Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-12-03
SIP E &c FL
HON. STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS,
Exchange Building, menphis.

t1s3ChdHSe II Q Ii pn1ss
Lddies and Gentlemen II feel no small de-
gree of reluctance in attempting to make a
political speech to you to-day. | had quite
as much experience in public discussions dur
ing this year was agreeable to me. OF all
things on earth most unpleasant is it for a
man to he called upon for a speech after the
election is over. Pending a contest when
the passion. and sentiments and the patriotism
OF the people are aroused, speaker has some
thing to animate him. and to induce him Ia
exert himself to present his sentiments in a
clear light to his audience We have lust
passed through strugglein Illinois involving
issues which believe to be vital to the per
petuity of this Union and TO the peace and
harmony of the different sections of the Re-
public. i would not to day yield to the re-
quest to address you, but for the fact that /
desire to know whether Democrats are the
same In Tennessee as they are in Illinois.
We have had in Illinois. during this summer.
Gov. Jones. and our Democrats saw that he
breaches the same doctrine TO them. which we
hold to be orthodox in our own community
Immense cheering) So long as we live I'M
der common Constitution any political
creed which cannot be proclaimed wherever
that constitution is the supreme law of the
land. must be ruinnus and fatal PRINCIPLES
ought to be avowed the same in Tennessee as
in Illinois; the same in Louisiana as in New
York; the same in South Carolina as in Mas
sachusetts: the same wherever the American
flag waves over the American soil. A creed
of one political party in this country which
cannot be thus announced and proclaimed,
must be radically wrong.
In Illinois 1t has been nv place to fight
against political organization, sectional in
its character, sectional in its principles, sec
tional In its policy, and sectional in its organ
iZation. The Republican and Abolition party
North constitutes the main Fody of all the
enemies of the Democracy. There that party
is necessarily sectional. appealing to Northern
passions, Northern pride and ambition. (Cries
of Chats so.") have had occasion to say
this on many " stump" in Illinois this year,
that they dare not cross the Ohio river and
carry their principles with them. Can any
political organization be sound or safe, which
is confined to one section and derives its en-
tire strength by stimulating passion, prejudice,
and hostility against another section?
/ am going to address you to day as | am
in the habit of addressing Illinois audiences.
do not expect to say anything but that |
have said over and over again during the late
canvass of my own State. In Illinois, Mr..
Lincoln as the nominee of the Abolition
party. has distinctly defined his principles in
his opening address. And prominent in his
platform are two articles, namely: that a
house divided against itself cannot stand; that
this Government divided into free and slave
States cannot exist that they must all be-
become free or all slave-2ll become one
thing or all another otherwise this Govern
ment could not personally exist. The other
proposition that he advanced was n crusade
against the Supreme Court of the United
States because of the bred Scott decision.
Under those two propositions / took bold
i
tanned that this Government can exist forever,
divided into free and slave States as our
fathers made it, each retaining the sovereign
right to protect slavery just as long as it
chooses. and abolish it whenever it pleases.
(Cheers.) 1t is fatal heresy to say that the
local and domestic institutions of the various
States must be uniform and equal. Uniformi-
ty in the local and domestic institutions is
neither possible nor desirable. There are
many individuals North and South who think
because a particular institution is beneficial
in their own locality, that therefore it must
be wise and useful throughout the
whole republic. / for one believe that this
cOnfaderacy was not predicated and founded
upon the basis of uniformity among the diff
fcrent institutions of the different States. On
the contrary, our fathers knew, as well as we
know. that in a republic as large and broad
as this. with such a variety of climate, soil,
and production, there must necessarily be a
corresponding variety in the local and domes-
tic institutions of the different States, each
adapted to the interests and wants of each
locality. Our fathers knew that the institu-
tons adapted to the granite hills of New
Hampshire, were unsuited to the rice growing
plantations of South Carolina. They knew
that the laws and institutions which were we'll
adapted to the rich and fertile plains of Illi-
nois, were unsuited to the mining districts of
California. They knew that variety of climate,
soil, and production necessarily created
corresponding variety in interest requiring
of institutions and laws adapted
TO the wants and interests of each.
Hence. il does not follow because African
slavery is good thing for Won in Tennessee.
that it is a wise one in Vermont or New
Hampshire. All | say on that point is this:
That this Republic was founded on the princi-
pie of States Rights sovereignty. [Cheers.]
When the Constitution was made the Repub-
lie consisted of thirteen States, twelve Of
which were slaveholding, and one was free.
The doctrine of uniformity did not then pre-
vail, a. | had occasion many times to say.
But suppose this doctrine of uniformity had
prevailed in the Convention that framed the
and when they were about to
sign il had risen and said that "a house di-
vided against itself cannot stand" This
Union divided into free and slave States can
not endure; they must all be free or all he
slave" Suppose they had announced to the
trainers of the Constitution that assumption.
what would have been the result? Do you
think that the one free State would have a
polished slavery everywhere? On the CON
trary, would not the twelve slaveboldiug
States have out-voted the one free State, and
established slavery by an irrevocable provis-
ion of the Constitution on every foot OF the
American continent. [Great cheering and APP
plause.1
Thus YOU see If this doctrine of uniformity
had prevailed when the Constitution was
made, il would have led 10 the result direct
" the opposite to the wishes OF those who now
proclaim the fatal heresy. 1t was then re-
cOgnized as n sound policy that each State
should retain its sovereign power over all
of its local aud domestic affairs within its
own limits; should retain its separate legisla-
ture, with the right to make laws and consti-
buttons as should be adapted to its interests,
without interference from any other State,
or from the Federal Government. Upon the
operation of that principle this Republic has
existed up 20 this day. In the progress OF
events, the Northern States have Increased
more than the South, until now the North
have u majority in the Senate, a majority In
the House, aud a majority in every depart
elect President by Northern votes, without
assistance from any slavehoiding States.
The question now arises, will that North,
" hich has thus scared its power under the
operation OF this great principle OF States
Rights ard State sovereignty, turn about the
IL gets the control OF the govera-
ment. and exercise an act of usurpation on
the minority that we would never have sub
miltesf III when we were majority! For
one, 4 think that the very proposition. mere
" because they have go, majority. to exer-
else At over minority 20 control their local
aud domestic Institutions. Is a reasonable
['sAmen.1 LISA confession that
they do not intend To carry out and admins
Ter this government upon the principles upon
which our fathers made IT, IL Involves a
confession that thsy would practice on one
side while a Minority, and then assume ano-
Their when they are a majority. ~
firmly believe that there Is no safety TO
this Republic; there can b. no peace. no har-
mOny between the North and South; there
can be no perpetuity In this government ex-
cept by the administering IL in good faith.
upon these principles. upon which IL was
made. to-wit. the right Of each State. old or
new, free or slave, 20 manage Its owa affairs