Democrcy and
White Slavery" we quoted Senator Douglas as
saying. in late speech, at Springfield. H., in ef-
iect that ut has been the rule of civilization and
Christianity, the world over, that wherever any
man or set of men were incapable of taking care
of themselves, they should consent to be govern
ed by those who were capable of managing their
affairs for them"
This sentiment. so revolving to the ideas of any
man who claims to be truly Democratic or Re
publican in his sympathies, the Bay State claims
to be an unfair exposition OF the views of Senator
Douglas, and AYERS that the extract is garbled
quotation from his speech. In order to do JUS
tice all around, and leave no for cavil as to
the actual purport of the speech on that point,
we give the following extract frcm it, revised
BY himself and published in his organ, the
Chicago Times, of june 10. We quote dis
tinct paragraph complete by itself, SO there
be no possible complaint of ''gsrbling v
mo one can vindicate the character, motives,
and conduct of the signers OF the Declaration
of independence. except upon the hypothesis that
they referred to the white race alone, and not to
the african, when they declared all men to have
been created equal-that they were speaking of
British subjects on this continent being equal to
British subjects born and residing in Great Brit
ain-that they were entitled to the same inalena-
BILE rights, and among them were enumerated life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The de-
claration adopted for the purpose of justifying
the coonists in the eyes OF the civilized world in
Withdrawing their allegiance from the British
crown, and dissolving their connection with the
mother country. In this point of view the De.
oaraton Of Independence il in perfect harmony
with all the events of the revolution and the line
ofpolicy pursued under the articles of confedera-
ton, and the principles embodied and established
in the federal Constitution. The history of the
times clearly shows that the negroes were re-
garded as an inferior race, who, in all ages, and
in every part Of the globe, and under the most
favorable circumstances had shown themselves
incapable Of sef-goEernment, and consequently
under the protection of those who were capable OF
providing for and protecting them in the exer.
else of all the rights they were capable of enjoy
lug consistent with the good and safety of socie
ty 1t is on this principle that in all civilized and
Christian countries the government provides for
the protection of the insane, the idote, and all
other unfortunates who are incompetent 10 take
of themselves 1t does not follow by any
means that because the negro race are incapable
Of governing themselves that therefore they
should become slaves and be treated SUCH
The safe rule upon that subject l apprehend to
be this, that the African race should be allowed
to exercise all the rights and privileges which
they are capable of enjoying consistent with the
welfare OF the community in which they reside,
and that under our form of government the PEG.
pie of each State and territory must be allowed
TO determine for themselves the nature and ex.
tent Of these privileges"
If this is not virtual avowal of the sentiment
before charged, though not in the same lam
guage, then there is no meaning in words at
does not follow" he says, "because negroes are
incapable Of self-governmcnt that therefore they
should be made slaves of - but does not Mr..
Douglas say, emphatically, in his own revised
speech, above quoted, that they are "incapable
of self-government," and 'incompetent to take
care of themselves" &c., and therefore, of
course, that "they should consent to be govern
ed by those who are capable of managing their
affairs for them" in the words attributed to him in
the extract first published. And then Mr.. Doug
las grayely says, in effect, above, that their (he
negroes0 condition, in this country, whether as
slaves OF as services Of any other grade, should
be determined according as the majority of an
other race residing in any State or territory shall
agree upon, in regulating their local and do
nestle concerns" If this is not an acknowledge
ment OF the rightfulness and propriety of the
policy of making slaves Of the negroes, in case
majority Of those of another race residing in
the same community with them shall adiudge to
be for their good, then there is no significance in
human language.
Mr.. Douglas says in another part of his
speech
mot one of the original States abolished slav-
cry during the revolution, nor has any one of
them, at any time SINCE extended to the African
race all the rights and privileges of citizenship on
terms of entire equality with the white man."
We know not whether the distinguished Illi-
nois Senator was aware of the extent OF the
falsity of this statement but it is an undoubted
fact, that in Massachusetts, "during the revolu-
tion," slavery was abolished by the decision of
the Supreme Court of the State, as being iucom-
patible with the principles fought for in our rev.
olutionary struggle, and embodied in the Declar-
alton of Independence and Constitution of the
United States. And this same Massachusetts,,
one Of the "original thirteen States" not only
abolished slavery during the revolution" but
has by her legislation and constitutional provi-
sions since that period, removed every disability
against negroes being entitled to ''all the rights
and privileges of citizenship on terms Of entire
equality with the white man." And in other
States the same state of things exists, in regard
to the inequality before the law of the two races
Douglas to the contrary notwiths standing.