Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1858-04-08
INDIANA: THURSDAY, APRIL 8. 1858

Slaves is higher than any State Con
stitution. or that the State can not
abolish it, But such is the doctrine
of The Washington Union-such is
the doctrine of the Lecompton Consti-
tuition. That doctrine if accepted, is
fatal blow to the principles of our
Government. | felt it TO be such
when first saw it. and hence. i re-
fused to vote for the Editor of the
Union" .,- s.
Mr.. Douglas then read from the
Cincinnati Platform various PROPOSE
tions upon Slavery. to each OF which
he gave his assent saying that he stood
upon them last year, and stood upon
them still. They related chiefly. as
did his inferences from them, to the
proposition that each State must de-
eide for itself upon the status or con
dition of it's negro population, without
interference from Congress. The
right of each State to regulate its own
institutions he dwelt upon with much
earncstness, as the cardinal principle
of our Government. The proposition
that property in Slaves was above all
law, was a momstrous proposition.
against which he protested, in his own
name and the name of his constituents.
may remark, by the way. that this
part OF Mr.. Douglass speech was evi
IDENTIFY intended to lay the ground
work for future radical position on
the Slavery question. nif
Mr.. Douglas next spoke in reference
to his relation to the Democratic Party.
Was the Lecompton measure party
measure? He did not find it in the
Party Platform. o but, he was told.
it was an Administration measure
All yes, but that did not make 1t a
party measure. John Tyler intro
duced Administration measures into
Congress, but that did not make them
party measures. Was the modifica-
tion of the Neutrality law a party
measure? Was the Army Bill a party
measure? Why, then. were not the
''recrcants and rcneeades" on those
measures read out of the party as well
as himself? fA
"Mr. President, do not recognize
'thc right of any President or any
cabinet officer to tell me or to pre-
scribe TO me my duties as Senator
"in this chamber. They have no right
Ito prescribe tests to me or to you.
The attempt to do so is an imperti-
''nence. Am / to be told that must
''oLey the Executive and betray my
principles and betrav my State, or
"be branded as traitor and renegade?
If so, should like to know what is
1.-The use of Congrcss-what is the
"use of senate and House of Rep
''resentativcs if they must only register
1.-The edicts Of the Executive? In
'.England-in monarchical England
1.-THE Ministry must 60 out of power
1.-THE moment they lose the confidence
"of the people. Apply that rule here
and the present Cabinet would have
"gone out of office when the Army
bill was voted down"
Suppose the Executive should tell
the Senator from California DIR.
Gwin) to vote against the Pacific
Railroad bill, or the Senator from
Virginia (Mr. Mason) to vote for it.
Suppose he should tell the Senator
from Georgia (Mr. Toombs) to vote
for the Army bill. / think there
would he rebels about; there would be
renegades and traitors as well as my
self. Then, why am | alone proscrib-
ed? There seems to be dispensation
for every thing but Lecompton.
1--WE are traitors, are we? Well,
do you expect us to be with you next
year in Pennsylvania, in New York
in Ohio, in Illinois? And if you do
} not, or il we do not vote, how large
) think We, will be the Democratic party
in these Statcs?"
Mr.. Douglas said he had no defence
to make of his Dcmocracy-no vindi.
cation to offer of his course. The slul
that he was acting with the Republi
cans had no effect upon him. He saw
Senators here every day acting will
the Republicans upon certain questions
1t only showed their manlincss anC
independence. He had no protesta
tions to make upon this point. H'
was guided by sense of Justice anc
Constitutional duty, and did not care
with whom he acted.
If, for standing by his principles, h'
: should be driven into private life. tha
: was fate which had no terror for him
He preferred private life to a bas'
: compliance with the dictates of Execu
tive power.
In conclusion he apologized to th'
2 Senate for the desultory nature of hi
, speech. His health was so infirm tha
e it was impossible to give to his re
marks that preparation which was du
e to the Senate.
From the London Tim,s.
THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.