Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-09-01
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY.


But, fellow citizens, there is one other point
in legislation to which want to call your at
tention. Our friends, of what is called the
Democratic party, are great advocates of"Pop
pular Sovereignty" whenever popular Sow
ereienty" inures to their benefit; but they are
very much opposed to it when they lose some
Office by its working. For instance, if the peo-
ple elect a Governor of State who Is OF the
Democratic party, they think that Governor is
a very clever fellow, and ought to be allowed
to administer the affairs of the State according
to the Constitution; and if they don't suit them
in the election of Governor, they go work to RP
point three Governors. In Kansas, if Popular
Sovereignty takes Slavery there to suit them,
if it admits Slavery, it is all very well; but If
not, then the people must be dragOoned into
these measures.
There was curious illustration of the devo-
ton of this party to the doctrine of popular
sovereignty last winter. A very singular one
What wasil We unde stand by popular SOW
ereignty, the right of the people to seect their
own officers and administer their own affairs in
their own way. You upon the Reserve, don't
suppose, admit that il is the right OF the major
itv TO cnslave the minority. l don't myself be-
Iieve that governments were ever instituted
among men TO that end. believe governments
were established among men to defend rights,
not to destroy them The idea then is that by
popular sovereignty, men are to elect their
own officers, and manage their own affairs so
as to secure the natural rights Of every man,
/ and promote the greatest good of the greatest
number Very we'll. There at Cincinnati, a
city with some two hundred Thousand people
or more.nearly one tenth part of the people
---ol the sovereigns ofthe State, it had been the
habit to elect the Mayor, and that Mayor was
in the habit of appointing the Police under the
charter or law organizing the city. Well, all
that was extremely we'll go long as the people
were in the habit of eleeting a Democratic
mayor; but when the people did not choose to
elect Democratic Mayor, it became very bad,
and so the Legislature last winter went to
work TO relieve the people of Cincinnati from
their trouble and expense-nOt expense-they
never thought Of relieving them from that
The Supreme Court had said you have no
power Of appointment. How are they going to
oct round that What are they 10 dot Why
they happened to have a gentleman named A
J Pruden, who happened to fill the office OF
Police Judge, and would hold it for few weeks
perhaps; and a gentleman filling the office o
CITY Auditor, Mr. McGbbons, who was a
worthy man and a Democrat he would fill thai
Office also for a few weeks, and there was also
a Mayor, Mr.. Thomqs. What did this Den o
cratic Legislature dol They had been told, by
the Sppreme Court, that they could not appoint
any body. SO instead of saying that these men
shall be committee to appoint Police Com
missioners, they said that the Police Judge
meaning Mr.. PruJen, and the City Auditor
meaning Mr.. MeGibbons, and the Mayor, mean
ing Mr. Thomas, should be this Committee
and that they should appoint Police Commis
sioners, To hold Office for the term of five years
and these Police Commissioner should appOin
the whole Police ofthe great city Of Cincinnati
What kind of Popular Sovereignty do you cal
ihatl
What kind Of regard for the rights of tn,
community do you call that! There was bare
faced attempt TO put the people Of Cincinnati
for the period of five years, under Democratic
control, so far as respected the appointment o
the Police of the city, and that too beyond tn
action Of the people themselves.
Look at these things, fellow citizens. jus
look at this series of partizanship, OF sham leg
isl6tion, Of the violation Of the Fundamental
principles recognized by themsely 8, and thel
ten me whether the party represented by sucl
a Legislature, and approving of the acts Of sucl
Legislature deserves your confidence.
don't wonder that those gentlemen going abOu
the State fail TO refer TO the acts of their owl
Legislature So far as ! know, they say moth
ING in favor of any Of them, except in this mer
matter of the Sub Treasury and they speak o
that IL they had establisheda safe system upo
the model of the Federal system, when i is bot
unlike that system, and unsafe, as have show
you,
> Fellow citizens, now leave this matter
: have reviewed briefly, in s,me particulars, III
/ difference between the administration and leg
slation ef the first four years, under DemoOra
: 10 ascendancy, and tho administration and lel
islation of the two years when the Republican
I had the power in both departments. l hav
; shown to you something Of the acts Of tn
n present Democratic Legislature, and l leay
all this for your consideration and judgment.
do not attempt to characterize it one way or q
: other all do. aud all desire to do, is TO Ia
q before YOU the simple facts which exist upo
: the public records, and ask you to make u