The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-09-25
VOL. XlX---NO. 5.

} to adopt that ~ her policy as We had to ad
opt the contrary for our policy New.Yorh
has decided that in that state negro NAV
vote if he has $3.50 worth of property, ana
if he own that much he may vote on an
equality with the white man. ], for one
am utterly opposed to negro suffrage any.
where and under any circumstances; yet
inssmuch as the Supreme Court has decided
in the celebrated Dred Scott case that q
state has right to confer the privilege ol
voting upon free negroes, am not going to
make war upon New.York because she has
adopted policy repugnant to my feelings.
| Chats good.) But Nsw-York must mind
her own business, and keep her negro suf.
/ frage to herself and not attempt TO force it
upon US. (Great applause)
l the state of Maine they have decided
/ that a negre may vote and hold office on an
| equality with . white man. had occasion
to say TO the senators from Maine in . dis.
cussioa last session. that if they thought
| the white people within the limits Of their
state were no better than negroes, would
not quarrel with them for it. but they must
| not say that Dy white constituents of Hi.
nois were no better than negroes, or We
would be sure TO quarrel.
The Dred Scott decision covers the whole
the right to settle this question of suffrage
for itself, and all question as to the relations
between the negro and the white man
/ now come back to the question, why
cannot5ihis Union exist forever divided into
free and slave States as our fathers made Il!
1t can thus exist il each State will carry
out the principles upon which our insttu-
tions were founded, to wit the right Of
each state to do as it p!eases. without med
ding with its neighbors. Just act upon
that great principle, and this Union will not
only live forever, but it will extend and cx-
pand until il covers the whole continent,
and make this confederacy one grand ocean
bound republic. We must bear in mind that
we are yet ayoung nation growing with .
rapidity unequalled in the history Of the
world, that our national increase is great,
and that the emigration from tho old world
is Increasing, requiring US to expand and
acquire new territory from time to time in
order to give our people land to live upon.
Ii we live upon the principle Of State rights
and State sovereignty, each State regulat-
ing its own affairs and minding its own bu-
siness we can 60 On and extend indefinite.
~, just as fast and as far as We need the ter
ritory. The time may come, indeed has
now come, when our interests would be ad-
vanced by the acquisition Of the island Of
Cuba. fTsrrifie arplause.) When we get
Cuba We wust take it rs We find it, leaving
the people to decide the question of slavery
for themselves, without Interference on the
part Of the federal government, or Of any
State Of this Union. So, when it becomes
necessary to acquire any portion Of Mexico
or Canada, or of this continent or the ad.
joining islands, We must take them as We
find them, leaving the people free to do ~
they please, to have slavery or not, as they
choose; never have inquired and never
will inquire whether new State applying
for admission has slavery or not for and Of
her institutions. If the constitution that il
presented be the act and deed Of the people
and embodies their will. and they have the
requisite population, will admit them with
slavery or w,thpaRt tg1SSd. &C fhaHsqH!sshaa
cheers.) NY objection to the LecOmpton
constitution did not consist in the fac. that
il made Kansas . slave State. ! would
have been as much opposed to its admission
under such constitution IS free State a.
WAS opposed to It's admission under it asa
slave State. hold that that Was question
which that people had right to decide for
themselves, and that no power On earth
ought to have interfeIed with that decision.
In my opinion, the Lecompton Constitution
was not the act and deed Of the people OF
Kansas, and did not embody their will, an.
the recent election in that Territory, at
which it vas voted down by nearly ten to
one, shows conclusively that was right in
saying when the constitution was presented
that it was not the act and deed Of the peo.
pie, and did not smbody their will.
II wo wish to preserve our Institutions in
their purity, and transmit them unimpsired
to our latest pssterity, we must preserve
with religious good faith that great princi.
pie of seif-government which guarantees to
each and every State, old and new. the right
to make Just such constitutions as they de-
sire, and come into the Union with their
own constitution and not one palmed upon
them (Cheers) Whenever you sanction
the doctrine that Congress may crowd
constitution down the throats Of an unwil-
ling people against their consent, ,Ayou will
subvert the great fundamental principle up
on which all our free institutions rest. In
the future have no fear that the attempt
will ever be made. President Buchanan de-
clared in his annual message, that hereafter
the rule adopted in the Minnesota case, re-
quring . constitution to be submitted TO
the people, should be followed IN all future
cases, and if he stands by that recommen-
dation there will be no division in the DEM
ocratic party on that principle in the future.
Hence, the great mission Of the Democracy
is to unite the fraternal feeling Of the whole
country. restore peace and quiet by teach
ing each State to mind its own bushes, and
regulate its own domestic affairs, and all to
unite carrying out the constitution a. our
fathers made it. and th1s to preserve the
Union and render it perpetual in all time to
come Why should We not act as our faith
ers who made the government? There was
no sectional strife in Washington's army
They were all brethren Of common con-
federacy, they fought under . common flag
that they might bestow upon their posteri-
ty a common destiny, and to this end they
poured out thoir blood in common streams
and shared in some instances . common
grave. Crhree hearty cheers for Dougias.)