The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1859-11-03
George y. smitE.,s speecE.

ODD Fellows Hall on Saturday evening would
hardly be entitled to notice, were it not that Mr.
Smith is regarded by the Democracy as one of
'ne'r strong men. We hardly think it possible
lnat The Democracy generally subscribe to the
doctrines of the party as expounded by Mr..
smith yet we suppose the party is responsible
ioI ms strange utterances, nasmuch as he is en-
dorsed by the State Central Democratic Commit
tee, and sent out as a Democratic teacher. OF
all the political speeches ever delivered in This
city, none ever half deserved the epithet of dia-
oohcal as the one by Smith on Saturday eve
ning. The sentiments he avowed would have
been regarded an insult to the intelligence Of
The people OF any nation on the Globe, except
where the most absolute despotism prevails.
According TO the doctrines laid down by Mr..
smith, our government has no Limitation Of now
ers there are no inalianable rights PERTAINING
to the people the viii! of the majority is final
and absolute. Constitutions therefore are
worthless, because furnishing no safequards 70
10 dcspoic rule.
Mr. Smith began by saying that he stood on
the principles ofJeferson, and should demon
'rate that the doctrines Of the party, were in
accordance with that great Apostle of Denocra-
| cy. Instead however Of standing on the prin-
icples Of Jefferson, he essayed to stand with his
ieet on the neck Of the great Patriot, and TO
crush him in the dust Mr.. Smith endeayored
at length, to maintain the doctrine thar MAORI.
'es have right to Go what they will; if thew
sa" III 10 reduce every red haired man to bon
dase' they bad q right so to do. If the MAORI
, V7'7LHl'"e 10 make slaves Of any particular
class OF rho population-as for instance the Irish
or the German, they may do it, and the minority
must submit. Mr.. Smith did not even make
the distinction Of color as to the proper subjects
OF slayement as the democracy generally do:
he took the broad ground that anr elass-white
or black are at the will of the majority. and
may De reduced TO chatt'leism by the popular
Foice' or made to Submit to whatever disabiH.
''ss INC sovereign will may determine. He assum-
ed that the people in their sovereignty may de-
'ermpe how many wives each man may appro-
pr".te TO himself; by which assumption Mr.
Smith OF course just ifes the Mormon polygamies
Of Utah.
| Ii follows from the broad Democratic ground
taken by Mr.. Smith, that it is perfectly compe-
] tent for the majority to cause every first born
child in the nation TO be put to death; Or de-
mand tina every and woman over the age
OF sixty years shall be sent to prison. Indeed
there is no iniquity ever conceived Of by mortal
man, which may not be enacted into a law which
must be obeyed, provided the popular will so
directs.
This we presume is the the first time senti-
ments so infamous. were ever uttered before
pubic audience in ibis city. Mr.. Smith had be
fore him a volume, which he called the writings
Of Jefferson such q desecIation of jefferson
was an insultto public Gecency. Mr. Jefferson
maintained that every man was posse ssed of in
alianable rights-rghts which no human tribu-
nal-legislative or jud icial coald deprive him
Of. Jefferson held that governments had great
land marks which they could not pass-boun-
dories which they could not overstep-limita-
tons which they could not go beyond. Tha.
the people whenever through legislative action
or otherwise, invaded the sacredness of inalian-
able right, their action was void, These senti-
ments Of Jefferson are embodied in the Declare
ton Of independence, and in his subsequent
writings they are the principles on which our
governments based and the constitution Of
the United States very properly pres cribes lin
its to the powers of the people.
Mr. Smith labored hard to justify the repeal
Of the Missouri Compromise, declaring it one
ofthose sectional lines which Washington warn
ed the people against. Washington according
Tn Tlottc boxy oc a.
arrant hypocrites that ever lived he gave his
official sanction to the Ordinance of 1857, which
was as much sectional line as the, Missouri
Comp romise line Theidea that Washington
should approve sectional lines land yet denounce
them, is one Of the absurdities, which such men
as George B. Smith teach.
Mr.. Smith cited Kansa as a triumphant vim
dication of the workings ofPopular Sovereignty
Now we need only refer to few facts in the
history of Kansas, to show the vanous shame
Of Popular Sovereignty. The bill introduced
by Mr.. Don glas for the organization of the Ter
TORY of Kansas, conferred the appointment OIL
the Governor and other important officers, on
the President of the United States the peopl G
Of Kansas had nothing whatever to say about
it. The Governor, it must be remembered is a
branch Of the law making power. The same
bill also provided for the appointment of the
Judges Of Kansas by the President-thus giving
the judicial control to the administration at
Was hington Senator Chase Of Ohio moved
an amendment TO the Kansas bill to allow the
people the election OF their Judges the Dem
ocrats voted in a body against it. Another
amendment was offered to Douglas bill, to al
low the people ofKansas to exclude slavery 3;
this amendment was also voted down by an
most unanimous Democratic vote. Add to this
the fact, that the President aided by all the pat
ronage of the general Government, strove for
months to force slavery constr tuition on the
people of Kansas, producing thereby a series of
violent collisions and bloodshed, and we have
what the Democrats tell us is glorious exhibit
ton of Popular Sovereignty A greater sham
than Democratic popular sovereig nty as illus
trated in Kansas, the world never saw it pro-
fessed to leave the people to regulate their own
affairs, yet practically denied them fhe right of
self government.
We have no time to pursue this Democratic
exponent, of Democracy any further his whole
speech was made up Of the kind of absurdities
we have noticed,
Tae Difference.
Had old OsqaUato,,ia proyy,, A. LII. /