Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-09-17
coRwIN AND CHASE ON THE STUMP.

CoRwIN ANNOUNCES HIMSELF A REPUBLICAN
At Republican Mass Meeting held in Co
lumbus. Ohio, on the 3lst of August Tom
Corwin concluded long speech with the fol-
lowing summing up of his positions on the
political issues now pending. lie had becn
driven, he said, into the Republican ranks as
a matter Of conscience. He believed in every
article Of their crccd His doctrines had al
ways eorrosponded with theirs. They wero
the doctrines Of Clay. a stakeholder He had
heard him make the declaration, 81 will never
vote, and no earthly power shall ever make
me vote, to carry slavery into territory where
it does not now exist"
He had heard Judge Thurman make a
speech for the proviso against slavery in the
Oregon bill in ls48 William Allen spoke
in favor of the same proviso. Polk signed
the bill containing it. This was good tehig
doctrine then,
"By the way" said Mr.. Corwin, turning
to Gov Chase, who sat behind him on the
platform George Pugh says | sold out the
Whig party to Gov. Chase | have not re-
ccved the consideration yet. Please fork
over
Gov. Chase, laughing heartily, gave his
hand to Corwin, and the crowd cheered.
Mr.. c. proceeded. He had opposed the
war with Mexico. on the ground that its OBJ
ioct was the acquisition Of slave territory
lie knew the South would claim the right to
take slaves to territory acquired from Mexico.
He was in faver of inserting the Wimot pro-
viso in the treaty itself, The first contro-
versy happened in secret session on this point
He believed in the full power of Congress
over the territories. Didn't believe in squat
ter sovereignty Nobody ever doubted the
power of Congress over the territories, till
somebody wanted to be President in '48--and
so this ambitious and considerate old gentle
man wrote the Nicholson letter He thought
he had got up plan by which he could ride
North and South too
For his own part, as matter of private be-
lief and not part of his confession of faith
as a Republican, he thought when State was
ready to come in, and had power from Con-
gress 20 make constitution, they might or
dain that slavery might or might not exist,
and Congress was bound to grant them this
power But this was no part of the Repub-
| lcan platform, and he did not think the ques-
ton would ever arise. No territory would
ever apply for admission with constitution
authorizing or establishing slavery.
He spoke Of the threats of dissolution of
the Union. They were all bosh lie had
seen the Union dissolved three times in one
session of Congress. There were few mad
cap men at the South who would be willing,
if they had the power. to dissolve tho Union.
But were there no ropes for such traitors p
Let il be understood that the man who wants
to dissolve the Union wants rope around his
neck, and we will have no more of this. He
would be in favor Of appropriating public
money sufficient to buy rope for every such
man-that he might wear it around his neck
while he lived, and take it with him whom he
died.
A peaceful dissolution Of the Union was
impossible. In the end, one portion must
prevail, and the other will be hold as colonv