The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-09-23


have to meet this question not for the6
protection Of freedom in the territories
alone but n the States themselves. This
slave power that the gentleman told me
the glhCr day he had never seen, bat told
H~had often Jeit, takes no step backward !
in the advancement Of its interest. Every
month, every year, it adds some new de,
mand. My friend asked me why we
should be SO much alarmed by this slave
power? tell him why. 1t is because it
is threatening the liberties OF the people.
Because thew are seeking to overthrow
the Constitution, as it was understood by
the men who framed, discussed and ad-
opted IT, | tell him that the Constitution
was based upon the great truths Of the
Declaration OF Independence, and that
when it was adopted, all men regarded it
as a shield for the protection Of the free
dom OF the people, and supposed that the
great mission of that Constitution was TO
extend freedom over every foot of terri
tory that was, or was 10 be owned b7 or
annexed 10 the u. S. For while it was
never inteLded TO interfere with slavery
in the States themselves, slavery was
regarded as temporary institution which
would be soon cXIinguiahed, and under
the panopIy Of that Constitution, the songs
of freedom would be heard coming up
from every hill and every vale, through
all the forests, across all the prnireS, and
over all the lakes and mountains Of the
! broad land. And ii is because The orig.
/ inal purposes Of the trainers Of the Con
stitujon are all being threatened with
everlasting subyrrsion, by this sIaye power
at the Sou,h, ;hat we say tha! the time
has come when we should be united Ms
one man for tie advancement of freedom.
! This, then, my fellow citizens, is my ans.
wer to this question put by the gentleman,
and | pray you TO bear IN mind that this
. Democratic Earty-or what there is left OF
it, for the greater portion Of the vitality
Of that party in the North left it upon the
repeal of the Missouri mpromisc---has
ever been found the wiling and suppIiant
| instrument for the execution Of the pur-
poses of the South. 1t was because OF
this that they refused The right OF petition
to the people OF the North. Ii was
because of this that they authorized South
ern Poslmasters TO rifle the mails to pre-
vent newspapers, &c. from being crcu.
lated at the South. 1t was because Of
this that Texas, with an area six times as
great as that OF the State of Ohio, was
principle. 1t was because Of this that
Gen. Cass, who had been the advocate OF
the Wilmot Proviso, found il necessary 10
change opinion and become the apoogist
of this di>jointed and misshapen thing call
ed Squallcr Sovereignty.
Il And il is because Of this that terrific
rial slave code is now coolly demanded
and we, rs nation, will soon be called
upon formally to inausurae the reopen.
ing Of the infamous African Slave Trade
and, as the Democratic party have uni
(ormly heretofore bowed the knee TO This
power of the South, SO will they in all
time to come until every landmark OF free
dom made by the bleeding feet of oul
fathers shall have been 5loted out by the
blood of the slave, and we shall be hope
lcsSly and evcrlastingly left TO the control
OF this dark, dismal, blightng power, rs
yet, kept south Of Mason & DXon's line
say then, my fellow citizens, that the
great mission of the Republican party is
, to carry out the original plans of the fran
= crs OF our government We make NJ
new demands, we ask nothing they die
not ask, we claim nothing they did no
- claim, but We are determined to have, anc
> to use all our constitutional rights tC
/ secure what we do demand.
/ Ny friend Judge Ranney mas told yol
and | am very sorry | have occupieC
= all my ;ime-that he did no! agree will
{ his letter to Judge Hoffman written il
!, Sept. l848. have but five minutes an
O will therefore read only brief extrac
or two:
n "Neilher Congress nor a territoria
!, Legislature. in my opinion, possess tn
g. power to establish slavery. 1t can onl
4 be done by the people when admitted a
q n State, under the general principles Q
,f the Constitution. have no doubt of tn
= power OF Congress 10 erect a terrltora
q government, or To provide for the pro
Al hibition of slavery within the territory
a. And am in favor OF and would suppoI
il such prohibition
- - That's good Republican doctrine. II
. says further, that he "would never con
y sent that our flag should ever float owe
= another foot oil slave territory" That
a . good Republican doctrine now. But III,
n friend Judge Ranney told me few day
n ago, that when he wrote this letter, u
q was only very young man, and coul
"a not be expected to take SO sound an
:. comprehensive views on great state ques
m tions, as after he had had more expert
II cncc. He was young then--only 3l.-
,e (Laughter,) He was then onl Y cand
II date for Congress; two years aiterward
y. he only occupied seat in the State Cor
:, sliluuonal Convention, aud one year a(tC
i. that he was only elected TO the Suprem
m Beech of your State. lie prays yo
in therefore not to cnter judgment again
A him on account OF his extreme youth.
h, struck me then that he had better revers
N the wheels of time and go back to h
ii youth, when he was the advocate OF HI
. man lreedom--of the principles of Il
7 fathers, and of the doctrines of the Deca
mr. alton OF American independence.
in Sir, when he proclaimed that doctrin
J 1 III. tl,t ha Il