Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1858-09-25
Enthusiastic Mass Meeting nj Ss' An
thOny.

Col. CYRus ALDRioH presided.
Judge GoopRIcH opened the speaking, by
brief speech mainly in reference to the con
test in Illinois, where he had recently hearC
LINCOLN and DOUGLAS on the stump.
Major VAN VOORHEES, of Saltwater, then
gave pertinent address upon the encroacn'
ments of slavery as altering and changing 'ue
old fundamental basis of our Government
the idea Of the liberty and equal rights oil hu'
man nature. Having just returned IRON ONO
he gave cheering sketch of the canvass IN
that State.
Ex.Goy. RAMSEY being then introduced,
was received with cheers, and spoke at some
length upon the advantages of free white la
Dor in contributing to the growth Of State:
the happiness aud intelligence of the people:
in preference to black slave labor. He de-
Tended Northern laborers from the sneers and
depreciatory remarks of Senator HAMMOND OF
s. c., and other Democratic pabobs OF the
South, whose iavorite policy is to degrade the
Northern mechanic, operative and laborer to
a lower position than the human chattels they
own, in order to justify slavery as more de-
sirable and happy condition for the laborer
than the present freedom of the poorer classes
OF the North.
He denounced the declarations of leading
Southern Democrats that Mechanics and La
borers and the Laborng Farmers of the North
were but the " aasa-siNs Of society,"" as insult
ing to the whole North. where industry is
honorable and not degrading, aud where IA
bor was not Only foundation but n.so pillar
and wall Of the social fabric.
He deplored the spirit in the Democratic
party in the North, which for ihe sake OF
pleasing the South, surrendered up every
principle OF Democracy--which sustained the
invasion anu dra soonine Of the people OF Kan
sas, in order to compei them to receive sav-
cry as one of their institutlons-which sus-
tanned the Dred Scott decision, by which the
people of the Territories were denied any
-L.J seq he question Of Slavery.
and By which the Constitution of the United
States was asserted TO be a Slave Document,
and tina, under its provisions slavery was at
really established in the Territory aud would
be alaintsiued there by it even after that
Territory should have become State
So far from the Democratic party, either
Buchanan or Douglas wings, being in favor
ofPopular or Squat ter Sovereignty, they were
both opposed to it.
When they sustained the political decision
of a Southern Supreme Court in the bred
Scott case rs iualty, as Supreme law, they
declared that the people Of a Territory were
power!ess 10 prevent the cad of the curse
amongst them!
Under that decision, indeed, the Democracy
declared the People themselves S5auss to the
Siaveocracy OF the Union
He referred TO the mission Of The Repubi-
can party Is conservative and not destructive.
Those who attempted to coDfound it with the
Garrison Abolition party, falaifed the rec
ord, convicted themselves of disingenuous-
ness and did great injustice to the Republi
can party.
That those Abo!itionists were sincere men
honest men - who believed they were
right--he did not doubt; but they were ul-
ira and impracticable; and the Republican
party was emiuently practical party, which
sought to achieve practical results, under and
strictly in accordance with the Constitution
OF the United States
That Constitution they maintained was
Constitution Of Frsedom.
Il tolerated slavery, indirectly, in portion
Of the old thirteen States Of the original con-
federacy, aud the first violation of its spirit
and intent occurred when the first new Slave
State was added to this Union.
The past, IN this respect. c3uld not be
changed but We could rotarn to the original
purpose of the Constitution, and prevent the
cr.easi0a CT recognition of slavery in one foot
more of the free lands Of the Union, all Of
which under that Constitution were solemnly
dedicated by it to the principles of the De-
would De needed BY tie %hte n rasas % w SllG
out and work out the highest freedom, intel
hgenoe and happiness of the race.
tie SAID it would be disgraceful for the peo-
pie OF this high Northern State to lail to rec
ogn'ze their proper position ia reference to
their sister States Of the North, which were
nearly unanimously ranging themselves on the
Republican side, as that of Freedom and as
that Identified with Northern Progress and
Northern Growth
" ouid the People of Minnesota, by sus-
tanning the Democratic party aud it's Slave
Leaders, range themselves with such States rs
tlonda or Arkansas or South Carolina or
Mississlppi--instead of with Iowa and Wiscon-
sin--with all Of New England, where Lexing-
Ton and Concord and Bunker Hill remained
oeacon-hghts OF liberty great New
forh, vigorous Ohio, sturdy Michigan and,
i'e lid not doubt, also go-ahead Illinois?
Our place is beside ami soIh the North;
Orr interests are with the development of tie
North and West; SLAVERY ever opposes
those interests and that development---De De-
@'ocrecy SIDES with sidrery--and the course
OIL tue feop'e OF Minnesota, if they were true
10 the Tree principles Of the u. S. Constitu-
ton aud to themselves pecumarily, was to
side against that Slave Democracy which
would sacrifice Freedom and the North to
maintain its corrupt leaders in powecl
The Natural and seezaly position of Hione-
sofa was by the side Of the North and the
Republican, Partg--the party of human free
dom, material progress, AID pure and honest
and economical administration of the affairs
oil both State and National Governments.
Governor RAMSEY, speech was listened to
with great attention and was frequently APP
piauded,