Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-12-09
Lacompton Democracy.

Hughes, the defeated caniitlate for Congress
in the third District. spoke. His speech
was carefully written out, anil from it we
make few extracts, in order TO show our
honest Democratic friends, wiso- in 1856
contended so zcalously for the right of the
people of aTerritory to settle their own do
mestic institutions in their own way. the
change that has taken place among their
leaders on that question. They now adj
nit that the people of Territory have
no power over the subject OF slavery, and
! that the Constitution of the United States
carries slavery into and protects it in all tho
Territories Of the Union. Judge Hughes,
it will be seen, proclaims in effect, full
submiss on to the new doctrine of a slave
code for tho Territories, and admits that
the Drcd Scott decision has crushed out
"Squatter Sovereignty" and established
the Southern view of the rights Of Slavery.
] VIII you go with the partyin this advance
stcd to make Slavery universal? The next
demand the leaders will make on you will
be the re-opening of the African Slave
Trade and the acquisition of Cuba. But
read the following extract from the speech
referred to: w 80 ga '.asei "a.
l had the honor to draft the Slate Plat
form Of 1856. On the slavery question,
the leading issue Of the State and National
elections, at the time, il was broad and un-
equivocal 1t inlorsed 'thc Compromise
measures Of 1850 and their practical appli-
cation as embodied in the Nebraska BILL"
Upon the construction Of that famous bill
some difference of opinion existed.
Some contenled for "State equality" a
construction now established by the Dred
Scott dccision-othcrs for squatter sovcr-
eighty. The former was more acceptable
to the South, the latter to tie North Our
platform left that question to judicial de-
cision, by which, it is needless to say. the
Democratic party always abiles. The
preference Of onr people doubtless was for
sqnat.cr sovereignty. We believed it the
more expedient and equitable mode of set
Ting the question OF slavery in the Terri
tories. We would most Of us have been
gratiticd had the Supreme Coart of the
United States recognized the legality OF
squattcr sovereignty, yet even here in In
diana there were those who denied. and ia
vored State equality. The Dred Scott de-
cision has settled that question. That de-
cisi3n has been sanctioned and accepted by
the Democratic party everywhere. 1t is
not in conflict with the Cincinnati Plat
form. 1t will doubtless be approved by
the Charleston Convention Let me re-
mind you Of ffc rcsofnti51 adopted by our
State Convention of the Sth of January
last, resolution which no one opposed
not even those shining lights that are now
subsiding into Republicanism. "as kindred
drops are mingled into one 1t is the u
nanimous voice Of the Democracy Of Indi.
ana. expressed in plain and vigorous Ian
guage: iii'a
Z. Reso'red. That in the late decision o
the Supreme Court OF the United States,
known us the Drcd Scott decision, we re-
coSnize alcgalexposition Of the doctrines
of the Constitution of the United States
and OF the State of Indiana, ana we hereby
,lenounce and hol,l mp to he universal cx.
ccration and scorn-of all loyal American
citizens the loathsomc doctrine of 'negro
equality" now sustained and endorsed by
the so-c,llcd Republican party of Indiana,
as atural and inevitable consequence oi
their opposition to the decision of the Su-
premc Court above named hii'ta
This Dred Scott decision disposcs 6f the
question Of slavery in the Territories for
ever, if faithfully adhered to, and is Ma
tional platform founded in Justice. upon
which the Democratic party of the whole
Union can stand with an mbrol en- front.
As to the admission Of Slave States into
the Union. the Republicans profess now to
b, divided among themselves We arc u
lnitet, we aslhcrc to our doctrine, that they
may come in. when, in the lang ,agc Of the
Cincinnati Platform, s'they have suffi lent
population" with or without slavery, as
their respective constitutions may prescribe
The Kansas question. temporary issue,
is settled by the English bill, in conformity
will, the principle as to population laid
down in the Cincinnati Platform, and, let
me add, in the Fillmore Platform too.
Ii is well known to you that voted for
that bill. 1t is scarcely necessary to say
that approved il. l defended 1t. popnla-
;tion clause and all, in my late canvass, and
Il intend to stand by it. e l'fft9sss sif
! l haveseen it charged in Southern news
papers, and in the specchers of some South
Tern men who ought to have known better,
that the Northern Democratic Representa-
Etivcs had deserted the English bill. 1t
may be true as to some; 4 is not true as
to all. Il is nos oriously untrue as to my
self IL is just as far from being true as
the letters OF certain distinguished South
ern Democrats upon Illinois politics, re-
Gently published, are far from being either
wise or well timed. i am very free to de-
clare my opinion that those letters were in
very bad taste. Now. what ground shall
we, as a party in Indiana, occupy on the
slavery question In future? Shall we go
forward or go back? We will soon be
called on to unfnrl our flag for the great
battle Of 1860. / say let us stand BY the
DreI Scott slecision--lct us stand by the
English bill. 1esAs.s- z ssE l,sts
II haze witnessed. with regret. iniica-
tions Of purpose TO keep enough Of the