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


the compromise measures Of 1860; endorsed
! by the Illinois Legislature in 1851; empha.
ticaily embodied and carried out in the IAN.
sas-Nebraska bill, and vindicated this year
by the refusal to bring Kansas into the
Union with Constitution distasieful to her
people. (Cheers.)
The other proposition discussed by Mr.
Lincoln in his speech consists in a crusade
against the Supreme Court Of the United
States on account of the Dred Scott dsci
sion. On this question, also. | desire to say
to you unequivOcally, that take direct and
distinct issue with him. have no warfare
to make on the Supreme Court Of the Uni
ted States. (bravo,) either on account Of that
or any other decision which they have pro-
nounced from that bench. e. Good, good, "
and enthusiastic applause.) The Constitu-
ton of the United States has provided that
the powers of government land the Consti-
tuition of each State has the same provsion)
shall be divided into three apartments,
executive. legislative, and judicial. The
right and ths province Of expoundins the
Constitution, and constructing the law, is
vested in the Judiciary established by the
Constitution. As lawyer, / feel at liberty
to appear before the court and c0ntrovert
any principle of law while the question is
pending before the tribunal; but when the
decision is made. my private opinion, your
opinion, all other opinions must yield to the
majesty of that authoritative adjudication.
(Cries of sit is right, good, goou," and
cheers | wish you TO bear in mind that
this involves a great principle, upon which
our rights and our liberty. and our property
all depend. What security nave you for
your property, for your reputation, and for
your personal rights, if the courts are not
upheld and their decisions respected when
once firmly rendered by the highest tribun-
al known to the Constitution? (Cheers.)-
| do not choosV, therefore, to 60 in any ar
gument with Mr.. Lincoln in reviewing the
various decisions which the Supreme Court
has made, either upon the Drcd Scott case
or any other. have no idea OF appealing
from the decision Of the Supreme Coart up
on a constitutional question To the decision
of tumuitUous town meeting. tCheers.
| am aware that once an em nent lawyer OF
this city, now no more, said that the State
of Illinois had the most perfect judicial sy s.
TEN in the word, subject to but one excep-
tioa, which could be cured by sight
amendment, and that amendment was to SO
chang. the las as TO allow an appeal from
the declsiOns u the Supreme Court OF Hi
nois, on all constitutional questions, to two
Justices Of the Peace. Great laughter and
applause.) Ny friend, Mr.. Lincoln, who
sits behind the, reminds nae that that propo-
siton was made when was Judge Of the
Supreme Court Be that as it may, do not
think iha. fact adds any greater weight or
authority TO the ,uggestion. (Renewed
laughter and applause; 1t matters not with
rue who was on the bench, whether Mr..
7 b.. 7 L q
Smith, a Taney or a Marshall the decision
of the highest tribunal known to the Con
stitution OF the country must De inai until
it has been reversed by an equally high au-
thcr,y. (Cries of " bravo" and applause.
Hence, am opposed TO the doctrine of Mr..
Lincoln, by which he proposes to take an
appeal from the decision Ut the Supreme
Cou OF the United States upon these high
constitutional questions TO a Republican
caucus sitting in the country. "a voice
- call il Frees and cheers.) Yes, or to
any her caucus or town meeting, whether
Republican, American, or Democrau =.
(Chccrs) | respect the decisions of that
august tribunal; | shall always bow in dele
renee to them. | am a law-abding man.
will sustain the Constitution Of my country
as oUr fathers have made it. | will yield
obedience 10 The laws, whether / like tnetn
or not as | find them on the statute book.
will sustain tn. Judicial tribunals and con-
stItuted authorities N al! matters within the
pale of their jurisdiction, as defined by the
Constitution (Applause) But am equal
" free 10 say that the reason assigned by
Mr. Lincoln for resisting the decision Of the
Supreme Court in the bred Scott case does
not in itself meet NY appreciation. He OBJ
jects to it because that deci-ion declared
that negro descended from African parents
who Were brought here and sold as slaves Is
not, and cannot be citizen of the United
States. He says it is wrong, because IL de-
Drives the ne.ro Of the benefits Of that
clause Of the Constitution which says that
citizens of one State Shall enjoy all the pri-
vieges and immunities Of citizens Of the se-
veral States; in other words, he thinks it
wrong because il deprives The negro Of the
privileges immunities, and ghi. OF citizen
ship, which pertain, according to that deci-
sion, only TO the white man. l ain free 10
say to you that in my opinion this govern
ment Of ours is founded on tte white basis.
tGreat applauSe) Ii was made by the white
man. for the benefit of the White man, to be
administered by white men IN such manner
as they should determine. (Cheers.) 1t Is
also true that q negro, an Indian, or any
other man OF an inferior race TO white
man, should be permitted to enjoy, and hu-
manity requires that he should have all the
rights, privileges and immunities which he
is capable of exercising consistent with the
safety of society. | would give him every
right and every privilege which his capacity
would enable him to enjoy, consistent with
the good of the society i'll which he lived.
Bravo" But you may ask me what are
these rights and these privileges. My an
Swer is that each State must decide for itself
the nature and extent Of these rights
G. Hear, hear" and spplause.) Illinois has
decided for herself. We have decided that
the negro shall not be slave, and we have
at the same time decided that he shall not
vote, or serve on juriss. or enjoy political
privileges. ] am content with that system
of policy which we have adopted for our.
selves lCheers.) l deny the righ, Of any
other State to complain Of onr policy i'll
that respect, or to interfere with it, or to at
tempt to change it. On the other hand, the
State of Maine has decided that in that State
negro may vote on an equality with
white man. The sovereign power Of Maine
had the right to prescribe that rule for her
self Illinois has no right to complain Of
Maine for comforting the right upon negro
suffrage, nor has Maine any right to inter
f.re with, or complain of Illinois because she
has denied negro suffrage. e. That's So
and cbeers.} The State Of New York has
decided by her Constitution that negro
may vote, provided that he owns $2oo worth
of property, but not otherwise. Ihe r'ch
negro can vote, but the poor one cannot
Uaughter.) Although that distinction does
NO, commend itself TO my judgment, yet
.sssrt that the sovereign power of New
York had a right to prescribe that form OF
the elective franchise. Kentucky. Virginia,
and other States have provided that ne
croes or q certain class of them in those
pol tical rights. Without endorsing the
wisdom of that decisien, assert that Virgi-
MIA has the same power by virtue Of her So
vereignty to protect slavery within her Ii