Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-12-16

many are they They tell you there is a
majority, for they say the Constitution win
be voted down instantly, By an ovsrwhelm-
ing majority, if you allow a negative vote.
Inls shows that a majority are against il.
Ihey disqualify and disfranohise every man
VINO IS against it, thus referring the slavery
clause to minority of the people of Kan.
zas' and leaving that minority free to vote
ior or against the Slavery clause, as thew
choose. NY
Let me ask you if that is fair mode sf
submitting the slavery clauses Does that
mode OF submitting that particular clause
leave the people perfectly free to vote for or
against slavery as they choose: Am | free to
vote as choose on the slavery question, if
you tell me | shall not vote on it until vote
Tor the Maine liquor law? Am free to vote
Oh me slavery question, if you tell me that [
shaLi not vote either way until L vote for a
oank Is 1t freedom of election to make your
Ilsht 70 vote upon one question depend upon
the mode IN which You are going 10 vote on
some other question which has no connection
with 1t! Is that freedom of elections Is
that the great fundamental principle Of self
government, for which we combined and
struggled, in this body and throughout the
country, to establish as the rule of action in
all time to comes 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 connection.
He says:
The friends and supporters OF the Nebraska and Kan
zss Act when struggling recent occasion to sustain
its wise provisions before the great tribunal n the Amer
lean people, never differed about true meaning on this
subject Everywhere throughout the Union they ubic.
y pledged their faith and honor that they would chrer
fully submit the question Of Ssvesy to Che decision Of
he tn1u 10 Ma E
or qualification whatever All were cordially unte up
OF the great doctrine Of popular sovereignty which q tee
vital principal OF our free destinations"
Mark this:
''Iiad t then ten insiuuated, from any quarter that
nwoud taVe been diifcult compliance with the Tequi-
stpns oil the organic law for toe members OF Convene
on thereafter 10 be elected withhold the question of
slavery from the people and substtate their will
for that Of legally tanned majority of their constit
ents, this would have been rejected"
Yes, sir, and will add, further, had it
been then intimated from any quarter, and
oeheVed oy the American people, that we
would have submitted the slavery clause in
such manner as to compel man to vote for
that which his conscience did not approve. in
order to vote on the slavery clause. not only
would the idea have been rejected, but the
Democratic candidate for the Presidency
would have been rejected and every man who
backed him would have been rejected too
The President tells us in his message that
the whole party pledged our faith and our
honor that the slavery question should be
submitted to the people, without any restric-
ton, or qualification whatever. Does this
schedule submit it without qualification 1t
qualities it by saying, You may vote on
slavery II you will vote for the constitution
but you shall not do so without doing that"
That is very important qualifications
qualification that controls a mans vote and
his action and his conscience, if he is an hon
est mana qualification confessedly in viola
ton of our platform. We are told by the
President that our faith and our honor are
pledged that the slavery clause should be sub
mitted without qualification of any kind
whatever and now am l to be called upon
to forfeit my faith and my honor in order to
enable small minority OF the people Of Kan.
zas to defraud the majority of that people out
Of their elective franchise