Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-02-05


ask any member of the Democratic party,
North or South, whether he or his party
are ready to stand by these doctrines?
pause for an answer. | hear no reply
Silence is the only answer / can ever OBJ
tain from them, when PROFOUND this di-
rect question of human freedom Men Of
the South sometimes venture to deny these
truths. The Vice President elect is re-
ported to have denied them publicly and
boldly during the recent canvas; but
have never been able to extort from a
Northern Democrat direct answer to this
plain question. There they sit in silence;
the nation is listening for reply. If they
answer in the affirmative, the South will
read them out of the Democratic party. Il
they answer in the negative, their constitu-
ents will repudiate them. Thus they vi
brste between Heaven and He'll, uncertain
in which they will finally land. Laugh
ter. pity them. From my soul | pity
the man, the being, who dare not avow his
principles, who is afraid to utter the judg-
ment that God has given him. ...f,
approve the boldness of that leading
Democrat of the Senate, who had the cour-
age to stand up in the other end of the
Capitol, and proclaim to the world that
these doctrines of Jefferson, and Franklin,
and their compatriots, were "selfeuident
lies" If msn commit crime, like to
see him do it boldly. 1t appears that his
constituents have permitted him to retire
to private life. That was right; yet if he
were honest, if sincere in his avowal, it was
his duty to say so, and not deceive his con-
stituents by silence. Other distinguished
Senators of the Democratic party were
present, and by their silence gave tacit
assent to the slander. Not one of them
uttered word of disapproval.
In this Hall, at our last session, We list
ened to speech from the gentleman from
Georgia, Mr.. STEPHENS, to show that
Slavery, and not Liberty, was the declared
will of Heaven toward part of man.
kind.
Here, at this starting point, the two
great parties of the country separate. 1t
is on this fundamental truth, ''that all men
possess the is,alienable right to liberty
Separating on this primal doctrine, it is
impossible for us to agree upon any eollat-
eral question in which the rights of man
kind are involved.
These rights being expressed in language
SO plain, so obvious, SO just, so treble,
were well understood by the men of that
age. Accordingly, when the Convention
which framed the Constitution met, they
bore with them the full and perfect under
standing, "that Governments were consti-
tuted among men to secure these rights OF
life, liberty, and happiness" to all under
their jurisdiction. Taking these declared
objects and purposes of Governments for
their guide, they ordained that s'no person
shall be deprived Of life, liberty, or pro-
perty, aCithout due process of laac."
This portion of the Constitution we are
bound to support. The gentleman from
South Carolina Mr.. KEITr and myself,
and every member of this body, have often
sworn that "no person." where Federal
laws have force, where this Constitution
extends, ashaH be deprived of life, liberty,
or property, scittout due process Of laW.' y
That oath l will observe and hold sacred
that oath will be carried out by every
true Republican, by every true american,
by every patriot. | need not say that due
process of law has reference to proceeding
in courts of competent jurisdiction, upon
prosecutions regularly before them. AS,
if man commit murder, or piracy, OF
treason, he may be charged with the Of
fence, arrested, indicted, tried, convicted,
and sentenced, then by due process of law
he is to be executed and deprived of life.
If he commits robbery or larceny, be may
in the same manner be indicted, tried, con-
victed, and sentenced to imprisonment, and
thus by due process of law he may be de-
prived of liberty; and for minor offences
he may be fined and deprived of property.
But, sir, in no other way, outside of the
several States of this Union, can and indi-
vidual, however humble, be constitutional.
ly deprived of life, liberty, or property
Nor can such individual be deprived of eli.
ther of those rights, except by violation Of
the Constitution, and a violation of the
natural rights of mankind, which our Con
stitution was intended to secure. Ea .to
Ny heart swells with emotions of graft
tude to God, and respect for the memories
of those who founded our Government and
framed our Constitution, when l reflect
that these rights to life, liberty, and pro
perty, are thus secured by the laws of Got
and the supreme law of our Government
I to all men; to the humble and tho exalt
ed, the poor and the rich, the ilEterate ant
the learned; the man of dark complexion
of light complexion, and of mixed complex
ion; that all who bear the image of God
whose countenances are lighted with i'm
mortality, are thus secured in the enjoy
ment of their natural and inalienabl
rights.
It is true the Constitution does not Civ
us the power to enter within the State ju
risdictions, and legislate for the freedom 9
slaves held under State laws; nor does tn
/ Constitution provide even that free black
shall be allowed to vote or hold office; bu
it does provide that outside of the Stat
jurisdictions, wherever our Federal law
and Federal. power extend, their hues, thel
liberties, and their property, shall be 81
cured: That no tyrant hand shall enslav'
rob. scourge, and brutalize Gods image
That the right of selfdefence, that mrs
principle in Natures law, shall not be take
from any human being: That no plrat
hand shall be permitted to take the life
him who resists unlawful assaults upon n
person.
Sir, during this debate many and WI
I.a., ,,nada 1,non the r.