Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-10-27
Speech Of Mr., Thayer,
ON POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY.

AT the Republican State Convention Q
Massachusetts,. held at Worcester on tb
7th instant, the Hon. Eli Thayer made
speech, 10 which be spoke as follows upol
the question Of Popular Sovereignty:
In relation 10 our national platform
which Is not yet perfected, / have only &
say that thSre is every prospect of its beini
made good and strong and large epougI
for yictOIo2s party to occupy in-ls6O
Your resolutions bsye already proclaimed
your sentiments upon several topics =
You have expressed yOrr love for th,
Union It's now afacl, | think undispu
ted, that We are the greatest Union part!
on this continent. Where are the dis
union members Of the Republican party
TO be found2 and where are not the Gss,
union members Of the Demoeraic party TO
be fOundl Yon have already expressed
your opinion concerning the Tariff, which
L believe is not egtravagant in any direc-
tiou. You have expressed an opinion on
the acquisition of slave territory. Well,
gentlemen, have very strong tendency
toward land, the acquisition Of territory by
fair mesns only. | am opposed to cir
cumscribiDg the mission Of this Govern.
ment, as much as cireumscribing the mis-
sion Of any individual in this Government.
I viii not cay 10 any man that be shall
not exefciseliA powers of mind and body
for the good Of bis fellow! men out
side Of the town in which he resides,an
Twill not say to this country that her
sphere shall be confined within the limits
'Of the United States. Think her mission
is beyond that.
Then we are certainly tending now to.
wards certain positive principles "a plat
form Of positive prt ciples, without which
no party can ever succeed in this Govern.
.nent. sIfa party is ever to be anything
but an opposition party, it musthaye some
,Object in view for wh Gu twill contend.
An opposition party it is simply but the
historian rof the party in power, as the
Wing party used to be to the Democratic
party. fBut trust is the mission Of the
Republican party not so much to write
history as TO make it. think that here
after We will leave il for Others to record,
rather than be ourselves simply the records
,lsrs Of Nhat Others have done. For
this purpose il is necessary that we should
have positive policy. We have spoken
upon several issues now besore T. g coun'
Sry, but the greatest national issue is the
question concerning ths government Of the
Territories; and what shaa be the position
of the r, publican party upon that ques
toni We already have the position Of
The Democratic party, such as it is
They have professed to hold The doctrine
ofPopulIr Sovereignty, but where has
been the practice OF itl It has been the
yory only the practice has been despotism.
Three times that party which processes to
be tue author of Popular Sovereignty, has
,reoudiated that doctrine. 1t repu LATED it
by refusing to vote for the amendment Of
Senator Cbasein 1854, by which he pro-
posed to cut off not only ihe interference
,Of Congress in the Territories, but by the
Chief Executive, and thus leave the peo-
ole Of the Territory in reality to make
iheir institutions in their own way, The
Democrats voted against the proposition,
and thus repu1iated Popular Sovereign
.ty.' Again in voting for :he Toombs bill,
they rephdiated Popular Sovereignty
for that was intended to force a Constitu-
stion upon the people Of Kansas, without
first having submitted it to their adoption,
And again they repudiated that doctrine,
with very few exceptions, in refusing to
vote for the Orittenden, Montgomery bill,
Then I.say to you to-day that the Dem.
.otratic party is not the supporter Of the
doctripe Of Popular Sovereignty But
/ congratulate you members Of the Re.
,pubIicau party, on being this day on the
record in favor Of that doctrine. During
she last session of Congress, you know
your Representatives, without an exce2. |
lion, voted for this same bill which the
Democrats repuliated-tbe "Critendeu-
Montgomery biIl'--which in volvsd and
included tho doctrine Of Popular Soyer.
ignty. And what man has apologized to
gon for bis vote? What man has ipqui,
yEsd Of you even whether you approve Of
Ithat action, aud that il they had hot thus
,xoted you would have bIauded them IS
traitors to their party. So this party has
recorded itself as the supporter Of the
doctrine Of Popular Sovereignty in this
country. alA-95 '-1s -lT
Isthere anything to deprecatein this?
/ come now TO this question, and l find
that there are some in this party who are
still inclined to adhere to the old opinion
thst Il is the right and duty Of Congress
TO legislate for the Territories, So far as
.the affirmation ofthe ,ightis concerned, |
agree entirely, but concerning the daty
do not agree; for, fellow citizens, by !
accident or By Providence, We have found
3 better way. Let US see for a moment
what would be the effect Of pressing this
old issue-ofthe exclusion o. Slavery from
the Territories by law effective against the
decision Of the Supreme Coait Of the
United StStes, which declares that Slavery
may 60 iutotbe Territories in spite Ofany
Law whatever, aud that any lsw intended |
TO prevent this will be bsld.o be uncon- I
sGitutiensli But, says Attend, we will
b reverse this decision of TIE Judiciary
+. Ty uhoml How lonsi Will not the
party become extinct before that can be
accomplished, and will not be futileto
attempt it? = 3 '..-. p m
But eyenifit be effected. then Of what 1