Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-08-20
"HONEsT tom CORwIN.n

Tom Corwin, who has been out of politics
for several years, addressed his fellow citizens
at Morrow, Ohio, last week, upon the politi.
cal topics of the day. He takes position
independent Of party, but agrees in the main
with the republican party. We quote
several of the most significant paragraphs Of
the speech as reported in the Cincinnati
Gazette -
"He would not be understood as desiring
that there should be any more sl4ve states in
this Union. He thought it an unfortunate
condition-for his part he would not have
ii servile population in any state in this Union
where white men could live and work; but
he did not consider himself commissioned to
inquire into the sins of his sldvehOlding
brethren. We had white men enough, or
soon should have, to fill up all our ter
rtUries, without introducing slavery there,
and moreover he would say this; he believed
the negro would destroy the white man in
MS home, would drive him from his native
soil in other words that if race of white
men was to be raised up without labor, with
the understanding that the black man was to
work for him, and sustain HIM by his toll,
that the wuite race would finally succumb
before its menials. 1t was q law of God
that the men who labored would ultimately
possess the land.
''lle asked what consequences would follow
from the doctrine that we ought to keep out
states with slavery in them. Suppose Penn
Sylvania should hold a convention and ordain
slavery. If we had right to exclude slave
states, ought we not to have some way to
turn out states already in, that should be-
come slave states And ii the constitution
was designed to confer the former power,
was it not imperfect for making no provision
for the latter case? He could not, as a mo-
raj citizen Of Ohio, destroy the symmetry Of
the constitution by contending that it allow
ed us to exclude states because they had slave
ry in them He revered himself the princi-
pies of Did Harry Clay-if not the very best
man, at least the very best statesman since
the Revolution. In those old whig princi-
Piles a rominent one Was opposition to the
extension Of slavery That one principle was
the platform ofthe republican party, aua 81
far as believing in that was being republi.
can, h was republican. There were many
men in the republican p rty with whom in
many matters he differed, but in opposing
the extension Of slavery, he agreed with them
Ill. lftharo was any plank in the republi-
can platform which was not in the old whig
party, then he WAS NJ republican. He loved
the principles of the old whig party-5ut
God help him-there WAS no Communion
table for him, and he meant therefore to 60
with the republicans because they were right
on the anti-s'avery question.
"IIe would let Louisiana, whichhad slaves
already, come into the Union with those
slaves but il free territory presented itself,
he would insist on applying to it the Wilmot
provso. This feeling it was,that Id one,
insulted and revied when alive, but mourned
now that he was dead-Henry Clay-t1 say
that NJ power could make him vote to iltro-
duce slavery into any territory already free
1t was not his doctrine to refuse the admission
of slave states from slave territories, which
we had acquired by purchase or treaty. If
his brother republican did not want any
more slave states, let him vote against fur
ther conquest. If his brother democrat
wanted no more slave states, let his party
throw away that miserable trash of squatter
sovereignty. Let us 60 on inIthe good old
old way, the revolution way, which was red
with the blood of our fathers who trod il f.!
Let us begin territories in such a way that
no slavery shall come into the state. | tell
you, Mr.. Republican, Mr.. Democrat, there
is no other constitutional way. | am not
going to take an oath TO support and carry
out that constitution, and then 60 away
and say, like rascal, ITO be sure the con.
stitutlon doesn't warrant this course, but I'll
adopt it," Scoundrels and knaves might do
so and lay it to their conscience, but no hon
est man would. This is my view of the con-
stituton of the United States. | wish there
was a clause in it prohibiting any more slave
states. But it is not there, and l cannot
violate that constitution, for if you take it
away, l am slave, But behind it as q ram
~ L r r L.. NJ.
ton has said what rights l shall have.
take these as unquestioned, and will not go
out into the desert of nature with you, Mr..
Abolitionist, to search for abstract rights to
use inside the fortified rampant of the consti-
tutions of Ohio and the United States