The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1858-07-27

10 certain sense. made the standard bears,
! % merely because there he'd to be some one
% placed being, in no wise, preferable 70
anyone Of the twsnty-Hfty-psrhaps hun.
dred, We have in the Rspubiioan fsnks.--
Then say wish il 70 be distinctly under.
stood and borne in mind, that Ne have "a
fight this battle without mnny--perhaps
without any-of the external aids which are
brought to bear against Us. So hope that
those with whom am surrounded have prin-
clple enough.to nerve themselves for the task
and leave nothing undone, that can be fairly
done, to bring about the right result.
After Senator Douglas left Washington,
as his movements were made known by the
public prints he tarried y considerable time
in the city Of New York. and il was heralded
that, like another Napoleon, he was laying
by, and framing the plan OF his campaign.
1t was teegraphed to Washington City, and
published in the Union, that he was framing
this plan for the purpose of going to Illinois
to pounce upon and annihilate the treason.
able and disunion speech which Mr.. Lincoln
had made here ON the 10th Of June. Now,
do suppose that the Judge really spent
some time in New York in maturing the plan
Of the campaign, as his friends heralded for
him. have been able, by noting his move
ments since his arrival in Illinois, to dscoy-
er evidences con6rmatory Of that allegation
think have been able to see what are the
material points Of that plan. will, for n
little while, ask your attention to some OF
them. What shall point out, though not
showing the whole plan, are, nevertheless,
the main points, as | suppose.
They are not very not very numerous. Tho
irss 10 popular sovereignty. The second and
third are attacks upon my speech made on
the 10th Of June. Out Of these three points
drawing within the range Of our popular
sovereignty the question Of the Lecompton
Constitution-he makes his principal assault.
Upon these his successive speeches are sub.
stantialy one and the same. On this matter
of popular sovereignty | wish to be little
careful. Auxiliary TO these main points, to
besure, are their thunderngs Of cannon, their
marching and music, their fz1lings and fre.
works; but will not waste time with them.
They are but the little trappings of the Dam
paign.
Coming to the substance--th first point
popular sovereignty" u is to be la bel
led upon. the cars in which he travels put
upon the hacks ha rides in; to be Haunted
upon the arches he passes under, and the
banners which wave over him. 1t is to be
dished up in ms many varieties as French
cook can produce soups from potatoes. Now,
as this is so great staple of the plan Of the
campaign, it is worth while to examine i,
carefully; and If we examine only very lit
tie, and not allow ourselves to be misIcd, we
shall be able to see that the whole thing is
ha t.,n 49, .,; nt,s that
acted before II community. What is this
matter of popular sovereignty The first
thing, in order to understand it, 10 to get a
good definition Of what it is, and after that
70 see how it is applied.
suppose almost every one knows, that in
this controversy, whatever has been said, has
had reference to the question of negro slave
ry. We have not been ia q controversy
about the right OF the people to govern them
selves in the ordinary matters Of domestic
concern in the States and Territories. MIR.
Buchanan, in one OF his late messages, I
think when he sent up the Lecompton Con-
stitution, urged that the main points to which
the public attention had been directed, was
not in regard to the great variety Of small
domestic matters, but was directed to the
question of negro slavery; and be asserted
that il the people had had fair chance to
vote on that question, there was no reason
able ground of objection in regard to minor
questions. Now, while think that the PEG.
PIE had not had given, or offered them, a fair
chance upon that slavery question; still, if
there had been fair submission to vote
upon that main question, the Presidents
proposition would have been true to the ut
termost. Hence, when hereafter, / speak of
popular sovereignty, wish to be understood
US applying what say to the question Of
slavery only, and not to other minor domes-
TIC matters of n territory or a State.
Does Judge Douglas, when he says that
several OF the past years Of his life have been
devoted to the question Of s'popular sover-
eignty," and that oil the remainder Of his life
shall be devoted to il, does he mean to saw
that ne has been deyoting his life to secu.
ring to the people of the territories the right
to exclude slavery from the territories II
he means to say, he means to deceive; because
he, and every one, knows that the decision Of
the Supreme Court, which he approves and
makes special ground Of attack upon me for
disappearing, forbids tho people Of terri.
tory to exclude slavery. This covers the
whole ground, from the settlement OF ter
ritory till it reaches the degree Of maturity
emitting it to form a State Consultation. So
Tar a. all that ground is concerned, the Judge
IS not sustaining popular sovereignty, but
absolutely opposing it. He sustains the de-
clsion which declares that the popular will OF
the territories has no constitutional power TO
exclude slavery during their territorial ex.
istence. (Cheers.) This being so, the peri
cd Of time from the first settlem ent Of y ter
ritory, till it reaches the point Of forming
State Constitution, is not the thing that the
Judge has fought for or is fighting for. but
on the contrary, he has fought for, and is
fighting for the thing that annihilates and
crushss oos that very Same popular sover-
eighty.
Well, so much being disposed Of, what ia
ieft9 Why, he is contending for the right Of
the people, when they come to make State
Constitution, to make it for themselves, and
precisely MS best suits themselves. saw
again that Is Quixotic. defy contradiction
when declare that the Judge can find no one
70 oppose him on that proposition. repeat.
there is no body opposing that proposition on
principle. Let me not DO misunderstood.
know that, with reference to the Lscompton
Constitution, | may be misunderstood; but
when you understand me correctly nv promo.
sition will be true and accurate. No BODY 10
opposing or has opposed the right OF the
people, when they form . constitution. to
form It for themselves. Mr.. Buchanan and
his friends have not done il they, too. q
well M thu Rnrnhi..nr. "a