The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1859-09-14
JEFFERSON. Aug. % i59.

S4SS"'t
SAMUEL PLUMB, q.,-My Dear sir: My
attention has been called to The speech Of Mr
Corwin by individuals in various parts Of the
State. You, however, make enquiry whether
the Central Committee has authorized or em
ployed Mr.. CorWin to avow tie doctrines con-
tanned in the extract to which you have direc-
ted my attention. think not. ! understand
Mr.. Corwin to have sgnitied his willingness to
speak at various places. The Committee under
stood be was to speak Republican doctrines
do not think single member of the Com
mittee expected him to proclaim the principles
referred to. If any member concurs in those
views, it is due to his fellow members and the
public that he should say so.
Secondly, you ask whether such are the doc
trines of the Republican party? l answer, the
doctrines of that party are on record--they
speak for themselves. The first principle enun-
ciated in their confession of faith, is the self
evident truth that all men are endowed by their
Creator with the inalenade right to life liberty,
and the pursuit Of happiness" All are aware
that it was copied from the Declaration of Inde-
pendence. Every intelligent man understands
that our revolution was vindcated upon the
principle that all men are endowed by the Crea-
tor with the Inherent inalienabe right to live,
to breathe the air of heaven, to obtain food and
raiment and habtation for the body, to acquire
knowledge, enjoy their own thoughts, worship
God in their own way, to defend their persons,
to protect and nourish their offspring, etc
These are inherent rights, which every individal
is conscious Of possessing. The man does not
! live who does not feel that life and liberty are
his oaen; derived from God, and not from human
Constitutions or human Governments, This
perfect consciousness, this lne'adicable percep-
ton Of seli-eTdtnt truths, constitutes our moral
power, the motto under which we conquer
And the denial of these must consign the man,
or the party, who enunciates such denial, to
moral ara political disfav0r. The Constitution
pro esses to confer no rights whatever The
objects and purposes of its adoption are clearly
set forth by its iramers These objects were
10 form a perfect union;' 10 establish, not to
create justice; to nsetre, not to grant domestic
tranquility; TO pon10te not TO cause the general
welfare; and to secure, not to grant blessings
Iofliberty.
Hence the important assertions in the Con-
stitutiou that Congress shall make no law pro-
hfbting the exercise Of religion or uJrtRqiaq the
freedom Of speech" That instrumen: regards
the exercise Of religion and he freedom of speech
as natural rights, and it declares that Congress
shall not prohibit one, nor d5337e the other. It
pr vldes that no person shall be deprived Of life
liberty or property without due process Of law
that is, without conviction of crime. 1t does
not profess to give or TO grant these rights. 1t
pre- SuppoSeS that every man holds them from
the Creator; and 1t provides that he Shall not be
deprived of them. For two hundred years
Christion writers and commentators upon the
laws of nature and OF nations have regarded
these inherent rights OF mankind as the only
! true basis of human governments. Ours was
clearly founded upon them; and the Republican
party certainly recognized them as the basis o.
its organization. The doctrine avowed by Mr.,
Corwin is no less opposed to the vital principles
of our Government than it is to those of the Re
publican party He denies the first, the funda-
mental doctrine asserted in the Declaration o.
Independence, which is also the first and lunda.
mental truth put forth in the Philadelphia Plat.
| form.
Thirdly you enquire whether our candidates fol
State offices hold to the position assumed by
Mr. Corwin.
answer, so far as am informed, they d.
not. ] speak, however, from satisfactory knowl
edge so far as our candidate for Governor, io1
Auditor and for Treasurer are concerned. MOI
can | say that have any secous doubts as to
the others. should not have entertained any
except from the bodness with which Mr.. Cor,
win asserts his views, and the approval OF those
doctrines by portion Of the so-called Republi
can Press. 1t is certain, however that suspi
cons are entertained; that moral influence o
the party has in a degree been paralyzed by tht
promulgation of principles more despotic ever
than those Of the democratic party, | do no
think it has endangered the election; but it may
defeat some of our candidates.
Thirdly, you enquire if any considerable mum
ber of public men in the United States hold thu
doctrines avowed by Mr.. Corwin? know o
none, at least, none who have openly declared
them. Yet to do Mr.. Corwin justice, we mus
admit that every stakeholder, and every supper
ter of slavery and Of the fugitive slave law
does practically deny the inherent rights OF man
kind. For no man acknowledging their exis
tence will deny the fugitive slave to liberty
nor will he contend that the master or metn-
bers of Congress hold any just power to rel
such slave Of his inherent right. Judge Taney
In the Dred Scott case, admitted the exstenc,
Of these rights but be insisted that under ou
form of government white men alone arc enti
tied to enjoy them. Indeed he seems TO admit
that even black men in their native land, ar,
endowed with these prerogatives; but that il
this country white men are not bound to re-
spect the inherent rights of colored people,
Mr.. Corwin, however, denied their existence ii
the human soul, whether the complexion b,
black or white; and makes apparently broad
or and deeper issue with Republicans than Judge
Taney or the Democratic party We should,
however, be careful to do no injustice to Mr.. Cor
win. Ele desires to sustain the fugitive slave
law. That can be done by presupposing tina
the fugitive does not hold an inherent right K
liberty. This was seen and felt by Mr.. Corwin
/ wish it were as fully appreciated by ever,