Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-25

admission of any slave states into the Union
to exclude slavery from all the Territories over
which the General Government has exclusive ju-
risdiction ana to ressG the requirement of any
more territories unless the prohibition of slavery
threin shall have been secured
II desire him Mr. Lincoln, to answer
whether he is opposed TO the acquisition Of
any new territory unless slavery is first pro-
hbited therein p
And this is his reply:
81 am not generally opposed to honest
acquisition OF territory and in any given
case, | would or would not oppose such ac-
QUESTION, accordingly as | mi gilt think such
acquisition would or would net agitate the
slavery question among ourselves"
Now from that answer is he for or against
the acquisition Of any more territory !?
(Laughter.) Would he vote for the acqui-
sition Of more territory unless slavery was
first prohibited? Lovejoy's resolutions say
he would. Lincoln was voted for by the
members of the Legislature who voted for
those resolutions and they were pledged not
to vote for him for the Senate, unless he was
committed to them. Iwant to know if when
we take Cuba, Lincoln will oppose its be-
coming part Of the territory of the United
States "unless slavery is first prohibited
therein" That is what I desire to known of
Mr.. Lincoln. GOOD and cheers.) Will he
go for the admission Of Cuba after slavery
has.been abolished therein? viii he set loose
a million of slaves and then annex the Is
land with million,,and half of negroes, and
less than half million of white men? Will
he 60 for annexing it as a free negro colony,
and making out Of it free negro State with
two negro Senators and as many negro
Representatives as it may be entitled to e.
lect, (great laughter, or will be take these
territories as we find them, free or slave,
when the time comes for us to acquire them.
and then leave the people (and by people |
mean the white men) to decide the slavery
question for themselves. Now it is useless
for us to conceal the fact that this nation
must increase, grow and spread North and
South, East and West, until it covers this
entire continent. and includes the adjacent Is
lands. 1t is part of the Divine decree.
(applause.) It is the mission of the white
race on this continent, and we should regu-
late our action with the view Of adapting it
to Gods laws instead of trying to obstruct
those laws by some Abolition theory or plat
form. (Cheers.) believe that we must
progress. believe that we have got to
spread and cannot help it. You might as
wei! attempt to say to child twelve years
ldthat he is big enough, and must not grow
any larger, and in order to prevent his
growth puta hoop around him to keep him
to his present size. What would be the re-
suit !? Either the hoop must burst and be rent
asunder, or the child must die So it would
be with this great nation Growth. expan-
sion and extension is the law of our being,
and whenever you stop that growth the u
Mon will cease to have that existence, and
hence we must look to SONS kind of policy
consistent with our destiny, acquire terrific
ryjnst as fast, and no faster, as our demands
require, and as we do acquire it, apply the
great principle Of self government and state
sovereignty to it, by which each territory and
each State shall settle it's own institutions to
suit itself. Apply that rule and you may ex-
tend over the whole continent, strengthening
instead of weakening the Republic, by every
new State you add. Then applying the
other principles to which 1 have alluded,
live up to the rule of regulating your own
affairs and letting those of your neighbors
alone and then there will be peace among
US.