New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-07-28
SPEECH OFF. P. BLAIR, JR, or MIS-
SOURI,
FIRST FREE-SOIL SPEECH EVER U2LIV-
Erred IN ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

filed with AL audience Of four hye hundred, those
| in the foreground being the prominent Pro-Sivery
citizens Of ST. Joseph whe scattered arould were the
lsborlrg men of the city-the honest hearty Free
| STATE men of the section.
II. Is. Branch introduced the speaker, who WIS., re-
| celved with loud applause.
Mr. Blair was thankful for the large attendance
present. anc admit be felt some embar 1ssment IN
addressing them, knoslng that 50 many differed ron
| aim, and 20 widely shall express my views traaky
ard fearlessy yet striving not 10 wound the feelings
| OF those who disagree ~th me.
Ihave been reared in the -trctest sect of Democracy
have not changed, but still remain sound Demo-
crst yet differ essentially from the theory Of pluc
held 10y the socaled Democracy OF the prescott time
They have aposta,ized add abandoned every Demo
cratic ueasure and no, capable OF uterny De no.
cratic sentiments. They have Orsaken every measure
heretofore held Democratic and were 10 aidlce
al the proof Of thi, should dc ain you til 70 morrow
morning. shall only select some Of these points upon
which 10 touch.
The President met the last Congress with propo
siiion for protective tariff Where did he learn such
Democracy His Administration came INTO power
with surplus in the Treasury of twenty millions aud
at the end Of nine months be asked for an issue OF
twenty Millions Of shinplaster-. Where did be learn
ouch Democracy This WAS soon gone, and be asked
for twenty millions mole, which was voted and the
Text session another twenty mi lions was asked tor
and granted. All of this required by Democratic
alton, AMI voted by Democratic Congress
Tie expenditure Of the Admnistr .tlon has been one
LuadIed millions year more than was expended when
we supported an army in Mexico. EcOoomy used TO
be a cardinal principle With the Democracy, but nov,
extrsvagaLce. You know that the Secretaries OF Dir.
buchanan have hardly escaped Impeachment. MIR.
Eoyd Fell, the military serves privately for less than
ue.fouth their value, aud buys Wletts Point from
his friends ~ II much higher price than It had already
beef offered the Government while Ioucey avlshes
tie fumes of the people on Political and personal iavo-
ri'e- by coal and ltveoak contracts.
The Democratic party originally framed the land
policy OF our Government aud for the beneht ~ tho
people; but the last Democratic Congress would de
-, N,,t ttpn San. ~. NJ al
Home stead bill. This party has abandoned all Demo
craic measures and gone TO the Lecompton Con-
stituton which the people Of Kansas opposed ~ since
shown even in the face of Democratic Adnlnstra-
ton attempting 10 bube them; this mas been the sole
measure Of the present Democracy You, from your
position know the truth Of my statement. 10 the late
election il Kansas the Democratic party have been
forced 10 ignore the Administration aud declare them
ELVES the genuine Free ST ate party. This Democratic
Administration has not only spD-atized, but strven to
break down the West; il mas oppOsed the preenpton
and homestead policy, which made the West Demo
cratic heretofore because the Democracy we're loyal
TO the rights Of the setters, and for which they were
pnd by the confidence o the people, and sustained by
their votes. The South demanded the opposition to
the Homestead bill, fearing lest the throslng open oil
the pubic lands to the poor white men OF the North
should exclude Slavery and erect a tier OF Free
States across the continent. Slavery demands this,
and that Western Democrats should vote against
the improvements OF rivers ard lakes In the west.
II il unconstitutional, they say to free thus great
river AT your door from obrtructloIs, while thousands
are expended to improve Cape Fear River To-
te,rupted bv a voice" Didn't Congress refuse
togIve anything to Savannah hiver me Iayo o,
savannah received large sums, much Of which was
useless expenditure. Voice" Tell the truth.
| speak the truth, but others may not. Applause
Down on a little river near the water where there
is nothing but niggeIs and mn-ketoes, money may De
expo noed, but no. dollar for the West. Applause
douglas is one of the Democratic stars. Voice:
" That "a" lie Is so much ot Il Democrat they
dare not r.pudiate him. lAPpl4use.l Douglas says
81. a.,la. ha "a In
bat nothing for the West.
The Pacific Railroad is in tho same fix ~ the rivers
and lakes. The West will never have II TIL the Demo-
cratic party goes cut of power. Applause The
Democracy refused to survey the Central route, but
iuorted caes to survey the southern desert aud DIS
union route which proved lit only for csmes, carrying
water in their bellies for three or four days. Ap-
plause They refused aid 10 the Central route lest
there should be chain Of Free States this parallel.
The Southern route was surveyed without al appro-
priaion for vi at they for the laws OF Congress
Missouri asked for an overland mall and bill vas
passed Congress allowing the f0stmaster-Genera u
let the contract the contractor 10 select his own route.
On opening the bids wa found for the Southern
desert route but the Posna-ter-tianera told one of
the bidders he would put IN bid tor the Southern
route he should have the contract. The bid WAS made
and the contract letthe distance thereby being in
creased 900 miles between s.. Louis and San francisco.
100 COO men and women have beaten PLAIN track
acros. the Plains but that route musrgive way to tho
desert route, with this Democratic Administration.
lApplsuse. ] offered bill rcy0klug the Postmaster
Generals contract and it went 10 Committee
wherein was u member from MIssoun-and slept |
tackled il on TO the Post-Oiee Appropriation bl and
three Members from Missouri voted against 1.-TWO of
the three were from this border; of them your
own representative. He il not in town
care not; should say the same were he hore. APP
plause.
Tie south mods the policy Of the Democratic
party and il is against that policy for the West TO ex
paud they only desire Slavery Extension. and tor this
uolcy they oppose tine West and nsr Interest,". A.
long as the Democracy lives You get nothing, unless
flom God himself, who planted the gold a, Pixies
peak which has been so OPPORTUNITY discovered, to
give State and a central route TO the Pacific, for
the defeat of that parry.
for aid. Our interests State opposed 10 the
South in this matter Missouri lies north OF tine Slave
Sts,rs; she surrounded by the Free States, with
which he interests are identical. lilsses and cheers.
Cries Of I" Go on aud 4" turn hun out. have not The
ea.t idea of stopping. Applause. Illinois lies on our
eastern boundary, Iowa on our northern Kansas on
our western which viii be- Free State IN spite Of
Lecomp,on aud The Administration sppause and Ar
kau-as weak and OF LILLE consequence 10 u, On tne
south. | have sometimes noticed 10 tue papers that
/ little tee-wax and 4 few mu-kra, skins come from
there, which Is the amount Of Our Interests with Arkan-
"a. Iapplausel, while our connection with the Free
| Sts'ts Il intimate and extensive.
We must look, in national concerns, 10 The real
advantage Of the State. | told you l should speak
freely OF Sayery-t Is the question OF tue DAY, or you
would gentlemen from this section vote as they
do. A. understands II, the Dred 500. decision Il tn
| standpoint II the Dem pcracy on Slavery CahouI
fret promulgated the doctrue thst the Constitution,
rer carried Slavery into the TerrtOre. You know
what hs Democracy was in the days Of ksOD-tnen
nn prominent statesman though, Of greeting with hin.
lVOlce-" Calhoun was rght. [ think not. tie
was opposed the doctrines OF Jefferson. II you
/ fu,e jefferson and take Calhoun, do boldly, anu
don't steal the livery Of Heaven 20 serve the devil
in AZ the request IF Monroe, Calhoun, when ID his
Cabinet, signed a writing Asserting 10 the Missouri
/ Compromise ami simittIng is cons,u,ons,ty. Il
Wa 81 aietthOught of Csnoun- az OF the Democratic
party that the Constitution carries Slavery into the
rsrr,tories | but ak the prO,cs.ing Democracy 20