Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1859-07-29
ImPORTANT sPEEcH-DEmocRAcY
OF lRGO.

IMPORTANT sPEEcH- H-DErHoCRACY
OF 1880.
Ihe Hon. A. H. Stephens, Of Georgia,
was the leader Of the Democratic side Of
the House, in the last Congress. He is one
ofthc ablest men in the party, and belongs
to the more moderate aud conservative
school Of Southern Statesmen. Ho has
represented tho Augusta District for many
years, and on taking 8 recess from public
life, Mr.. s. recently addressed large con.
course Of his fellow citizens at Augusta, on
political topics, past, present and future.--
What ho said becomes important from the
fact that Il undoubtedly presents, substan.
tally, the slavery platform upon which tho
nominees Of the Charleston Convention will
be placed, and between which positions and
those of the Republican party the people Of
the United States will have to determine at
the next Presidential election. His speech
is calm review Of the sectional struggle IL
which he hasbsen Appointment participator,
and Mr.. Stephens arrives at tho conclusion
that the extension and perpetuation Of sia.
very Is the true solution Of the negro prob
lem. He states that negro slavery is but
in its infancy; that tho institution Is stron.
ger now than it was sixteen years ago; that
nothing has improved like it; that it is firm
and secure in its position; that the great
principle to DO carried out is its expansion
and that it is getting stronger, whether in
the Union or out Of it. AS one of tho most
important political documents of the day,
wo copy from Mr.. Stephens speech several
paragraphs, as reported by tho Augusta
ConstitutionaIist, which, though briof, are
sufficiently explicit Of the meaning Of the
whole. We commend them to the ntten.
ton Of our readers:
THE ASNExATIoN OF TExAs--FouR SLAVE
STATES SECURED.
"Hc alluded to his connection with the
annexation of Texas--one Of the most mo-
men,ous questions, and the first which he
had ever met with. It was fiery ordeal,
for he thenstood in opposition to his friends;
but a sense Of duty impeled him to adopt
the course he did. The secret history OF
this subject has never been written. The
annexation of Texas secured four slave
States to tho Union. Without claiming
any honor fer himself, he stated that tho
resolutions that passed tho Senate. were
drawn up bv himself and Brown, Of Ten.
nessee; and that Mr.. Calhoun and Mr.. Ty.
Ter never saw them until they were in print
ExTENsIoN OF sLAvRRY---THE SOUTH vIcTo
RioCs.
"a greater and fearful crisis arose--tha
was the question Of tho power Of Congress
over tho ertitories---whcther new slave
States should be admitted; or whether the
South should never expand or enlarge
whether our institutions should be starvec
out; whether the South should submit tc
degradation. He would not give the histo
ry of those times, but simply say, in regarc
to the part he took, it is past--what he die
is donc-but whether right or wrong, tn
record is made up. The South is success
ful. She asked nothing wrong from tn,
North, and got only what was right.
FOR THE UNION ONLY so LoNo AS THE soUTl
TRIuMHHs.
"He was perfectly willing TO remain i
tho Union; but simply said stay the har'
Of oppression. AS much as he loved AM
admired the Union, ifthe South was to b
hrmmed and hedgcd in, he was for resist
ance, sooner than submit to practical o
theoretical questions Of wrong, he was 70
resistance. He believed truth would ,r
umph; all the South wants is decision, un
ion, patriotism; be believed in the powe
and omnipotence Of truth and would ask 70
nothing wrong. The great principle to b
carried out is expansion right of tn
people of tho South to go TO the Territorie
with their slave property, protected by tn
Constitution on platform Of equal right.
WHAT VICTORIES THE SOUTH HAS GAINED
SLAVERY IN THE TERRITORIES.
"Tho question was fully settled as aprir
ciple, that Congress should make no dis
elimination in regard to sectional rights j
tho territories, but that tho people Of eae
territory, when about TO form constitutio
rs State, should decide for themselve
whether they should come into the Unie
as free or slave State.
"rhe Missouri Compromise doctrine, th
Texas doctrine, tho Territorial doctrine 9
Rnfus King in 1917, havo all been abar
doned. In the admission Of this principle
it was not triumph Of the South, but
triumph Of justice, truth and right The So
tlement was fully up to the demands Of tn
south. She never asks but for what is righ
The principle is now settled that Congress
shall abstain from all Legislation on tho sui
ject of slavery in the territories, whether
To the North orthe Southland the territc
ries arc now open TO all sections, and has
the privilege Of adopting slavery or not, !
the people may choose when they come
form Constitution.
HE rs FOR A SLAVE CODE.
"rhese measures did not 90 as FAR as
! wished; he would have. Congress to gi'
, protection to slave property in the publ
, domain as long as it remained in a territ
rial condition.
IA majority Of the South differed wit
him--rot more than twenty-five men