Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-12-24

have established it, take the ,.;l,o.d linz.
made it. take the elective franch;ss :. -
as we have located them, take ,hs -. 81 %
ry system as We have formed il. taIs + IN
as we have fixed it to suit ourselves and
ask no questions, but vote for it, or vou
shall not vote either for Slave or Frea
State" In other words, the legal effect
of the schedule is this: All those who arc
in favor of this Constitution may vote for
or against slavery, as they please; but all
those who are against this Constitution
are disfranchised, and shall not vote at all
This is the mode in which the Slavery
proposition is submitted. Every man OPP
posed to the Constitution is disfranchised
on the Slavery clause. How many are
theya They tell you there is majority,
for they say the Constitution will be voted
down instantly, by an overwhelming ma
joray if you allow a negative vote, This
shows that majority are against it,
They disqualify and disfranchise every man
who is against it, thus referring the Slave
nv clause to minority of the people Of
Kansas, and leaving that minority free to
vote for or against tie Slavery clause, as
they choose.
Sir, nv honor is pledged; and before it
shall be tranished, 1 will take whatever
consequences personal 10 myself may come;
but never ask me to do an net which tie
President, in his message has said is
forfeit of faith, violation Of honor, and
that merely for the expediency of saving
the party. Twill go as far as any of you
to save the party. l have as much heart
in the great cause that binds US together rs
party, rs any man living. l will sacri-
flee anything short Of principle and honor
for the peace of the party; but if the par
ty will not stand by its principles, its faith,
its pledges, l will stand and abide what
ever consequences may result fiom the po-
sition. Let me ask you why force this
Constitution down the throats of the peo-
pie of Kansas, in opposition to their wishes,
and in violation of our pledges? What
great object is to be attained? Cui 6onos
What are you to gain by itl Will you
sustain the party by violating its princi-
pies? Do you propose to keep the party
united by forcing a division? Stand by
the doctrine that leaves the people perfect
ly free to form and regulate their institu-
tions 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 wort saving, and cannot be
saved, after it shall be violated. l trust
we are not to be crushed upon this ques-
ton. Why shall it be done9 Who is to
be benefited? Is the South to be the
gamer! Is the North to be the gainer?--
Neither the North nor the South has tho
right to gain o sectional advantage by
triekery or fraud.
Why can we not now do what we pro-
posed to do in the last Congress? We
then voted through the Senate an enable
ing act, called "the Toombs BILL" believed
to be just and fair in all its provisions, pro-
nounced to be almost perfect by the Sena-
tor from New Hampshire, (Mr. Hale,) on
ly he did not like the man then President
of the United States, who would have to
make appointments. Why can We not
take that bill. and, out of compliment to
the President, add to it claus taken from
the Minnesota act, which he thinks should
he the general rule, requiring the Constitu-
tion to be submitted to the people, and pass
that? That unites party. You all voted
with me for that bill, at the last Congress.
Why not stand by the same bill nowl Ig-
more Lecompton, ignore Topeka, treat both
these party movements as irregular and
void; pass q fair bill-the one We framed
ourselves when we were uni.-have fair
election, and you will have peace in the
Democratic party, and peace throughout
the country, in ninety days. The people
want a fair vote. They will never be sat
isfcd without t. They should never be
satisfied without fair vote on the Con-
stitution.
If the Toombs' bill does not suit nv
friends, take the Minnesota bill of the last
sesslon-the one so much commended by
the President, in his message, as model.
Let us pass that as an enabling and allow
the people of all parties TO come together
and have fair vote. and will go for it.
Frame any other bill that secures fair,
honest vote 10 men of all parties, and car
ries out the pledge that the people shall
be left free To decide on their domestic in
stitutlons for themselves, and / will 90
with You with pleasure. and with all tho
energy may possess. But if this Consti-
tuition is to be forced down our throats, in
violation of the fundamental principle of
free government, under mode of sublnis-
sion that is mockery and insult painful
as it vii. be to me, / must break all asso-
Citations or connections rather than forfeit
my principles. / have no fear of any par
ty association being severed. l should re-
gret to see social and political ties severed;
but if it must be-ifI cannot act with you
and preserve my faith and my honor-I
will stand on the great principle of popu-
lar sovereignty, which declares the right
of all people to be left perfectly free form
and regulate their domestic institution in
their own way. l will follow that princi-
pie wherever its legal and logical eonse-
quences may take me, and ! will endeavor
to defend it against assaults from any and
all quarters. No mortal man shall be re-
sponsible for my actions but myself. By
INV action will comnro,nise mn r1,an