The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-10-09

% years Oi tne. 1 nave TcdCucu tudt
time of life when l cannot have any am
bition for re- e-election, and if have, the
only way to secure it is to be strong with
my own people at home. 1 watched this
struggle from my retirement in London.
l have seen what l conceive to be the
mistakes of Others. / am not responsible
for the Administration of President Pierce,
therefore, Twill inaugurate a new sys-
tenn l will show to those gentlemen
that Pennsylvania President will stand
firm to the pledges Of Pennsylvania
gentlemen, and a Pennsylvania Demo
crat." Now, fellow citizens, in that
letter of acceptance, if you will refer to
tit is not necessary for me to produce
it here-you will find that he stated dis
tinctly that the people of the Territory
of Kansas should be protected in the sa-
cred right of suffrage, unawed by any
influence whatever, and that the will
of the majority should prevail.
We went into the canvass. 1t fell to
my lot to be at the head of the State
Democratic Committee of Pennsylvania.
All my affections we're in that State all
the emotions of my nature, physical and
mental, were enlisted on the side of
the candidate she had presented. His
whole career, his character, my personal
attachment, and the sincere devotion
felt for him and his family, his cause, and
all about him. made me so anxious for
him to succeed, that indulge in no vain
expression of speech when l say to you
that l would have forfeited my life for
him. My devotion for him knew no
bounds. Day and night, night and day,
l toiled in that campaign. And there are
those here to-day from my own State,
who will bear witness to the fact, when l
say that all my own resources, all my
fortunes, my every exertion, every aid
that could be enlisted, was enlisted to
produce the final result. And above all
Others in that campaign, was the great
principle of popular sovereignty. Zap
plause. That was the standard which
marshaled the way. That was the shib-
bolsth-that was the war cry. From
Lake Erie to the Delaware River-from
Pittsburgh to Philadelphia-in every vii
lage and town in the State everywhere
that could induce pen to write, or a
tongue to speak, that was the theme upon
which those pens wrote and those tongues
spoke. Why, gentlemen. Mr.. Buchanan
had no confidence or reserve ON this sub
ject. He was public, he was open, he
was unreserved in hi5 declarations to
everybody. He sent to the traduced
John Hickman, in an adjoining county.
He told him, through his friends and
agents "You, Mr.. Hickman, occupy a
peculiar relation you voted for the To-
peka Constitution you denounced the
Kansas Nebraska Bill; you were op-
posed to the repeal of the Missouri Com
promise line; the Democratic party of
your district have nominated you the
Republicans like you; they believe in
you. Now, want you to take the stump
and go before your people, and pledge me,
James Buchanan, that intend standing
by, and if necessary, dying by this prin-
ciple of Popular Sovereignty" For my
self, if could descend to the baseness OF
re-publishing private letters, might fill
volume with similar pledges from simi-
lar authority. Why, gentlemen, when
the distinguished Secretary, Mr.. Cobb,
who, from having been superfne Union
man, has been converted into fire-eater,
equal to Mr.. Chaubert himself-when
Mr.. Cobb came into Pennsylvania, and
travelled our State from end to end, and
from county to county, talking to delight
ed audiences all the time, what was the
burden of his theme Why-Popular
Sovereignty. would take the Army
and the Navy, l would use every power
of the Federal Government, would sur
round the Territory, but what the people
of Kansas should vote, and by their vote
the destinies of the future State should be
decided. Whenever Southern orator
came into Pennsylvania and called upon
me, said to him : Now, sir, l have but
one thing to say to you we have but a
single thing before the people; every day
is making the campaign more and more
doubtful every day is making the feel
ing more and more intense. Mr.. Buchan-
an himself feels that everything depends
upon the prudence, the sagacity, and the
spirit of Cancellation by which this cam
paign is conducted, and for Gods sake
take care what you say about Kansas
leave your violent Southern feelings a,
home you must not come to threaten
you, Governor Johnston, and you Mr.
Scott of Richmond, and you, Mr.. Extra
Billy Smith, and you, Mr.. Secretary
Floyd, all Of you, must remember that il
/ you lose this battle here, you lose it alto
gether it will be your loss, and therefore
youmust allow US to manage it our OWL
way. Aud they did accede to that poll
cy, without any protest, and gladly
There was no deception in that fight, al
least so far as ! was concerned. 1 sowed
the State with private letters and private
pledges upon this question. There il
not a county in Pennsylvania in which
my letters may not be found, almost By
hundreds, pledging Mr.. Buchanan, in hii
name, and by his authority, to the full
complete and practical recognition of the
rights of the people of Kansas to decide
upon their own affairs. [Applause.]
Mr.. Buchanan had before him future
which Washington, if he had been living
might have envied-a future which, if ht
had walked resolutely in the path he had
marked eut-the path illuminated by hi;
resolutions and pledges--would have al.
lowed him to 60 down 70 the grave with
the acclamatioh of the people. Posterity
would have pointed to his administration
as model and example to all generations
Pennsylvania would have had no cause tC
have been ashamed of her once favoritt
son. No, my fellow coantrymen; but hs
did not stop here. As il for the purpose
of accumulating pledges upon pledges, a.
if for the purpose of pilins up pyramid
of promises upon this question, what did
he do next? He looked around to Sc.
whom he should get to go to Kansas fol
the purpose of settling the vexed ques'
ton which had rendered Kansas, what i,
has been graphically termed, "the grave
yard of Governors" He sought no infs.
rior man; he would not be tempted u
take an ordinary man. He selected &
gentleman, statesman, who had beer
presented by large portion of the lead.
ing and prominent men of the South fol