New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1859-10-07
NO. 8. Z

nad Deen insisted upon by the enemies OF DEM
ocracy---after having proposed that every Ter
ritory in the northwest would be overrun by me-
groes and slavery and free labor degraded and
driven forth, in case Democratic principles were
allowed to prevail there were only some half
dozen negroes in all the Territory Of Nebraska,
while Kansas would certainly be admitted as q
free State. He had invariably been firm in tho
faith that such would be the result of the prac-
tical workings Of Democratic doctrines, and he
would have been most unhappy had the contra
ry result ensued, and in spite Of all that had
been prophesied he was reioiccd to assure them
of so beneficial result He had been devoted
to these principles and had followed the glorious
leadership Of the "Cicero of America" the I'M,
mortal Henry Clay, in making the seven COM
promises. My competitor insists upon the right
Of Congress to exercise Jurisdiction in local af-
fairs, the right to pass laws for the government
Of the Territories, but he will not produce his
authority from the Constitution, where t!if it ex-
ist anywhere, it must be found. have con-
stantly voted against these doctrines in my con-
gressional career as is proven by extracts from
my remarks in the Senate, Feb. "a, 1854, ON
and Nebraska. e raErajl1
The Senator from Connecticut and others
who are opposed to Kansas and Nebraska, not
only question the right of American citizens who
are permitted to settle upon the public territory
to selfgovernment, but sneer at the idea of their
competency to govern themselves, were they per-
mitted to do so. Is that Senator prepared to
assert that any two or three hundred citizens Of
this State are so ignorant that they could not
frame laws and regulations for their well-being,
were they settlers together in either Of those
Territories2 '.@-i i. " .a q.
assert without fear of contradiction That it is
generally the most enterprising patriotic and
intelligent Of our citizens who settle in the Ter
ritories; and they have ever believed that they
have the right to make the rules and regulations
for their own domestic government" ~ 52
"And, sir, honesty and consistency with our
course in 1850, demand that those Of us who sup
ported the compromise measures of that year,
should zealously support this bill, becauae it is
a return to the broad principles of leaving the
ing for themselves their domestic Institutions"
| Upon Mr.. Soule's amendment to the bill for
the organizatization Of which, spoke, as fol-
lows: y-2T .'a a4@4sA 81 hic7 OBJ
"Then, Mr.. President, on the other side, tho
Honorable Senator from South Carolina (Mr.g
Butler) is perfectly rabid upon the subject of the
formation Of new States, and is utterly alarmed
at the idea of freemen in the gorges and noun
tains Of Utah and New Mexico deciding for them
selves whether they will have negroes or not,
and who is taxing his ingenuity.in in devising ways
to prevent them from doing 50; and here is the
Senator from New York (Mr. Seward) declaring
that it is absolutely necessary for Congress to
adopt an organic law and that in that act Con-
gress can shape the institutions of the embryo
State in accordance with the sentiments Of the
people of the whole Union. Sir, you can not
thus trample under foot the sacred rights of
A~oo o1- L. hns s,o
Territory. They are intelligent, and I am will
selves. I shall not, by my vote, infringe upon
their rights, nor do anything which shall give
just cause Of ofense to any portion Of the Un-
ion." (Applause.) go z...
What at that time was the opinion of cotem-
porary patriots? Hear what was said by Judge
Joseph r. Underwood upon this matter, on the
occasion of the discussion of the amendment of
Mr.. Soule: ..a~ ~. fs
II rise to express my thanks to the gentleman
from Louisiana and the gentleman from n. y.
(Mr Dickinson) who arc affording in this move-
ment the only ray of hope that has been shed
upon my mind in regard to compromise of the
difficulties of our country. Sir, this Constitu-
ton Of ours was based upon the idea originally,
that local matters should be left to the local ju
risdiction of the States; and all the difficulties
that we have had from the date Of the Missouri
Compromise down to the present day, have grown
out Of the violation Of that principle. And here
sir, for the first time in thirty years, is an amend
ment made upon this floor, by which it appears
that we are to 60 back to the days of the found
alton of the Government" M sa2aa .ass4s 81
s'Sir, what is the foundation of all our diff
culties!-It is an attempt on the part Of mem.
bers Of Congress to regulate locsllmstters u 10
cal jurisdictions: This was the foundation ofthe
the gentleman from Louisiana, if It had been ap.
Piled to the Missouri case, would have headed
the difficulty at that time, and we would never
have had it to settle. The foundation Of that
difficulty was an effort on the part Of Congress
to refuse to the people of local jurisdiction the
right to shape their local government to suit
themselves. This was the foundation Of it, aud
II has haen the foundations of all the ificnltsaa