Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-02-15

| There was the pro-slavery party, III favor OF
slave State. There was, between these two,
very considerable party, supposed to hold the
balance of power, and that party l may char
acterize as the anti-negro party. They said
they would sooner vote for a slave State, than
for free State with a constitution admitting
free negroes and mulattoes. They preferred
to have slaves in Oregon, rather than free ne
groes; and it was for the purpose of securing
their vote for a free State, that the Republicans
and free State Democrats inserted and advo-
Gated this provision. The leading Republicans
of that territory advocated the adoption of the
| constitution containing this provision. Mr..
Logan, who received every Republican vote
for United States Senator, advocated, on the
stump, the adoption of the constitution with
this clause.
What was the vote Why, sir, this clause
of the constitution had a majority of seven
thousand five hundred and fifty-nne votes :;
while the constitution itself had majority of
only four thousand votes. The Democratic
majority in the Territory, as shown in the
election Of Representative to this House, was
only one thousand six hundred and thirteen
votes. Then it is proved by the official record,
that the Republican party combined with the
trce-State Democratic party, to sanction and
ratify this provision of the constitution, which
is here called in question. There is also album
dant evidence, outside of the record, to satisfy
any one that such is the fact This then, is
the apology for the action of the people of
Oregon on this question. What Republican,
or what friend of free States, is justified, under
these circumstances, in voting to exclude the
people of Oregon from this Contederacy on
account of this provision, which is only an
expedient, and not thing for practical use
1t is very easy, at this distance, to censure the
people Of Oregon, and to pronounce Judgment
against them; but such Judgment may be
neither wise nor just
"Then at the balance let's be mute
We never can adjust it;
What's done we partly may compute,
But know not what's resisted.
But, sir, there is another objection urged
from certain quarters, with great pertinacity
| mean the objection to the suffrage of aliens
The Constitution of Oregon, in respect to
alien suffrage, is certainly more stringent than
that of others. 1t is the same as the territorial
law has been during the last ten years 1t re-
quires residence of twelve months in the
United States, and of six months in Oregon
1t requires that the sworn declaration of an
intention to become a citizen of the United
States shall have been on file at least one year
What was the inducement for that encourage
ment of aliens ? The wages of labor are now,
and have been, in Oregon, double what they
are ON the Atlantic coast and, ask would it
be eXpedient or wise for Oregon to drive away
from her borders the emigration from Europe,
on which she has to rely for developing the
resources of the country? Certainly not.
Such policy would have been disastrous in
the extreme to the young State. 1t was wise
and prudent therefore, for Oregon to invite
and encourage that immigration which she so
much needs, to develop her great resources,
and to secure for her the products of her nat
ural wealth.
These, sir, are among the plausible and os-
tentatious objections that have been urged on
this side Of the House against the admission
Of Oregon. There is yet another argument:
that Kansas has been excluded from the Union
by the action of the Democratic party and
that, therefore, Republicans out to exclude
Oregon. The argument amounted to this:
that we should abuse Oregon because the
Democrats had abused Kansas. Now |, for
one, am quite content that the record of the
Republicans, in respect to Kansas, should be
better than the record of the Democratic par
ty | am quite content that the record of the
Democratic party, in respect to Kansas, should
be just what it is; and l do not think it is pos
sibe very much to improve the Republican
record, or to impair the Democratic record
Are we to sacrifice our own political principles
and advantages for the sake of compelling the
Democratic party to a consistency of action
consistency in doing so? Certainly not. l
think the Republican party has another, and,
to my mind, a less difficult mission to per-
form; and that is, to preserve its own consis-
tency.
These are some of the palpable objections
that have been urged on this floor. | come
now to some for which l thank the gentleman
from Indiana, Mr.. Hughes. He has present
ed to the House some secret objections which
no Nt1hl i |, 4
sion Of Oregon. The first is, that the Repub-
icans are opposed to the admission of Oregon
because it is Democratic State. Now, sir,
does not the gentleman from Indiana under
stand that the Republican party is not so de-
void Of sagacity as to fail to see that to reject
young State for the reason that it is Demo-
cratic would make it Democratic forever!
Does the gentleman from Indiana find any,
thing in the history of the Republican party
which justities such conviction of its stupidity,
as would lead him to say that the Republican
party, as party, is opposed to the admission
of a free State because her people had chosen
such politics as seemed to them best ? Does
he not see that sagacious Republicans, finding
that the Republican party in Oregon is now in
minority OF only few hundred votes, under
stand that if Oregon be admitted by their ac-
ton, and were thus set free from the influence
OF executive patronage, she would very soon
become Republican State?
But further than that the gentleman brings
up another secret reason why the Republicans
would oppose the admission of Oregon That
secret reason is, that in case of the failure of
the people to elect President, and in case of
that election coming to this House, there will
be vote from Oregon against the Republican
candidate, which may procure his defeat. Now
does not the gentleman from Indiana under
stand that any such position of the Republican
party would secure its defeat that if it were
stupid enough to take position against the adj
mission of free States, because their constitu-
tons were not universally approved, it would
require more than the vote OF one State either
in Congress or out of Congress, to help or harm
the prospects of the party? l thank the gen
tleman from Indiana for the secret reasons
which he has given and which have thus far
been enabled to prove too absurd and impotic
to influence the action of the Republican party
There are certain principles which, i'll my
opinion, should govern the House on ques-
ton Of the admission Of State. First, the
constitution must be republican in form. Sec
ond, there must be sufficient population what
number may be sufficient, must be left to the
discretion of Congress. Third, the proposed
admission must be shown to be for the benefit
OF the contracting parties; to be best for the
State applying, to be best for the Confederacy.
Let us look at these principles and see how
they should affect the vote on the admission of
Oregon First, then, is the constitution pre-
scented by Oregon republican in form?
/ will here send to the Clerks desk a quota
ton from an authority which is justly and gen
orally respected by Republicans-an extract
from speech of Senator Seward made in the
Senate of the United States last May, upon
this very question.