White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1859-12-15
Tom Corwin on Popular Sovereignty.

Speaking of the unreasonableness OF
the popular sovereignty doctrine. he rela-
ted the following incident: An honest
man was troubled in Ohio with disease
called hypochondria. (I believe the
proper technical name is hypochondrias
the gentlemen of the profession of medi-
cine can correct me if am wrong, ad-
ded the speaker. / do not like to make
mistakes before very ignorant audience,
because you would always labor under
them after this. l mentioned this case
to DR.. Scott, and he told me it was very
common, and said that he had case Of
this kinda man imagining himself
pregnant. Somebody must have had
just that hypochOndria and thought him
self pregnant with this popular sovereign
ty, Well now, there was no way ofcur-
ing that disease but by humoring the pc
culiar insanity of the patient The doc
tor felt his pulse, looked at his tongue, and
said, ''You suffer great deal, l suppose,
my friend?' "Oh, terrible" was the re-
ply. "Well, friend, it will soon be over.
on such day you viii be delivered"
The doctor contrived some means Of car
rying on the illusion that he mad practiced
on the mind of his patient, in order to
cure him, and caught what we call a
ground hog, or what you would call a
woodchuck. 1t is very unseemly, i'll
favored sort of beast. He took it to
the house, and on the day appointed he
there found him in terrible spasmodic
commissions. and in due time. he said,
There is your babe" Said the doctor,
"Don't yeu feel better now?' 10, per-
fectly well, doctor this is a terrible
thing. doctor, being delivered of child"
He took the grounding in his hand. and
looking at it, said, "Is that it?" "Yes."
replied the doctor. He 1.-THE delivered
tried to make his hair lay straight, the
hog meanwhile swapping at him. "Well,
said be" ''it amt good looking baby,
but as long as it is mine l will have to
love it." Tremendous laughter, which
lasted several minutes.) My brother
Democrat, said Mr.. Corwin, popular
sovereignty. when you come to look at
him, Is nothing but a grounding. We
had tried popular sovereignty. Congress
had refused to exert its power over the
Territory of Utah, and the consequence
was that bigamy, incest, adultery, and
foul den of miserable eoncubines had
been allowed to tester there, and the
power of Congress was impotent to wipe
that black spot from the page of our
country's history. Popular sovereignty
was let loose and exerted its benefcent
power in Kansas, and five years of civil
war had been its legitimate consequences.
Popular sovereignty prevailed in Kansas
ever since 1854, and every blade ofgrass
on the beautiful prairieS that spread them
selves ont in that delightful country had
been Redeemed with the blood Of the in
habitants of that Territory, under the
protecting Kgis Of popular sovereignty.
Congress failed to protect the people, and
out of their misconduct came up the
spectral image of treason and insanity
poor old John Brown. That was the
legitimate fruit Unpopular sovereignty.
The speaker then painted, graphically.
the present prosperous condition of the
west compared with what it was before it
was populated. The people of Ohio
had sent him back to Congress. and by
Gods help he would endeavor to estab-
ISL Republican principles.