The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1858-07-22
rrr. LlncoIn,s lI,eply 70 pouglas.

lowing tnat on WnlCn senator OOuBtaS mhue
his speech in Chicago, Mr. Lincoln, his com
petitor for the u S, Senate, spoke from the same
stand occupied by Douglas. Although bu, a
days notice asgiven, the crowd in at,endance
was very great, and the enthusiasm which pre-
vailed equaled the days OF ls4o.' Lincou
handled his competitor without gloves, aud we
regret that our space will not permit the publ-
cation of his entire speech, We can only make
few extracts from H. aud will commence with
his reply to
WHAT is POPULAR sovEREIGNTY?
Now, gentlemen, that is not my argument
that is not my argument at ALL | have only
been stating to you an argument OF Buchanan
man, You will Judge it there is any force in it,
Ihpplause.l Popular Sovereignty everlasting
Popular Sovereignty Laughter and cheers. l.
Let us for moment inquire into this vast mat
ter of Popular Sovereignty. What is Popular
Sovereiguty7 We recollect that at an early
period in the history of this struggle there was
another name for the same thlng--Squatter
Sovereignty. What do these terms mean p
What do they mean when used now And
vast credit is taken by our friend, the Judge, in
regard to his support of it, when he declares the
past years OF his life have been and all the fu-
ture years OF his life shall be, devoted in this
matter of Popular Sovereignty. What is it?--
Why it is the Sovereignty of the people. What
was squatter Sovereignty. | suppose il it had
any significance at ali, it was the right Of the
people to govern themselves, to be sovereign
over their own affairs, while they had squatted
on a territory that did not belong to them, in
the sense that State belongs to the people who
nhabt it,-when it belongs TO the nation--such
right to govern themselves was called Squa t.
ter Sovereignty"
Now, | wish you to mark. What has become
of that Squatter Sovereignty? What has be-
como of it? Can you get anybody to tell you
now that the people of a territory have any au-
thority to govern themselves, in regard to this
mooed question OF Slavery, before they form a
State constitution? No such thing at all, al
though there is general running fire, and, el-
though there has been hurrah made i'll every
speech on that 81 e, assuming that that policy
had given the people of territory the right to
govern themselves upon this question: yet the
point is doyged. To-day it has been decided
no more than year ago it was decided by the
Supreme Court of the United States, and is in
sisted upon to-day, that the people of territory
have no right to exclude Slavery from a territory,
that if any man chooses TO take slaves into ter
ritory, all the rest of the people have no right
to keep them out This being so, and this de-
csion being made one of the points that the
Judge approved, and one in the approval OF
which he says he means to keep me down-put
me down should not say, for have never been
up. He says he is Ill favor OF it, aud sticks to
it and expects 10 win his battle on that decision,
which says that there is no such thing as Squat
ter Sovereignty, but that any one man may
take slaves INTO territory, aud all the other men
OF tbs territory may be opposed to 1t, and yet
by reason Of the cOnsutu Ion they cannot pro-
mbit it. WUeu that is so, how much i, left Of
this vast matter of Squatter Sovereignty, should
like to know - voice =" it has ali gone
When we set back we get to the point Of the
right OF the people 10 make constitution
Kansas was settled, for example in 1851. 1t
was Territory yet, without having formed "A
constitution, 10 very regular way, Tor three
years. All this time negro slavery could be Ia
ken in by any few individuals, and by that
decision OF the Supreme Court which the
Judge approves, all the rest of the people can
not keep 1t out; but when they come to make
constitution, they may say they will not have
slavery. But 1t is there they are obliged to
tolerate 1t III soma way and all experience shows
that it will be so--lor they will not take the negro
slaves and absolutely deprive the owners of
them. All experience shows this to be So All
that space of time that rups from the beginning
OF the settlement of the Territory until there
is sutii cheney of people TO make State con
stituion--all that portion of time Popular
Sovereignty is given up. The seal is absolutely
put down upon II by the court decision, and
Judge Douglas put his on the top ol that; yet
he is appealing to the people to give him vast
credit for his devotion TO Popular Sovereignty.
lApplause and cries OF right" right good"
good.
Again, when We get to the question of the
right OF the people to form State Constitution
as hey please, to form it with slavery OF with
opt aaveY-lf that is anything new, confess
don't know it. Has there ever been time
when any one said that any body other than the
people OF territory itself should form their
constitution? What is new in it, that Judge
Douglas should have fought several years of his
life, and pledged himself to fight all the remain
ing years Of his life, for? Can Judge Douglas
find any body on earth that said anybody else
should form a constitution for people? IA
voice, eyes" Well, ! should like you to name
him; should like to know who he was. Same
voce-"John Calhoun
MIR. Lneoln-No, sir, / never heard of even
John Calhoun saying such thiag. He insist
ed on the same principle Judge Doug
las; but his mode of applying it in fact, was
wrong 1t is enough for my purpose to ask this
crowd, when ever Republican said nything
against it !? They never said any thing against
it, but they have constantly spoken for it and
whosoever will undertake to examine the plat
form, and the speeches Of responsible men of tho
party, and of irresponsible men, too, if you
please, will be unable to find one word from
anybody in the Republicans ranks, opposed to
that Popular Sovereignty which Jadge Douglas
thinks that he has Invented Applausa.l | sup
pose that Judge Douglas will claim in little
while, that he is the inventor of the idea that
the people should govern themselves; [cheers
aud laughter that nobody ever thought of
such thing until he brought it forward. We
do remember that in the old D claration of In.
dependence, it is said that E" We hold these
truths 10 BE- srfevldent that all meu are crea ted
equal that they are endowed by their Crea tor
with certain inalenabe rights; that among these
are life liberty aud the pursuit of happiness /;
that to secure these rights governments are in
stitutel among men, deriving their jas; powers
from the consent Of the governed" There is the
origin of Popular Sovereignty. Loud applause
Who, then, shall come IN at this day aud claim
that he invented in Laughter and applause.
DRIED scoTr DECISION.