The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-10-13

wbo were opposed 10 the repeal OF the Missouri
/ Compronise took the name of Republicans
| This was the origin of the Democratic and Re
| publican parties, each party being five years
| ol6 No other question now divides them than
| that of Slavery-a question never in issue be
tween parties till 1854. The division first arose
| on the question of extending Slavery into the
| Territories, and that is still the primary ques
ton which divides them. 1t IS not in regard
to Slavery in the States, although Democracy
| is often made to mix up States with Terrific
RES. You will find in the Kansas-Nebraska
| bill pompous declaration that it was the true
intent and meaning of this act not to introduce
| Slavery into the States or Territories, nor to
exclude ii therefrom.
Who before ever thought of introducing or
excluding it from States? What power has
Congress to interfere with Slavery in the States
Why was this word inserted in Territorial
bill? For the purpose of misleading somebody
who should be so simple as to believe that
there was somebody who wanted to exclude
Slavery from or introduce it into States.
Laughter. The question now, however,
though primarily raised in regard to the in
PRODUCTION of Slavery into the Territories, ex-
tends further. 1t was started there, bat the
power which repealed the Missouri Compro-
mise has gone on demanding more, and now,
very into Territories, but all the powers in this
great Government, in all its departments, are
being exerted for strengthening and giving
perpetuity to this Institution. Not foreign
| Minister is appointed without first knowing
what his views are upon the Slavery question ;
not O treaty is made, but its bearings upon the
| subject of Slavery are looked into. In the at
tempts to seize foreign territory whether rightly
or wrongfully, the whole foreign policy of the
Government is directed with reference to giving
strength to the slaveholding interest. Every
officer Of the Government is selected with refer
ence TO this. Not Judge of the Supreme
Court is appointed, unless he is known to be in
favor of the doctrine of letting Slavery into the
Territories. Not man is permitted to hold
Office unless his influence is known to coincide
with the saveholding Democracy on this ques-
ton. -
Now, the Republican party advocates directly
the reverse of this. That party is for keeping
be Territories free, and is for managing the
affairs of the Federal Government for the ad-
gancement of the inters SITS of Freedom and free
men, not only in the North, but in the South. It
is not for encroaching upon the rights of the
shareholders, but looks to the interests of the
great mass of people in the North aud South.
One party Is for building up aristocracy; the
otherls for sustaining the masses. mean by this,
that the legislation of this so-cRled Democratic
| party locks exclusively to the interests of the
| shareholders, who constitute but very small
portion of the people of the United States. If
you will refer to the census of 1850, you will
find that only $4,000 persons hold slaves. OF
the 2O,O0O,OOO of white population of the Uni
ted States, only about one In sixty own slaves,
and only one in about twenty in the slaveholding
States owns property in man. Now, shall it be
for a.. L
the South, when we are for promoting the ad-
vancement of the interests of nineteen out of
twenty of the white population of that section
Of the Union2 And shall that party be per-
mitted to name itself Democratic which legis-
lates for the benefit of only one man in sixty of
the whole population of the United States?
1t seems to me, if there were any other aris-
tocrauc institution to be built up in this country
in which only 100000 we're interested and the
Congress of the United States we're called upon
to shape its legislation in regard to that inter
est, at the expense of more than nineteen mil
lions, it would be secuted from Congress, and
trampled under foot. Why is it that this arts.
tocratlc Institution of Slavery this ornbnatia-.z
of capital of few men invested in o.hSg--v on
should receive the unreseTyells;st Yer men,
Government would ot encroae yof up &c, the the
bg tho Co~Scec4olders. l am willing to stand
10, yess <oonstitution in all its parts, as our
l'sthers left it; l know Slavery exists by State
laws, and let the people have it where it exists,
and hug it to their boSoms until they are tired
of it. But when you ask me to extend Slavery
for the benefit of 100000 men, it is a very diff
ferent question.
After reviewing, at considerable length,
the doctrines of Judge Douglas, as promulga-
ted in his late Magazine essay, Mr.. Trumbull
proceeds as follows
/ will not detain you longer with the discus
sion of this Magazine document. have said
enough TO show that this thing called popular
sovereignty, or selfgoyernment, subject to the
! Constitution, is an unmeaning phrase. If it
means the right to DO as one pleases, it would
! be destructive of the Constitution and the
| Union. / have said enough to show that it is
utterly impracticable, because its authors can
not carry 1t out. Sovereignty implies supreme
! power. If the Territories are sovereign, the
/ United States Government is not superior to
/ them. They are not States belonging to the
| Union. The men who advocate this doctrine
are inconsistent for they impose restrictions
upon the people of the Territories The Kan.
sas-Nebraska bill is an utter refutation of the
doctrine Of popular sovereignty.
/ will undertake to state what is the true
theory of the Government of the Territories
They are not to be likened to the colonies a.
all The colonies were forever to remain de-
Tendencies of the British Crown. A Territory
is only to remain under Congress until it has
enough population to come in and be one Of
the United States. Territories are like the
children of a household. Do you think il
wrong that children should be under the con
troll of their parents? Would any one think
l it right to advocate that child should do as
he pleased, and that there was no difference
between controlling a child and an adult per
SOM For child to be subject to his parents
during minority, is a very different thing from
his being forever afterwards subject to them
The colonies were forever to be under the con
troll Of the Crown the Territories under the
control of the General Government only unit
their population will justify the formation of a
State Government, when they become sover
elgn IN their jurisdiction over domestic affairs
The Constitution of the United States, fellow
citizens, was not made for Territories 1t was
made for States. The preamble of the Consti
tuition reads" We, the people of the United
States, IN order to form more perfect union
90 ordaln and establish this Constitution +" " fol
the United States of America" 1t was made
between the original States, and for the States
II contained provisions that the Government
which they created should have certain power,
! IN regard TO themselves, and certain Other
powers in regard to Territories. They confer
red upon the Government power to do thing!
outside of the States. We have interests living
beyond the States, and exercise authority, ant
send men beyond the States to attend to thos,
interests. Agents are sent to China and t.
England, although the Constitution of the Uni
ted States does not govern in Canton or Lon
don. So with the Territories. They were out
side Of the States butthe Federal Government
has conferred upon it the power to make al
needful rules and regulations respecting thu
| Tarritcrior This 10 the lnnnrnrrn &C H. g..