Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-12-23


tombstone Let us see what you will do. Inform
us whether in filling mp the Territories and king
laws for the qualification and protection of their
citizens, you will place the African equality
with the white population? Come up and tell us.
1t is fair PUT it you. You have presented the
DRY now leI us know what your practice will be.
viii you take that g ound viii You place the At
Iican population CT thLir descendants, or a mixed
cOlored population of the African race an equat
ity with the white man in the Territories
which you claim sovereign power? | believe the
Senator's constituents in Illinois agree with me in
the construction that have given to the Declaration
of independence and the Constitution of the United
States, in reference to the cOlored population.
| think they themselves have interpreted this
Declaration; and, if theyl have interpreted it
wrOngfufly, | want to know from him if he IS
prepared to commence the work in that quarter, and
reduce his doctrines to practice When we turn to
the declaration of independence of Illinois, If may
so call it. what do find? In the constitution OF
Illinois it is declared
That the general great and essential neipie Of liberty
and government be rcOsnzed and unalteraby eab
s.sEc l. That equally free and ndep ndent
and inherent and indeeash rights which
those Of enjoying and defending life aaS e y aad OF &C
qairin possessing an protecting prOPe ty and regulations and
Of pursuing their own happiness" eAa
This is the declaration of Illinois. Do the people
OF Illinois understand persons of color TO be equal
with white men? If they do they have not COM
bined in the shape of constitution or declaration
Of Independence their views and sentiments on the
subject and if the Senator entertlins the views
that he presented here the otherday, would suggest
to him tn pro ri t. of going to tie State of lino
and commencing the work Of reformation there by
! changing their organic law. Although they de-
clare that all men born equal in the State Of
Illinois what do they do in their constitution? 1t
shows that when our people speak Of men being
| equals they do not incule the African race, but
regard them as an inferior race. Illinois says in
her constitution that the militia of the State of
| Illinois shall consist of all free male abe-bOdied
persons, negroes, mulattoes. and Indians excepted
to DO WHAT To perform militia duty nOtwith-
| standing they declare that all men are born equal.
Is not that correct Interpretation Of the declara-
ton in this case, well the Constitution is cor
rect Interpretation of the Declaration of lndepen-
dence in the other case? Wha: more do we find in
| that constitution?
sin all elecon all aohRe male inhabitants above the age
of twenty years having resided the months
preceding the election shall enjoy the right Of eecsor
The voters are white men, not free negroes. Not
withstandng in the declaration they say all men are
born equal yethere aclass of persons who they say
not equal to the white who shall not TO the
! baOt-bOX, shall not be found in the rank smuster-
| ing; and, as We 90 on and examine the constitution
| and laws, we find furthermore, and it will not be
| cOntrpYerted by the Senator, that even these men
| who they say. are born equal. not permitted TO
come into court of justice and be competent wit
nesses against a white man. They are not permit
ted to intePmarry with the white race, under heavy
penalties. They not permitted to remain in any
! future will not become chargeabe on the poor
| list Although these the provisions of the con
stitution and laws of his own State, the Senator
pathecally and elOquenty repeats the words OF the
Declaration of independence that all men are Great
| ed equal Look at his constitution, look at his
| own laws. look at his own declaration of indie
| pendence which uses the same language and yet
they say they are not equal, and that the negro
race was not embraced and not in the mind
| of the men who peRned the Declaration of hide
pendence.
So much for giving literal construction to the
| Declaration of Independence So much to get
ting at what the Republican party would do who
| claim sovereign power over the Territories. You
| talk about free man, and yet this man who is
free and equal, according to your idea of the sub
je0t, is not permitted to come into court of JUS
| tce as a competent witness against white mar
| is not permitted to stand in the ranks man fiji
! to muster, is not permitted TO ntermarry with a
white, is not permitted to vote. What, then, does
constitute a freeman! Oh, yes, l suppose he en-,
| joys liberty Liberty! Deprived of every priyi
| lege, he yet enjoys liberty! lie is a fireman, and
yet can exercise no franchise that pertains to 9
| freeman! lie Is worse slave in fact, than the AT
rican who is in the South and in bondage grea
deal worse, for by these restraints and restrictions
he is made slave he enjoys the shadow of the
name of being freeman, but Is stripped of all the
franchises that constitute freeman. He is a slave
in fact, without master; and think his is grea
deal worse condition than that Of the slave who ha
a master.
In connection with this point, the Senator hal
thrown out another idea which do not know whe
Their clearly apprehend or not. OF course that il
my fault and not his. He says in another portion
of his speech:
eve will perPeuse free government, by continuing tn
principles that he advocated But what beyond hal HoT
has from gentleman that side Of the House,
tell must not call ourselves Republicans, when they
themselves Democrats? Democrats the il
Of yoar principle Democracy TIE supremacy
aristoacy Of Shareholders this courtr Any
be member Of the Democratic party who will adopt you
! uphold
ing OF slavsholdng institutions in this country, which
directly net sixty the population Union
That party has aFroyaei itself the
AMI that reproacses for calling ourselves Repub
leans Democrats ary that legislates for the interest
Of forgett ng the interest Of fOurahs Of tn
families Of the South to promote that Of onefh-fre whit
If | understand him correctly, he proceeds upol
the idea that anybody can be a Democrat who i
in favor of the spread the maintenance of slave
~: he seems to lay that down essential o
sine qua non of being a Democrat Now. whel
we come look at the broad principles of the Dem
ocratic party, find thar, far the institution
OF slavery is concerned. it constitutes very small
portion of the basis and principles on which the,
| intend and expect to administer this Government
and have administered it heretofore; but the Demo
cratic party assume to be national party the Dem
Ocratic party assume TO maintain the Constitution
and all Its guarantees it is. They assume tina
this Constitution that was made and handed down L
us by our fOrefathers, guarantees the institution 0
slavery wherever found within the United States
They in advocating the Constitution of the cOuntr,
as it is stand by this institution called slavery,
| being recognized by the Constitution of the Cnite
States. which guarantees that 1t shall not be dis
turbed. Then the Democratic party stand on th
Constitution Of the country. They propose no limo
walton. They have made no advance on the North
They propose the introduction of no new institution
so tar as the northern States concerned; bu
they are disposed to stand by the Constitution of tn
country as it has been handed down to them, will
ing and anxious to abide by its guarantees. Be
cause a man in the North, who agrees that the in
stitution is constitutional, who agrees that thC
Southern States have constitutional guarantees
stands by an individual in the South maintainn.
these great constitutional rights. does that argue
that he is in favor of the spread of African slavery
that he is for continuing 1t any more rnan the Con
sttutOn continues it? 1t seems to me not; and wha
the Senator lays down as the touchStQne of the Dem
ocratc party is not the basis of that party. 1t Is
question now before the country, and has been ont
among other questions for a considerable length o
time; and the time has well nigh arrived, think
when Senator's North and South, East and West
had better begin to look into it, and where it il
driving
In the remarks of the Senator from Illinois, which
lust row quoted there is another idea thrown out
seemingly not only to affect the people outside thu
slavehodng States, but to affect those inside The
slavehodng States. 1t is said that the legislation
the South is for the benefit of out Of twenty
the Southern people. We deny it. We say that oul
egisationis in accordance with the Constitution
for the country, and not for one out of twenty OF
one out OF sixty of the people. | have heard tina
idea suggested before 1t is intended to have its in
fucnce in the Southern States. 1t is based on the
old idea that a man who owns one hundred slaves
stands equal to sixty white persons in politca
rights by reason of the three-ffths clause of the
Constitution. How does tins matter really stand
Why will you not look it on its true basis? Letu
get this legislation under the Constitution of the
United States, and we will show that the Senators
argument is sophistry- me for calling 1t by
that name-that it is not sound in logic that it i.
sound in the premises and of course, not in the
conclusion.
The Constitution of the United States provides fol-
| apportiOning representation in the other House
among the States and declares that all the free pOpu
atiOn shall be included Indians excepted; and it EN-
braces three ffths of the slaves, who to be add
| ed to the whole number of white persons. From
this originates the idea that the man holding hCn
dred slaves stands equal to sixty white men at home
! That is the argument and it is intended to have a
prejudice on the public mind. How does the matter
| STAMP Is that the basis and is it the manner in
which the thing operates practically in the States,
! Not AT all. Under the Constitution of the United
States once in ten years the census is taken That
being done, LAYING down the basis that have just
stated embracing three fitIhs of the slaves Repre-
scntativcs are ta be apportionCd, to whom? Among
the shareholders? No. Where does the representa-
ton co. want to he understood. Is it given to the
shareholders individually. where does it go? Away
with this sophisry, wrapped around with deception
In, no