Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1860-09-20

that the storm has broken up our meeting
and distracted our discussion, we may CON
sole ourselves with the thought that the rain
was very much needed for the farming and
agricultural interests Of the county; and
therefore, as our only object is to promote
the public good, that We probably have gain.
ed as much in one way by the storm as we
have lost by 1t in another TCheers.l
/ hardly know where l left off in my re-
marks, for ] was speaking entirely without
notes. but believe | was calculating the
proposition that under our system of govern
ment, persons and property are dependent
upon the local law for protection in the Ter.
ritories, the same as in the States of this Un.
ion. Congress can exercise no powers ex.
] cept those which are Federal In their charac
ter and applyto the whole Union, without
interfering with the domestic affairs of the
people either in the States or the Territories
and, as / have already remarked, it has never
yet passed law for the protection of any
species of property either in tho States OF
the Territories. Congress merely calls into
existence the Territorial governments, in
order that the people may elect their own
! legislatures, ard then make their own laws
| for the protection Of their own interests. In
q country as broad as this, with such vari-
ETY. of climate Of soil, and population, there
must necessarily be corresponding vari ETY.
of interests. requiring institutions and lie gis-
lation in each locality adapted to their wants
and circumstances. For this reason, our
fathers, in erecting our system of govern
ment retained to the separate Legislatures o.
the States with sovereign power over all that
is local and domestic, while they conceded
to che Federal government all general powers
that affected the general welfare ofthe whole
country. Our fathers knew, when they made
this government, that the laws and institu'
tions which were suited for the hills and val
/ leys Of New England were lily adapted to the
] rice, tobacco and sugar plantations of the
South. They knew, therefore, that there
must be in each locality differentlaws, which
would answer the wants, the condition and
the circumstances ofeach community. Hence
you observe that uniformity in local laws and
institutions is neither desirable or possible
Our theory of government is based upon the
supposition that the institutions of no two
States would be precisely alike. The fram
ers Of the government well knew that the
laws and regulations that would suit the min.
ing regions of California would not suit the
prairies of Illinois; and hence this complex
system of government, by which each com.
munity may have its own system of laws and
its own institutions.
believe that our political opponents rec
ognize and acknowledge the justice of the
ion, but they deny the propricty of it whe'
applied to the Territories. When ask then
why should not the people Of Virginia be per
mittcd to have slavery if they think it will
promote their interests, and the people O
Illinois be permitted to abolish il if we fnd
that in our climate, with our productions,
is not profitable, they admit that the principl
is right as applied to the States, but they sa.
that it cannot be applied to the Territories. -
Why should not the people of the Territorie
, be permitted to make their own laws, as wei
; as those of the States2 Who are the peopl
of the Territoriesl Are they not emgrant
from the old States of the Unionl Did no
manv ofthem go there from Virginia. Ar
not the Territories now filled with Virgin
iansi Let me inquire whether they were no
capable of self government before they left
If they were, did they loose all the sense, al
the intelligence, all the virtue they ever hat
on their way from the Old Dominion to tn,
Tcrritoriesl TCheers.) I met tonight ma
tive of the Cockade City, who emigrated t.
Minnesota when it was Territory, and If
could find him here l would like to know
from him whether, when he got there anc
f learned little Of the country, ascertaineC
it's wants and interests, and determined Il
make his home there, he was less capable o
t self-governmcntt than he was before he set foo
: in that Territory (Applause and laughter.
You may be fthe opinion here in Virginia
, as found MANY I'M in New England a fey
weeks apo. that Won are better able to deter
, mine for ms of the frontier what sort o law
and institutions We want than we are our
selves. While that may be your opinion, i
: is not ours. [Laughter.l
We think that the men who emigrate from
their homes, the land OF their blrth ana IN
a scenes of their childhood, and take up thei
residence in the wilderness or on the pralr
les, make their own farms, erect thelr Owl
houses, plant their own orchards, and ''spi'
their o,rn rails great laughterl, know aoou
1 as wei what sort OF laws and institutions WI
SUIT them, as you who never went ava
lromyour naive place. know tnat IL Is yer
natnral ior man to suppose that the piac
where ne was born Is the very cehtre OF CIV!
: iiIatioh, ana tnat the mis- which surround III
WIS, VISION are the limits OF all that rs goou, an
- 80 , 49, " yUL r -.
v n child enterta;ned somc Of these oninion
S mvself, On, dav. however. when brok
Q away from hon. and oot across the mountai
t into the ncxt valley. found the people ius
Q like those 7 had left eouallv intelligent an
1 virtuous ana was ntterlv amazed at tn
/. nrediudicesJ had nreviouslv entertained. -
s So il is with all. Asvou 20 from valley t
0 valley. and from Stateto State. of this Union
! vour nrediudicas arc one nv one remoye6
Won become more liberal and more pener,
and universal in vour confidence in the pa
i riotism Of vour fellow. citizens.
.,.,,,,,o., - ,,,. ,,,,,.,., MO r,,r ,,,,ov
y, ''"
I pei'eVe that we OF the NoIthwes. l0v
tnls UHioh more tnan you III the ''OIu ~