Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-25
NUMBER 80.

the event that the people of Kansas should
form constitution before they had 90,
| inhabitants [ would vote to admit it. Be-
fore answering him reminded the audi
ence that Mr.. Lincoln had not answered his
own question and trusted that he would do
So [ then said in answer as l nov say to
you that if Kansas has people enough for a
slave holding state she has enough for d
free state. (''That's the doctrine" and APP
plause.) | then said as | now say, that IS
a general rule thought we ought to follow
the practice Of preying such territory to
have full ratio for member of Congress
before permitting them to apply for admis-
sion into the Union. am the first man
who introduced such proposition into Con-
gress | attempted to have it applied in
the Congress of 1856 and introduced it a.
gain last session as applicable to all the
territories Of the United States, Kansas in
GUIDED When they struck out all terrific
ries but Kansas and applied the limitation
to that Territory alone refusing to adopt it
as applicable to slaveholding states I refus-
ed to sanction it. never will be govern
led by the rule until it is made general and
applied to all the territories. (Cheers.)
Having answered that question I turned
to Mr.. Lincoln who had half hour to re-
ply to me, and asked him whether he would
vote to admit Kansas before she had pop
ulation af 90 APO Do you think he would
answer me? No! | could not coax it out
Of him. Cit ought to have been kicked
out Of him." and laughter.) Would you
suppose that Mr. Lincoln would have the
presumption to ask me question which he
was not willing to answer himself? Why
did he not answer it did not expect that
he would answer and | was glad when he
asked ME the question because it gave me q
foundation for putting it to him. will tell
you why he did not answer Irmy answer
to his question | went on to show that he
and Trumbull did not agree on it. / show
ed him that Trumbull had voted against the
admission Of Oregon into the Union last
winter for the sole reason, as he, himself
said, that that Territory had not popula-
ton of 50, 400 There is no doubt that Orr
egon had more inhabitants than Kansas;
NO doubt that the proceedings in the forlna-
ton of the State constitution had been fair
and regular tic population was old and
stable, they had governed themselves for
many years and had shown themselves well
qualified for self government; they had de.
termined upon being free state, and yet
Trumbull would not admit them because
they had not the requisite population. The
same speech made by Trumbull against Or
egon commits him against Kansas, and Lin
coin knew that if he answered the question
[ would quote Trumbnll as authority a.
gainst him and put the two face to face to
argue it and settle their difference of opin-
ion. Mr.. Lincoln was afraid that if he said
he would not vote for the admission of Kan
sas until she had the requisite population
that some Of his abolition friends would a.
bandon him and SO he concluded he would
not answer after having propounded the
question to me and thus admitted that it
was fair one. Well, I intend to keep po-
king that question at him until force him
to answer. The people Of Illinois are not
to be trifed with in this manner by can
didate for public office. Why this attempt
at concealment? Was it not easy for Mr.
Lincoln to have said what rule Of action he
would adopt? [ could not set 1t out of him.
The inference IS that he would oppose the
admission Of Kansas until she had the re-
quisjte population for member of Congress
in order to keep in line with Trumbull [
desire to know, however, whether Trumbull
and he are both going to stand up and fight
the admission Of Oregon ard Kansas until
they have sufficient population to entitle
them to representation. | am willing, as I
said before, to make that a general rule, but
[ am not willing to make it rule only APP
plieable to the new free states and not to the
new slave states. taz 4" 9fl -tat"
There was another question put 10 Mr..
Lincoln which ] would like to have him an
swer. One Of the doctrines of the Repub-
lcan party laid down not only in. the Bloom
ington, Rockford and Aurora CONVENTIONS
but also in almost all their County Conven--
tons and in Lovejoy's resolutions was the
unconditional and total repeal of the fusi-
tive slave law and | asked Mr. Lincoln
whether he endorsed that part of the creed
of his party. I put that question to him
and what was his answer? ''As to the first
one in regard to the fugitive slave law, l
have never hesitated to say, and do not
now hesitate to say that I think, under the
constitution of the United States, the people
eff the Southern States are entitled to a Con-
gressional Fugitive Slave law. Having said
that have had nothing to say in regard to
the existing fugitive slave law, further than
that think it should have been framed SO
as to be free from some of the objections that
pertain to it, without lessening it's eficien-
cy, and inasmuch rs we are not now in an
agitation in regard to an alteration or mod
ifcation of the law, [ would not be the man
to introduce it as new subject of agitation
upon the general question Of slavery
Mr. DOUGLAS. Mr.. Howk SAYS that his
party stands on the platform of 1856 and
net Of 1854. [ will ask him how it is that
his party change their principles so totally
in two years that they cannot recognize
themselves. Great applause and laughter.
I am going to read your resolutions. | say
again that the Republican party stand
pledged to that platform.
Mr.. HAwK.-Not on that platform
Mr. DoUGLAs. you not stand by
the platform as | have read it! Are YOU
not opposed to the admission of any more
slave states -a !tl"t iH
Great confusion and loud and angry cries
of answer that question answer that oucss