Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-02-25


| of the anticipated result, Abolition Journals
have been started in Missouri, and candidates
for Congress have unfuried the banner ofeman-
cipation."
But, Mr.. Chairman, l wish to be more
particular and precise in my objections
to that part of the Presidents message to
which I have made reference, and to the
admission of Kansas into the Union on
the Lecompton constitution. They arise
| First. From the antagonism of that pol
icy and measure to what has been called
the great republican principle of the Ne
braska-Kansas bill, and
Second. From the attempts making to
violate the pEghted faith oftbe Democrat
ic party.
'.The true intent and meaning" of the
act organizing the Territory of Kansas, is
declared to be "to leave the people thereof
perfectly free to form and regulate their
domestic institutions in their own way"
This language would seem too unequivo-
cal to be overcome by the most abstruse
diplomatist, or the most adroit hair-split-
ting politician. No doubt, | suggest is
allowed to remain as TO "the true intent
and meaning" Of the enactment. 1t was
10 give full, perfect, unrestricted sovereign
ty to the people of Kansas. 1t is this
right, thus clearly given to them, the in
habitants of the Territory now claim; moth
ing more, nothing less.
But / understand the President to say
that they are careless about all questions
to be settled by their fundamental law, ex-
cept the single one of negro slavery
Who conferred upon this officer the au-
thority to speak so confidently for the peo-
pie of Kansas? Surely Congress never
did; for they have, by an unrepealed law,
vested all power in the people alone; and
if the people alone; and if the people have
instrusted him with an agency, i! is proper
he should show his warrant. This, most
unfortunately, and of course most uninten-
tionally, tends to indorse and sustain that
organized, systematic attempt, long insist
ed upon and persevered in, to stife the
popular voice in the Territory, and to cast
its government into the hands Of those
having no shadow of right to exercise it.
Free government is not to be allowed, be-
cause the people will not consult the wishes
of the Platte district, nor accept instltu-
tions attempted to be forced on them from
abroad The language of the President is
somewhat peculiar, and, to my mind, singu-
larly unsound. He says:
"The convention were not bound by its terms
1.-THE terms of the Nebraska Kansas bill to sub
NIT any other portion of the instrument 1.-THE
! b,f x,,b, oh
relates to the domestic institution of slavery.
This will be rendered clear ay simple refer
ence to its language. 1t was mot to legislate
slavery into any Territory or State, nor to ex-
clude it therefrom, bat to leave the people there
} of perfectly free to form and regulate their do
! nestle institutions in their own way Accord
) ing to the plain construction of the sentence,
the words domestic institutions have direct,
as they have an appropriate referenc to slavery.
Domestic institutions are limited to the family.
, The relation between master and slave, aud a
few others, are domestic institutions and are
entirely distinct from institutions of political
! character Besides, there Vas no question then
before Congress, nor indeed has there since been
any serious question before the people Of Kan
s,s or the country except that which relates to
: the domestic institution of slavery;
All the obligations which "rested on the
Lecompton covention to submit their con-
stitution to an election" he assumes to be
) derived from the act Of Congress. He con-
!, tends that domestic institutions" being
synonymous with slavery, it is therefore
not required to submit any other matter
TO the popular decision. Let US test this
, remarkable view by carrying it to its con-
sequences. If If"domestic institutions" mean
, merely slavery, then it is clear that The
power given to the people "to form and
regulate their domestic institutions in their
own way" confers only the power "to form
, and regulate" slavery sin their own way
But the conclusion would prove too great
an absurdity for its advocates to profit by
The policy of the Government with refer
ence to slavery in the Territories, was in
tended to be permanently settled by the
: Nebraska Kansas bill, giving to the peo-
pie thereof complete sovereignty over all
, their institutions. All power to legislate
on the subject of slavery was denied tc
Congress and given to the people of the
Territory. Congress declared it was
"The true intent and meaning of that act moi
to legislate slavery into any Territory or State
nor to exclude it therefrom, but to leave the peo
e pie thereof perfectly free to form and regulate
their domestic institutions liz their own way.
VI AS read it, and as the country has
thus far interpreted it, slavery was TO be
f left to the determination of the people ol
: the Territory just as all the rest Of their do
: mestic snstitMions. Indeed the whole ar
: gument for the legislation referred to, pro.
: ceeded upon that ground. They, the peo-
: pie, were to have their institutions in their
d own way-aU their institutions. Theil
: power was not large or unlimited with re.
. gard to one, and small or limited with re.
a gard to another; it was equal with respect
e to all. 1 need scarcely contend that il
e their will is to govern, it becomes necessa-
r ry to ascertain what it is. AS I look up
: on it, therefore the admission that the
!, question of slavery should be submitted to
. . vote of the people for the purpose of as
t certaining their wishes touching their in
i stitution, carries with it the further admis.
r sion that all their other institutions should
. be subjected to the same test. The errol
E arises from shutting out of view the fact
that the territorial legislation of 1854 in.
: tended to establish government policy
: with respect to slavery; that it was design
; ed to leave that domestic institution Just
e where all other domestic institutions
: were left-within the popular CONTROL
: : That by using the words slavery" and
:. 'sdomestic institutions" in the same sen.
: tence, Congress did not intend they should
? be regarded as Synonymous, but as a mem