Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-12-03

ing il they do not want it, and of encourag
ing it If they do want it. 1t is folly for yen
to entertain visionary dreams that You can
fix slavery where the people do not want it
and Il rs equal folly for the Nogthern fanatic
to think that he can abolish by law where the
people do want it. The people of each lecali-
ty are The best judges they will act for their
own interests. They wont care whether they
are penetrating New England or South Caro-
lima: they will look to their own homes and
fresides and the interests, of their children
and grand children as their own good and the
good Of. posterity may require regardless of
the controversies north or south. 1t is no use
to disguise the fact, if the people of a terri
tory nt.slayery they will have it, If they
don't wantit you can't force it on them. l
am content with that result
/ don't think that under our system OF
government slavery ought to & be forced
upon any people against their, will. You of
the South must be content in leaving your
slave property in the same category, to be
protected in the same manner, by the same
principles all other property. Whenever
you take the ground that slave property re-
qnires different protection from other property.
and you cali upon Congress TO furnish it,
you might as we'll entrust your infant to the
tender embrace of bear, as your infant Ter
ritory to the gentlemanly embrace of North
ern Abolitionists. If. therefore, act upon
the principle laid down by Mr.. Buchanan in
his acceptance of his Cincinnati nomination.
and as expounded by the Supreme Court I'M
der the Constitution that Congress should
keep hands OFF, and never interfere one way
or the other; but that the Territory shall be
free or slave, just as our people desire then
there will be peace and harmony between all
the States of this Union. l do not believe
there is any other common ground OF peace
for these great principles. ~ r@
r
rights and State sovereignty can be main
tanned, the Union can exist. If these princi-
pies of State sovereignsy in the old States
and the new are maintained, tnen America
can fulfill the expectations of its most san
guine friends in time to come. Then these
United States can fulfill its destiny, being the
light to teach the nations of the old world
just constitutional liberty. Then America
will increase and expand indefinitely. as our
Republic shall increase.
r. 1t is folly for us to imagine that because we
now have territory enough we shall never
need any more. Wnen this Republic was
made, its original boundaries We're enough,
but few years increase found us cramped,
and we demanded more. We required Lou
isiana to open a road to the Rocky Mountains.
We required Florida to open a road 10 The
Gulf We annexed Texas with California
and New Mexico. We have now Territory
enough, but how long will it be enough? One
hiveis enough for one swarm of bees, but
new swarm comes next year, and new hive
is wanted. Our union is young nation, in
creasing by natural growth and increasing by
emigration, and our boundaries must be en-
larged. You may like it or you may dislike
it, you can never fulfill your destiny WITHOUT
it. Men may say, we shall never want any
thing more of Mexico. We were told so
when the treaty was made: that the present
boundary should never be disturbed except
by the consent of the two Republics; declar-
ing that if any question arose, we would not
annex it. l knew the time would come when
we would be compelled to take more.
Judge Douglas here alluded to his ress-
lance to the ratification of the treaty with
Mexico, and also touched upon the Central
American question, but owing to the confusion
around him our reporter was unable to hear
what be said.) He said that Gen Cass asked him
what we wanted with Central America. He
replied that the time would come when we
were bound to have it, "Whyn said he, lit
is too far off," Yes a great way of. it is
nearly half way to California and on the di-
rect road there Qaughter.) l do not want
Central America any more than did in so !;
but the time will come when our destiny,
our institutions, our safety will COMPEL us TO
have it. am unwilling now to pledge our
faith as a nation in that which [ am certain
x
the Island of Cuba. / do not care whether
we want it or not 1t is matter of no conse-
quence whether we want it or not, we are
compelled to take it and we can't help it. Inn
mense applause.]
The Judge here alluded to the fact of its
commanding the entrance to the Mississi ppi,
and that although it was now subject to the
Spanish Crown and that the Spanish Crown
was fast falling to pieces, and that when the
time came, that Cuba must go into the hands
of France. England, or any other European
power we would be bound to take it.
Hence he would never consent to any line
of policy inconsistent with our taking it when
our interest. our honor. and our safety re-
guired US to do so. He did not wish to hasten
the acquisition of any more territory. He
said it would come fast enough. But our
brethren must be prepared for it, aud not
have your guest come and take us by surprise
and find US unprepared 10 give him a nights
lodging when he comes. Our policy must
be in harmony with our destiny. Our destiny
is to increase until we become the strongest
power on the face of the globe. We must go
on until we are capable of carrying out, in
good faith the great Constitution and prin-
ciples upon which our Government was
founded. This Government is confedera-
ton of sovereign independent States, each
having the right to have just such consttu-
ton as il pleases; each having constitution
different from every other, and requiring laws
and institutions different from every other.
Variety, dissimilariiy, local law, and local in
situations is the great principle on which the
safety of the Republic rests, and not that IA
tai heresy that the States must all be free or
slave"