The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-10-16

but those that wanted to extend slavery IN
the free west? Who agitated it, when Texas
was to be annexed, hut those who wanted to
give slavery nm unlimited domain IN the
South and Southwest Who agitated It by
tina Nebraska bill but those who wanted to
break down tho last barrier to slavery? Who
agitated it by the bred Scott decision but
those who wanted to make slavery the rule
and liberty the exception? Who agitated it
by the Lecompton question, but those who
wanted to sacrifice the last safeguards OF
self vernment to slavery? (Cheers.]
And MI those who did so were but obeying
the logic of things. For slavery cannot live
unless it rules, and it can never keep peace
unless it dies. CONTINUED applause.1 And
still more simpletons are crying stop sgIta.
ton! Where will you begin? Where will
you end? Stop agitation The President OF
the United States makes not the most tri-
fling appointment, or the slavery question
is touched upon by the cabinet. Congress
hardly makes the lost inconsiderable np-
preparation without considering matters
from this point of view, and it is agitated.
No legislative assembly in any Of the States
ever adjourns without discussing slavery in
some way, and it is agitated. Aye, the small
est log hamlet in the West hardly elects a
constable without considering what the
mans views on the subj cct of slavery are,
and it is agitated. And now, stop agitation
and cry peace, peace There is and there
will be war in the Cabinet of the President,
war in both Houses Of Congress, war in
every State Legislature, war in the smallest
log hamlet in the West, aye, war in every
heart until that all-absorbing conflict is set
tied. Loud cheers.
Was not Popular Sovereignty, according
to Mr.. Douglas, to appease the conflict, to
remove the fight from the Halls of Congress,
to localize the struggle, to quell the excite.
ment. to settle the slavery question forever?
But how did it happen that the very enact
ment of that Popular Sovereignty, as $em
bodied in the Nebraska bill, was the signal
for new and spontaneous outburst OF hos
tiities How was it possible that this very
remedy should fan the lingering strife into
new Game! And, indeed, the blood Of
American freemen split on the prairles OF
Kansas. the smouderng ruins OF the pio-
neer's cahin-frcd not by the savage hand
of the Indian, but by the hand OF people
that claim to be civilizcd-the most fragrant
violation Of the ballot box, the most shame
less frauds, the most atrocIons usurpatlons
of power ever known IN the history OF cleo
tive governments, and IL struggle in Congress
fcrcer than ever-these are strange fruits OF
a measure which was to bring peace, and
liberty and prosperity to mankind. [Cheers.
II will no longer do to say that all this dis
turbance was owing, to the obstinacy of a few
Abolitionis,s. The cause Of all lies deeper.
1t is this :
The Kansas Nebraska bill was but a new
embodiment of the old contradiction between
political principles and social institutions, it
was hut u new form of that old antagonism,
which has convulSed this country for the last
forty years. 1t is not the right kind of pop
ular sovereignty, but n worthless, treachcr-
Gus counterfeit. 1t is II wild delusion-lf you
will not go so far rs to call it an imposition
and lie. (Applause.) Popular Sovereignty,
in the true sense of the term, means the
sovereignty Of all individuals, organized as
10 give u common expression to the collect
i've will, restrained only by the natural right
Of individual man. It's foundation can be
no other than the recognition Of the equal
rights of all men. 1t can be built upon no
other presumption but that all men are
free, and that no institution, which contra
diets this principle, has an a Pr,ori right to
exist.
But VIVA, means Mr. Douglas great prin-
ciple Of popular sovereignty? he Essays, that
the people Of a territory shall decide for
themselves, whether they will have slavery
or not, that is to say, whether the employer
may oura his laborer. or whether he shall
hire him. Did slavery exist IN those Terri
tories ut the time of the enactment of the
Nebraska bill ? No it did not. Well, now
the people shall decide for themselves. But
what shall be the rule, what shall be the
law, before the people shall have given their
verdict by positive legislation ?-Shall the
presumption be in favor of freedom, accord
ing to the fundamental principle of the good
old Anglo Saxon common law? No sir,
the STAKEHOLDER shall have the a priori light
to 60 into the Territory with his slaves and
to hold them there slaves; the right of
man to own his laborcr is a priori rccogni-
zcd by the Kansas and Nebraska bill. And
here let me add that the bred Scott decision
is a most logical construction of the Nebras
ka bill loud cheers and acknowledged to
be such by Mr.. Douglas himself, and that
his bubbles between his squatter sovereign
ty and that decision are the most contemti-
bic sabterfuges by which evera pcttifoSger
made himself ridiculous. Continued APP
pIausc.l Thus Mr.. Douglas popular sovc-
rcignty is based upon presumption in favor
of slavery, upon the presumption that slave
~ exists of right, where i, is not prohibited
by positive legislation. [Cheers.
True popular sovereignty means removal
Of all barriers which the ingenuity of des-
poti,m has set to human liberty. Cheers.
But Mr.. Douglas tells you, that the true
Foundation of American popular sovereignty
is the right Of slavery TO exist where it is
not expressly prohibited and that it means
the removal of all barriers which American
patriotism has set to human bondage! APP
pIauSc.1 If you could ask Washington
Franklln, jefferson, JAY, Madison, Henry
Clay for their opinion, who Of them would
chrlsten this abumlnable mixture with the
great name of popular sovereignty. They
would have stigmatlzcu it rs u contemplate
bastard, bcgotrn III the aduItcrous embrace
81 Democracy and slavery, with the features
of liberty on ITS face but with the black VEN
ON of drspotiSm in its heart. Loud and
coniEuedarPlaus.
repeat i, sir, this so called popular sov
crcignty is but a new embodiment Of the
old antagonists, but u new signboard to the
old concern; II new mcioG; to the old song;
Icherrsl n new trap set for oli fools
laundering applause. 1t is the mistake,
the old confusion Of ideas there is nothing
new in it but one feature, and that is its very
worst.
The Leak in The Cable Mode Of Determining
Its Locality.
The statement that the hreach in tho IN