Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1859-08-16
From the Western Reserve Chronic
Judge lsanAey ARl 1S4S.

Judge RanIaey aaa lS4S.
1t will probably be ofinterest to the w.
lers of Ohio, to know as much as possible
of the opinions, both past and present, of
the two candidates for the gubernalorial
Chair. Judge Ranney was once q citizen
of this place, (aud we will do him the JUS
tce to say he was a good one, and was in
1913, candidate for Congress. Hon B.
+. Hoffman directed letters of inquiry to
the several aDdidates-relatve to their
o inions on certain questions, to which
Judge Ranney replied. His letter was
published in the ssChronicle" Of Oct. 4Lh,
l84&A and republished Sept, Sd. 1866
AS We think neither our neighbor of the
Trumbull Democrat, nor any of his DEM
ocratic contemporaries, will think it neces-
sary to enlighten their readers by its re-
publication, and moreover, as we think
that, with the exception If the sixth para
graph, ii is sound Republican doctrine, we
give it third insertion. We will offer no
comments upon it, Cat present, but leave
it to the Democracy to judge for them
selves how nearly the doctrines boldly,
and we have no doubt, honestly avowed,
in l848, will square with the position oc
cuped by the Buchanan Democracy of
1859.
WARREN, Sept. 80, 1913.
DEAR S1R:--Constant engagements in
Court give me but moments time to an
swer your communication of this date |
hope, however, to be as explicit as | am
brief, in responding to the import ltant ques-
tions propounded 10 me. | fully agree
with you as to the importance of under
standing the position and principles of all
candidates for public trusts. This IS the
right of every elector, indispensably neces-
sary to be enforced to enable him to act
understandngly, and the vital principle Of
representative Democracy. The cores
pondng duty of the candidate is to take
his positions honestly, and to maintain
them openly, His "errors may be safely
tolerated while reason is left free to COM
bat them"
am in favor of maintaining the freedom
of the Territories of New Mexico, and
California in their whole extent, and ut
terly opposed to authorizing slavery or in
voluntary seryitude Of any kind, within
them, or to any compromise which shall
doom any part Of them to the curse OF
human bondage. do not stop TO state
all the reasons which bring me to this con-
clusion. Suffice it to say the maintaining
Of their freedom is, in my judgement, DUE
TO HUMANITY, to REPUBLICAN, PRINCIPLES,
to our character and interests as people,
to Mexico, and above all the poor of our
own and other lands, who shall 60 there
to find homes for themselves and their
families, and who would be BEGGARED and
DIsGRAoED by the contact of SLAVE LABOR.
Entertaining these views, if elected, |
should support all such measures as were
calculated TO maintain them, taking care at
all times not to overstep the limits OF the
national compact, or TO encroach upon the
reserved rights OF the States. 1t Is con-
cluded that these territories are now free
They must remain so until changed by
positive law Of the sovereign power
1 No question is better settled in this
country than that slavery exists in State
by vitue of local law. "lt is clear that il
can no more exist in a territory without
such law than man can breathe without
air" NEITHER CONGRESS NOR A
TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE, IN
MY OPINION, POSSESS THE POW
Err TO ESTABLISH IT. 1t can only be
done by he people when admitted as
S ate "under the general principles of the
Constitution" | have no doubt Of The
power of Congress to erect Terrltoria
Governments, and 10 PROVIDE FOB
THE PROHIBITION OF SLAVERY
WITHIN THE TERRITORIES, AMI
| AM In FAVOR OF AND WOULD
SUPPORT SUCH PROHIBITION,
/ do not think that "the legal principle
against Territorial Slavery would be made
stronger by prohibition, - but as public
and authoritative declaration by Congress
of the facts that these Territories are nov
free, and of the determination Of the Amer
ican people to keep them so, it may oe i'm
portant; at ali events it is open and fai
dealing with all parties, and l should bt
unwilling to omit anything calculated t'
give security to the principle our flag
should never float over another foot OF >lav'
Territory. You ask what measures an
IN favor Of for maintaining the freedom o.
those Territories--l have already statet
those which bear directly uponit--arothe
OF great importance, indirectly, would bt
to protect them. as well as our public
lands, from the blighting curse, of LAM
MONOPOLY Without such n monopoly
slavery cannot exist
regard tRe public lands as trust il
the hands of the government for the bene
fit of the people, and think they should b
freely granted, IN limited quantities tt
actual settlers only. This ip my opinion
would settle them with a hardy and in
dustlious population of freemen. In re
uard to slavery in the district of Columbia
| answer that more than ten years ago
had occasion to make public nv opinion 0
THE DUTY OF CONGRESS IL
ABOLISH SLAVERY IN THE Dis
; TRICT OF COLUMBIA. The lapse o
time has only served to strengthen tina
opinion The question as to the power o
: Congress over the inter- Slate slave trade
has, I believe, been settled by the Suprem