Daily national Democrat., 1859-10-06
SPEECH OF IR. DOUGLAS.
Delivered at Cincinnati on the 9th OF
September.

Fellow Citizens of Cincinnati - There
seems to be a fatality accompanying my at
temple to address you on the great political
topics of the day. Four years ago. when |
came here for the purpose of addressing you,
l was attacked with disease of the throat
which deprived me of the opportunity of be
ing heard, aud confined me to my room for
many months While on my way here yester-
day had a recurrence of the same attack,
which rendered it impossible for me to com
ply with my engagement to address you last
night, and / fear that [ will not be able to
address YOU this evening in way satisfteto
ry to YOU or to myself; but | trust, If you
will indulge me for few moments until
shall get fairly into the subject that my
voice will return 50 that | shall he able to be
heard, even to the extremiies of this great
crowd. | desire to say, in the first place
that it is no part OF my present purpo e to
discusss any question appertaining to the in
ternal polity or domestic affairs of the State
OF Ohio. SO far as the topics now pending
before the county affect your internal affairs
l choose to leave them to those who are di-
rectly interested in them but there are Ger
tain great principles of universal application
affecting the people of the entire country, in
which we are all alike interested, and which
can be advocated in Cincinnati rs well as in
Loui1ville in the free States as well as in the
shveholding states SO long as we live un-
der Constitution which is paramount, and
the law of the entire republic, any political
creed is radically wrong which cannot be
proclaimed in the same form wherever the
American flag waves or the Constitution
rules. (Cheers.) You will permit ne to re
mark, also, that the Democratic party is the
only political organization in this county
Which can preserve the peace, the harmony
and the fraternity of this glorious Union.-
(Renewed cheers) There ever has been
there ever will be two parties in this coun.
try. The one is founded on the great funda
mental principle of self government which
underlies all our institutions and the other
the antagonism of the Democratic party
The history of the Democratic party is the
history of this Republic
a record of the Democratic achieve vements
contains list Of all those glorious measures
which have characterised the unparalleled
growth and development of this Republic -
The opposition party to the Democracy at
some periods of our history is known by one
name, and at another 10y another but still its
cardinal features are opposed to the Demo
cratic organization and principles In the
party is known as the Republican party; in
the Southern States it does net assume that
name, but it sympathises with all the Repub.
sicans in all their implacuble hostilities to the
Democratic party.
The great question which separates the
Democratic party from the Opposition party
at the present time, involves the slavery
question-the Opposition contending that
the slavery question is federal question, to
he determined and controlled by federal au.
Thority. On the other hand, the Democratic
party holds that the slavery question is 10
cal question: State question, depending on
local authority, and to be determined by the
people interested in it.
In several States and Territories of this
Union, according to the platform of the Re
publican party, adopted in Philadelphia in
1856, it is affirmed that Congress has the
power and II is its duty to prohibit slavery
ia all the Territories of the United States.
and they assert the sovereign power of Con
gress over the Territories for their govern
ment This doctrine of sovereign power of
the General Government over the Territories
or Colonies Is not new, nor is it advanced by
the Republicans of the present day for the
first time. The same doctrine was asserted
by the King and Parliament Of Great Britain
over the American Colonies before the Rev.
olution. You will recoieet the great Weh-
ster said and mary others have repeated the
remark that the American Revolution was
fought against preamble, aud that pream-
BILE was to an act of ParlismeHL which de-
clared that the British Parliament had the
power aud right to hind the American colo
nics in all esses whatever. To that preamble
the colonies replied. denying the right of
Parliament to interfere with their local and
domestic concerns
When the American colonies assembled at
Philadelphia, in l774. for the irst time. they
proceeded to assert till of rights for the
colonies. In ihat hill ef rights they ackEowl.
edged and conceded to Parliament the right
to pass all laws regulating commerce, and
and touching those matters which were i'm
perill and not colonial. Bat. on the other
hand they asserted that these colonies Io3-
sessed the sole aud exclusive p0ver If Legis-
lation in their respective provincial Legisla-
lures, and in all cases of taxation and inter
nal polity.
Thus you will find that the Tories of the
Revolution asserted the very ducirine at that
day which is contended for by the RepubH-
cans Of this day, that Congress, as Parliament
has sovereign power over the Colonies or
Territories for their government Our Faith
ers, Of the Revolution, resisted that claim of
Parliamentary sovereignty over the COLONIES
with blood and with their lives during the
Revolutionary War, and the Democratic par
ty of tbs day is prepared to resist 10y all
Constitutional means. this claim of the Re-
publican party to exercise sovereign power
over the Colonies or Territories Of the United
States,
Ifany person will take the trouble to trace
the history of this question, he will find that
the Democratic party to-day stands precise
ly where the Wings of The Revolution stood,
and the opponents of the Democracy advo-
cate the same principles that were c0ntended
for ly the British Parliament and Tories of
the Revolution do not use these terms in
any offensive sense. l do not impeach the
patriotism nor impugn the motives of those
who advocate this doctriRe-tbe right of
Congress to bind the Territories in all cases
whatsoever. simply assC rt that their claim
of sovereignty over the Territories, is the
precise claim against which all the battles of
the Revolution were fought, when that claim
was urged bv the British Parliament over
the Anne lean colonies The Republicans
declare in their platform that in the exercise
of this sovereign power over the Territories.
it is the duty Of Congress to prohibit slavery
wherever it may be found in all the Terrific.
rice of the United States. The Southern
Opposition party. on the other hand. asser,
the sovereign power of Congress over the
slavery question, and demand that it shall be
exercised for the protection and maintainance
of slavery in all the Tersitor. .es Of the United
States.
Thus you find that the Southern OppOs-
oTfxv Al. Ia.
party advocate the same principle-that O.
Conrressionnl interventinn ON a. s,lGnnt ~