True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-12-23

fundamental principle Of self-goy'fnment,
for which we combined and Struggled IN
this body, and throughout the country.
to establish as the rule Of action, in al !
time 10 comet The President OF the
United States has made some remarks IN
his message which, it strikes me, It would
be very appropriate TO read in this con-
necliOn. He says:
'FThe friends and supporters OF the Ne
braska and Kansas Act, when struggling
on a recent occasion to sustain its wise
provisions before the. great tribunal OF the
American people, never differed about its
true moaning on this subject. Every
where throughout the Union they public.
ly pledged their faith and honor that they
would cheerfully submit the question of
Slavery to the decision of the bonaJfde
people of Kansas, without any restriction
whatever. Allwere cordially united up
on the great doctrine Of popular sover-
eighty; which is the vital principle of our
free institutions.
Mark this:
"Had it then been insinuated from any
quarter, that it would have been suffi.
cient compliance with the acquisitions of
the organic law for the members of a
Convention, thereafter to be elected, to
withhold the question Of slavery from the
people, and to substitute their own will
for that of legally ascertained majority
of their constituents. this would have
been instantly rejected"
The President tells us in his message
that the whole party pledged our faith
and our honor that the slavery question
should be submitted 10 the people, with.
out any restriction or qualification what
ever. Does this schedule submit i, with.
out qualification -! 1t qualities it by say.
ing. you may vote on slavery if you
will vote for The Constitution but you
shall not do so without that" That is a
very important qualifications qualifca-
tion that controls mans vote and his
action and his conscience, il lie is an hon.
est mana qualification confessedly in
violation Of our platform. We are told
by the President that our faith and honor
are pledged that the slavery clause should
be submitted without qualification of any
kind whatever; and now am | lobe called
upon to forfeit my faith and my honor in
order 10 enable small minority of the
people of Kansas TO delraud the majority
of the people out of their elective fran
clise! Sir, my honor is pledged; and be-
fore it shall be .tarnished,. Il will TAXI
whatever consequences personal to my
self may come; but never ask me to d.
an act which The President. in his mes
sage, has said is forfeiture Of faith, {
violation of honor, and that merely for .ht
expendiency of saving the party.
I will 90 as far as any of you to save
the party. | have'as much heart in th'
grea. cause that binds us together as
party, as any man living. will sacrifice
anything short of principle and honor 70
the peace of The party but if the party
will not stand by its principles, its faith
its pledges, will stand there, and abid
whatever consequences may result from
the position. Let me ask you, why force
this Constitution down The throats Of th'
people of Kansas, in opposition to ,hei
wishes, and in violation of our pledges
What great object is to be attained 3
, Cui bono! What are you 10 gain by it
Will you sustain the party by violating
its principles! Do you propose to keel
the party united by forcing division 3
Stand by the doctrine that leaves th
people perfectly free to form and regulate
their institutions for themselves in. lhei
own way, and } our party will be unitet
and irresistible in power. Abandon tina
great principle, and the party is not worll
saving, and bannot be saved; after it shall
be violated. thrust we arc not to be rush
ed upon this question. Why shall it b
done, Who is 10 be benefited ! Is III,
South to be the gamer! Is the Mort
10 be the gamer .. &.
!, Neither the north nor the South ha
the right to gain a sectional advantage b.
, trickely or fraud. But / am beseeche
r TO wal, until ! hear from the election O
the 2lst of December. / am told tha
perhaps that will put it all right, and wi
, save the whole difficulty. How can it
t Perhaps there may be large vote. Ther
, may be a large vote returned. Laugh
! ter. Bnt l deny that it is possible t
have fair vote on the Slavery clause
, and l say that il is not possible to have
fair vote ON the Constitution. Why wa
q for the mockery of an election. when it
. provided unalterably, tba, the people car
moi vote--when the party are disfrar
chised? !? But l am told on all sides, 30
. jus. wait; the Pro.Slavery clause will
,, , voted down." That does not obviat
: any of my objections {; it does not dimir
ish any Of Them. You have no NOR
o right 10 force Free State Constitution o
Kansas than Slave State Constitution
.. she has a right to it.; if she wants Ere
+ State Constitution, she has right to il
q Do you suppose, after the pledges {
> my honor, thai would 60 for that prin
ciple and leave the people TO vote as the
=: choose, that would now degrade my
self by voting one way if The SLAYER
clause. be yoled down. and another wa
3 ifit be voted up. ! care not how ,h'
vote may stand, l take it for granted thi
= y it will be voted up, I think | have see
) enough in the las. three days to make
3 certain that it will be returned up, n