The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-09-11


| conservative doctrine on this subject of all
reasonable Republicans, We request you to
! permit your name to be used as ar isde.
! pendent candidate for Congress in the I'd
| Congressional Distict Of Illinois.
! John C Champln, 8. 4. Honnen, B. Mills,
.sn Tsam siss, Wa1s IhUv Aeaander sea A. 4. Esds'
I A. White, Henry Foster, Geo Dent
w. J. Oak., John Ward I.a,c (;urIc,
( c. p Soule g. Moore John Moore
! J. =: Shepard, :. b. Lobden, J. a. Barbsr,
: A. Moore, VIM Z.nor Ns,bu Ravd
Andrew WordOw, s. Gorbam. c. Hull
/ Lewis Derby Milton b. Hull, Vim. Harper,
To the Hon. J c. Chsmplin, Isaac Hardy. VIM H.
Zenor Louis Dnriey, A A. H0nal, B. Mills, A. A.
and others.
GESrLEMEs:-four letters requesting me
/ to permit my name to be used as an inds-
, pendent candidate for congress in the Sd
congressional district" has been received,
and the views therein presented have been
carefully considered.
/ Having been from the commencement Of
my political life whig, ana strongly at.
/ tsched to the principles advocated by that
party, | have since it ceased to exist % Q
/ national organization, been associated with
the republicans.
am opposed to the introduction Of ala.
very into and its extension over territories
belonging to the United States 90 long as
! they remain territories. have ever main
/ taind and advocated the doctrine Of non in.
/ terference, either directly, or indirectly on
: the part Of citizens of TIE free states with
i the institution of slavery in those states,
where it had legal eristence 6y rirtus Of
State Ldw-an existence recognized, and
/ the rights under it fully guaranteed by the
! compromises upon which the constitution
/ rests.
! Slavery, in my opinion, is an institution
contrary 10 natural right, which exists only
by reason oflocal law, and extends no far.
| ther than the law which maintains it has
positive and practical jurisdiction.
These principles conceive to be cardinal
articles in the old whig creed!
Ny political sympathies favored that or.
gsnzation which acknowledged them, and
were adverse TO any party or faction who
openly opposed, or were by implication hos
tile TO their asccndeucy. am free to ad.
NIT that frnly believe these principles are
Independently necessary and must be uni.
rersaliy acknowledged as rule ofaction to
ensure perpetuity to the union, and, As .
consequence, the pcesent and future pros
perity aLd happiness Of the people of tho
United States.
In view ofthe increasing strength con.
stantly being acquired by the free states Of
the North, in both branches of the national
congress, the proposition that the principle
of no-interference with slavery, where it ls-
galy exists, should be universally conceded
and, as far as practicable, enforced As the
only basis for union and harmony between
the Northern free, and Southern slave states
is, in my judgement, too plain for an arYu-
ment
Honor, justice, and good faith, and sxps-
diency, all require that tho people of the
North should manifest, by their representa-
ton in congress, and their action out Of
congress, a fixed determination to maintain
what fairly and justly belongs to them, aud,
at the same time, preserve to the south their
rights invielate, and save their institutions
from invasion, and from the mischsvious
intermeddling of northern agitators.
While, as before stated, ! am opposed to
the extension Of slavery over territories be-
longing to the United States, SO long ~
they remain territories. / am most deci.
dedly oSthe opinion, that when they cease
to be territories, by reason of their admis.
sion into the union as states, the question
Of whether slavery shall or shall not exist
al domestic institution, ought rightfully
to rest for its decision with . majority Of
they pass upon the forms and features Of
their organic law. This right is inherent in
the people. Its denial is arbitrary, anti.re-
publican, and despotc, and most clearly at
variance with those teachings which recog.
nizc the people as sovereign; upon whose
will the government and institutions Of tho
country rest, the source of all power! To
deny the right, is to deny that the people
are capable Of self government, and is . r..
vival Of an obsolete idea, which has long
slumbered on undisturbed in the graves Of
some Of the ancient federalists.
The late overwhelming manifestation Of
the people of Kansas demonstrated beyond
all doubt or cavil tho wisdom of the rule.
that the people in republican America are
eminently capable Of sslfgovernment, and
may safely be trusted with the decision Of
the question whether slavery shall or shall
not exist among them As domestic institu-
ton.
At present there are seventeen free and
fifteen slave States composing the Union
The territories organized are Kansas, Ne
braska, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico
and Utah. But little or any doubt 10 enter
tanned that these territories will all apply
as some of them have already done-soonsr
or later, to be admitted into the Union -
their people. The present majority in the
United States Senate, when these events
shall have taken place, will then bs in
creased to sixteen in favor of the free
States. In the House Of Representatives,
the free States will continue to have con.
stantly increasing majority. The rssponsi'
bility, then, Of the present and the future
destiny of our country-the psrpstuity sf
the Union-its greatness and its gl0ry-rssts
with the free States! II they are true 10
themselves to the compromises Of the
constitutional they are honorable and just
the union of the States 10 destined to a.
existence co-equal with Time! II contains
within itself the element Of psrpetuity, and
that element is garnered up ia the idea that
the States are equal souereignties, seAsrsia
the people rule!
No small portion Of tho ill-fssliag and 80
tional hate existing between the North sld
the South, may bs traced directly - Tie
plottings and intriguss of northern aboli.
tionists, who have long been striving for -