The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-07-17


form and regulate their own domestic insti-
tutions in their own way, and that that
right being possessed by the people Of the
States, saw no reason why the same pr.n-
cip!e should not be extended to all Of the
territories Of the United States. A general
election was held in this State few months
afterwards, for members Ofthe Legislature,
pending which, all these questions were
thoroughly canvasscd and discussed, and the
nominees OF the different parties instructed
in regard to the wishes Of their constituents
upon them: When that election was over,
and the Legislature assembled, they prOcee.
ded to consider the merits Of those cempro-
mise measures and the principles upon which
they were predicated. And what was the
result Of thOir action They passed reso-
lutions, first repeating the Willnot proviso
instructions, and in lieu thereof adopted auo-
ther resolution, in viii IN they declared the
| great principle which asserts the right Of
the people to make their own form of gov
ernment and establish their own institutions.
The resolution is as follows:
Resolotd, That our liberty and independ-
ence are based upon the right Of the peo-
! pie TO form for themselves such a govern
ment as they may choose that this great
| principle. the birthright Of freemcn, the gift
Of Heaven, secured to US bv the blood of our
ancestors, ought to be extended to the fu-
ture g-nerationr, and no limitation ought
| to be applied to this power ia the organi-
zaton Of any territory Of the United States
of either a territorial Government or State
| Constitution, provided the Government SO
established shall be republican and IN con-
formity with the Constitution Of the United
States.
That resolution. declaring the great prin-
cipe OF seli-government as applicable to the
Territories and new States, passed the
House OF Representatives OF this S.ete by
vote OF sixty one in the affirmative to only
/ four in the negative. Thus you find that
an expression OF public opinion, enlightened
educated. intelli,en public opiaion on this
question by the representatives Of linois, IN
loJl, approaches nearer to Unaninity than
has ever been obtained on any controverted
question. That resolution WAS entered on
the journal Of the Legislature Of illinois, and
it has remained there from that day to this
a standing instruction. TO her Senators aud
a request to her Representatives in Congress
10 carry out that principle in all future cas-
es. Illinois therefore stands pre- eminent as
tie Sta be which stepped forward early aad
establd he'd platform applicable to this sla-
very Question, concurred in alike by Wings
d "
be the wish OF our people that thereafter
the people o! the teri tories should be left
perfectly free 10 form and regulate their do
me.tic Institutions in their Own way, aud
| that no limitation should be placed upon
that sht i'll any form. Tremendous ap-
plause. Hence, what Was my duty, IN s.
81, when II became Necessary to br.ng for
ward bill for the organization of the Terri
torics Of kanoas and Netra,ka. Was it
not my duty, IN obedience 10 the illinois
/ plalior m, to your standing instructions to
I your SenG,ors, adopted with almost entire
! enani.niiy, ~ incorporate IN thAt bill the
/ great principle Of self government, declaring
that it Was " the true intent and meaning
Of the act not to l-gIs.ate slavery into any
/ State or TerTtoryi or TO exclude it there
from, but to leave the people thereof per-
! fectly free to form aud regulate their DANES
tic INSTITUTIONS in their own way, subject
only to the Constitution of The United
States!" (CrIes Of yes" yes" and
cbeers.) l dad not incorporate that princi-
pie In the Kansas Nebraska bill, and perhaps
| did rs much As any living man IN tns en-
actment OF that biii, (great appsuse) thus
establish bling the doctrine 10 the public poll
cy OF the country. (Cries Of good" and
relieved appiause.) then defended that
principle agains, assaults from one section
of tue Union. During this last winter 1t
, became my duty 10 vindicate it agains, as
sau,,s from the other section of the Union
(ChecrsD vindicated il boldly and fear
lrssy, as the people OF Chicago can bear
witness, when II was assaiied by Frcesoers,
eyes, yes" and ctieers.) ana during this
winter vindlcated and defended it as bold
ly and ne fear!essly when 1t Was attempted
to be violated by the almost united 5 nth.
Immense appiause) l pledged myself to
you on every stump il Illinois in 1874, |
pledged myself TO the people OF other Stat S
North and South-wherever | spoke-and
in the United States Senate and elsewhere,
in every form in which | could reach the
public mind or the public ear, | gave the
pledge that |. SO far as the power should be
in my hands, would vind:cate the principle
Of the right Of the people to form their own
institutions, to establish free States or Slave
States As they chose, and that that princi-
pie should never be violated either by fraud,
BY Aioiancs. by circumventon, or by any
o, her means, If II was IN my power to pre-
vent it. (Applause) | now submit to you,
my fellow citlzans, whether l have not
deemed that pledge in good faith. (CIies
Of" yes, yes, and three tremendous cheers
Yes, my friends, have redeemed it in good
faith, and it is matter Of heartfelt g,aiitii-
cation TO me 10 see these assembled thous-
ands here tonight bearing their testimony
to the fidelity with which have advocated
that principle and redeemed my pledges in
connection with il. (Cheers)
l VIII be entirely frank with you. My
object was to secure the right Of the people
O, each STATE and of each Territory. North
or South, TO decide the question for them
selves, to have slavery or not, just as they
chose and my opposition to the Lecompton
Constitution was not predicated upon the
ground that it was prO-slavery Constitu-
on, (cheers) nor would my action have
been different had it been free soil consii
tuition. My speech against the Lecompton
fraud was made On the 9th Of December,
while the vote on the slavery clause Of that
constitution was not taken until the 2lst Of
the same month, nearly two weeks after. l
made my speech against the Lecompton
monstrosity solely on the ground that 1t was
q violation Of the fundamental principles of
| free government; on the ground that it was
not the act and deed of the people of Kan
sas; that it did not .in5ody their will; that
they were averse to it; and hence denied
| the right Of Congress to force it upon them.
ethor as free State or slave State. BRA
| yo) deny the right Of Congress to force
slave holding State upon an unwilling
people. (Cheers.) l deny their right to
force free State upon an unwilling people.
fCheers.) deny their right to force good
thing upon q people who are unwilling to
receive it. (Cries of "good, good" and
cheers) The great principle is the rigat Of
every community to judge and decide for
itself, whether thing is right or wrong,
whether it would be good or evil for them to
adopt it; and the right Of FREQ action, the
right Of free thought. the right Of Tree judg.
ment upon the question is dearer to every
true Amer can than any other under free
government. Ny objection to the Lecomp-
ton contrivance was that it undertook to