Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-08-02
SPEECH OF GEORGE CURTIS. ESQ
AT THE GREAT Union MEETING IN RoxBrRY,
MASSACHUSETTS,.

SPEECH OF GEORGE T. CURTIS, ESQ.
AT THE GREAT Union MEETING IN RoXBrRY
MASSACHUSETTS,.
TCoRfinued feom I'd page.
Let u pause here, then. and observe the amcn.
table mistakes which were made by man Of
great energy and furce of character but one who
did not foresee, and who refused to he warned,
| what consequences would follow. | have said
that the Missouri Act rested upon the principle
that It is for Congress- to settle the character If
each Territory, by fair and equal attention To the
| just claim Of zach sectional interest, and to do it
! by ust compromises. where no other mode oi nc
non il practicable. This principle Mr.. Deucla'
resolved 10 discard and II substitute fr it aunth-
1 er. Few men, in all history, have done anything
more unwise. The old principle was a perfs tly
nc and, considering the circumstance of our
country it was very wise one. Ii had the SANE
tion II the founders Of the government: for they.
looking to to the fact that the government is con
Ic1eracy of slave. holding and non-slase holding
Siates and that the public domains are common
property, seduously studied, in their legislation
for tho expansion of the Union TO do even hand
o Justice between the two classes of the siHies
Bat IT seems To have been thought by Mr.. Douglas
lint it was necessary To be wiser than our fathers
This assumed necessity drove him to the adoption
of some theory that would take tho place If the
III and long established principle. Ill. own the
cry. NJ he has since explained it, was TO leave the
.rttler- in each Territory 10 determine it, ciHraf
ter 10 respect TO slavery and ns the practical AZ
location Of his doctrine to tho Territories q
Kansas and Nebraska required u clear field. he
swept awny the old land marks of the Missouri
settlement. The consequence was, exactly what
was fpretold That the people OF the North,
feeling themselves grossly wronged, gave them
selves up 10 an excitement which enabled those
who bad an object to accomplish. 10 establish "A
party founded On the antisluvery feelings and
10 al this spctinp tf fhp Union I'vpry
step that the Democracy have taken since, has
only built up and strengthened this ant-slayery
larty OF the North. But this was not all. We
now know. from recent revelations. that when, in
tho counscls Of the Democratic party, it
solved to discard the old principle oi Congress
l,na nc'ion and Congrcssi nal duty, and 10 iHd
new platform, it was agreed, side and
the other, that the Supreme Court should decide
whether there is any constitutional pnwcr any
"hcra to exclude slavery from a Territory. and
hat the party ''patform" should be cohsirncd ac
,'arIlng to the decision. This drawing Of til" SUI
frrme Court into the political arena in the ptep
sr,li5ns for the building Of Il party Platform,
70 yay the least of II, T"st unfortunate pro-
,rodng For, not to look at it in wider aud more
important relation, It left and should beforehand
hnve been scen to leave to the Northefa and
southern wings Of the party an inevitable and
endless controversy is to the mraning and app
eat III Of what the Court might say
MGR Hucn cIcnlnstnHttS rs these, the tiiT'hll-
II 81 the party was II forrgune conclusion. The
Supreme Court has had a litigation before it, in
ease III which had tho honor ~ counsel. tn
takr part, involving the exclusion of >li,c9y ffom
i Territory. The extreme Southern win. # the
tNt'y, the men who have nominated Mr.. Heecku.
rile,, say to Mr.. Dluglas, "now fulfil yuur bar.
ain. and come upon our plaiorm for the Court
has decided that slavery cannot be excluded from
any Territory" Not at nl," replies Mr. Dong
's, with much adroitness and with very IittIc
r,nslstency,-"the Court has not decided against
faIHl'ar Sovereignty, but only Congressional S'v-
erclenty: and nag platform remains jvst -Mirre 1t
WIS., Moreover lie says, Il never agreed -
cave to the Cont the question of Cong cssionnl
l.Ncr: About TINT We were all agreed. l. /.
IL" power of the peopie Of fhe Territory Tor Which
/ contend, and TINT Is not touched by the 'rot
SUIT case" "BoM are touched" rssputi Nj.
iiierk mrldge 'ani both involved in#lnc
parccment." "Nou,intcrventi"n," cries Mr..
Erfckirridge, "mcaus that hody shall intervene
}e.nyt, aud that trC'y hodg shall intervene tol
slavery" Who shall decide, when the ppc,pts
i the great Democratic Academy thus I,l acc?
Ii the name of Heaven. let the American People
r'rne H. and put an end forever to this -en>e,e.S
wranglinE. Whatever may be the shbolcth Of
either 81 these factions, let the people on'er th"r
doors and tell them Ia take away that hauld','
aud bury it out of our light. | put it L. You.
.cnw citizens, To You, Democrats, il there are
any here, that the doctrine. of either wing 81 your
iurty utterly useless to your country aud
yourselves Take first, the Breckenridge doctrine.
What does the South need in the existing trcun,-
ances of this country? Protection in the Ter
rtor,es! No. 1t needs protection ut home. Pro.
lection against the tinntIcism which wnuli II 1t
could. override every STATE as well as every Ter.
td"r"d barrier; Protection against the john
Browns Of our day; Protection against the demn.
gagacs who foster that antl-sayery extllcmcnt,
rom which the John Browns are born. ana IA
which they 1.-Two and move and have their being
Il all III" world were to acknowledge that the
STAKEHOLDER of Virginia or Carolina has indie
ira>illu constitutional right to carry his property
~ slaves to tho foot of the Rocky mountains. or to
'ae snowy sumnts and arid plains OF New McXl-
cr,-when nobody wants it aud where hc does not
want tit would not add one iota of security to
The social systems oil those States. The absolute
and sincere recognition ct the uncontrullable
r'sht al the southern States to their institutions
all that the South in her magnificent prosperity
nect; AMI II to rcupl, If the Nbrth Will not
"tt upon and entorre this principle. from
sous III indlspuiahe law and Justice may
i N' sure that no theories which the wit of
! can devise about the Territories will erect single
nr" barrier. or furnish single additional >Ae
guard.
TnAr, un the other hand the Douglas doctrine:
=" what earthly nse is this fiction Of 40 pular ss.
eterSnv in Wit!tstanlinS that spirit OF hostility
Il thr : auth. asa body ~ s.ivGh lers. whish mas
gained sa ia II fearful ,nf ueuce in the North and
winch, wherever II ba, had opportunity, as shall
shnw yuu.has disrsgarded constitutional rest, aints
hi violated Constitution obligation? None at nl
i VIII neither help you t. cultivate friendly aud
.A'ernal et,ng toward. your brethren OF the slave
h ldln. St,"s-it will neither Correct public zen.
Un"nt, nor will It enable You to win Victory
yer those whom you ought tpoppose. Wien tho
ha',le is FIR the Union aud Constitution, anal all
That thy involve and all that they guaranty to
every interest, tnis talk about the imaginary no