Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-01-07
WHOLE NO 10ll.

! peo, ie perfectly free to form and reg
late IEeir institutions for themselves
their own way, and your party will b
united and Irresistible in power. Abar
don that great principle, and the part
is not worth saving, and cangot be sa
we'd. a ter 1t shall be violated. trus
we are not to be hushed upon this ques
tion. Why shall it be donel Who
TO be benefited? Is the South TO be tn
| gainerl is ,he North to be the gamer
| Neither TIE North nor the South has tn
right to gain sectional advantage b!
trickery or fraud.
But | I'm beseeched to wait until hea
from the election on the 2lst of December
! am told that perhaps that will put it al
right, and viii save the whole difficulty
How can il! Perhaps there may be large
vote. There may be large vote returned
daughter But deny that i, is possible
1 to have lair vote on the slavery clause:
aud |, say that it is not possible to have any
! vote on The constitution. Why wait for the
mockery f-an election, when it is provided
unslterabiy that the people cannot vote
when the majority are dislranchised.
But an told on all sides. "Oh, just wait;
the pru-slavery clause will be voted down. p
That does pot obviate any Of my objections;
it does not diminish any OF them. You
have no more right to furce a free-State
constitution ON Kansas than slave-State
constitution. If Kansas wants a slave-state
-h,h fpht fn n 10
wants free State constitution she has a
right to it 1t is none of my business which
way the slavery clause is decided. | care
not whether it is voted down or voted up
Do you suppose, afer the pledges Of my
honor that | would 60 for that principle and
lesre the people to vote as they choose, that
would not degrade myself by voting one
way if the slavery clause be voted down,
and another way if it be voted up! | care
not how that vote may stand. | take it for
granted that it will be voted out. think ]
have seen enough in the last three days TO
make it certain that it will be rcturaed out,
40 matter how the vote may stand (Laugh-
,ns aa 81, sspsssitO that concern be
rlsauss; 10 ME ike an an, y m Of trieks
.-ery and jugs5er5 10. defeat tho esis express
ion Of theSkiIl of the people. aefe is no
necessity for ero@ding this rnedshTe, 50 I'M
far. SO unjust as it is In aIltts aspects, up
on US. Why eau we not now do what we
proposed to do in the last Congress! We
then voted through the Senate an enabling
act, called "the Toombs BILL" believed to
be just and fair in all its provisions, pro-
nounced to be almost perfect by the Sena-
Tor from New Hampshire, Mr.. Hale. only
he did not like the man, then President of
the United States, who would have to make
the appointments. Whycan we not take
that bill, and, out of compliment to the
President, add to il clause taken from the
Minnesota act, which he thinks would be
a general rule, requiring the constitution to
be submitted to the peoples and pass that!
Tiiat uni;es the party. You al voted yiih
ne, for, that bill, at the last Congress. Why
: no, stasd .bg-t the sameshll Roga! Ignore Le-
compton, ignore Topeka, treat both those
party movements as irregular and void;-
pass Il fair bill-the Gue which we framed
ourselves when we were acting as unit,
have fair election and you will have peace
in the Democratic party, and peace through
out the country, in ninety days. The pao-
pie want a fair vote. They will never be-
satisfied without it. They never should be
satisfied without fair vote on their con-
sitrtion.
If the Toombs bill does not suit m,
friends, take the Minnesota bill of the !ast
session-the one so much commended 6y
the President in his message as model
Let us pass that as an enabling act, and al
low the people of all parties to come to-
relher and have fair vote, anG | will 60
for it. Frame any other bill that secures a
fair, honest vote to all parties, and carries
out the pledge that the people shall be left
free to decide on their domestic Institutions
for themselves, and | viii 60 with them
with pleasure, and with all the energy
may possess. But If this constitution is to
be forced down our throats, in violation OF
The fundamental principle Of free govern
ment, under mode of submission that is a
mockery and insult, painful as it will be TO
me, | must OlShk all dSSOSldllOCe VI Cou-
nections rather than forfeit my principles.
have no fear of any party associations be-
ing,severed. ! should regret to see social
and political ties severed; but if II must be,
if cannot act with you and preserve my
faith and my honor, | will stand on the
great principle of popular sovereignty which
declares the right of all people to be .el.
perfectly free to form and regulate their do
mestic Institutions in their own way. will
follow that principle wherever its legal and
logical consequences may take me, and
will endcavor to defend it against assault
from any and all quarters. No mortal man
shall be responsible tor my action but my.
self BY my action | will compromit NJ
man.
At the conclusion OF the hon orable gen.
tleman's speech, loud applause and clupping
OF hands resounded through the crowded
galleries.