East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1860-02-09

3
labor is good thing with Us, it must be
the best thing everywhere. In other
words, the creed Of their party rests upon
the theory that there mast be uniformity
IN the domestic institutions and internal
policy Of the several States Of this Union. /
There, in my opinion. is the Fundamental!
error upon which their Whole system rests.
l. in the Illinois campaign, assorted, and
now repeat, that uniformity in tho do
nestle institutions Of the different States
Is neither possible nor desirable. That Is.
the very issue upon which ] conducted
the canvass at home, and il is the qBcs-
ton which / desire 10 present to the Sen
ate. | repeat, that uniformity in domes-
tic institutions of the different States is
Heithcr possible nor desirable,
Was such the doctrine Of the trainers
of the constitution? | wish the country
20 bear in mind that when the constitu-
ton was adopted the Union consisted Of
thirteen States, twelve Of which were
slaveholding States, and one a free state.
Suppose THIS doctrine of uniformity on
the slavery question had prevailed in the
Federal convention, do the the gentlemen
on that side of the house think that free
dom would have triumphed over slavery:
Do they imagine that the one free State
would have outvotcd the twelve slave
holding States, aud thus have abolished
slavery throughout the land by censti-
tutional provision? On the contrary, If
the test had then been made, if the doe
trine Of uniformity on the slavery cues
ton had then been proclaimed and be
lieved in, with the twelve slaveholding
States against one free State, would 1t
not have resulted in constitutional pro-
vision fastening slavery irrevocably upon
every inch Of American soil, North as
well as South? Was it quite fair in those
DAYS FOR the friends Of free institutions
20 claim that the Federal government
r,ast not tegch the question, but must
leave Tho people Of each State to do as
they pleased, until under the operation of
chat principle they secured the majority,
and then WELD that majority to abolish
slavery in the other States Of the Union:
Sir, if uniformity in respect to domes-
tic institutions had been deemed desira-
Die when the constitution was adopted,
there was another mode by which it could
have been obtained. The natural mode
OF obtaining uniformity was to have
blotted out the State governments, to
have abolished the State Legislatures, to
have conferred upon Congress Legislative
power over the municipal and domestic
concerns Of the people of all the States
as well as upon Federal questions affect
ing the whole Union; and il this doctrine
Of uniformity had been entertained anc
favored by the trainers of the constitu
ton, such would have been the result
But, sir, the trainers of that instrumen
knew at that day, as we'll as we nov
know, that in country as broad as this
with so great a variety of climate, o
soil, and of production, there must neces
sarily be a corresponding diversity o
institutions and domestic regulations
adapted to the wants and necessities o
each locality. The trainers of the con
sttution knew that the laws and institu
,tions which were we'll adapted to tn,
mountains and valleys Of New England
were i'll suited to the rice plantations an,
the cotton fields of the Caroinas.
They knew that our liberties depende,
upon reserving the right to the people @
each State to make their own laws an,
establish their own institutions, and con
troll them at pleasure, without interior
cnce from the Federal government, o
from any other State or Territory, o
any foreign country. The constitution
therefore, was based, and the Union wa
founded, on the principle of dissimiarit
IN the domestic institutions and intern'
polity Of the several States. The Unto
was founded on the theory that eac
State had peculiar interests, requirn
peculiar legislation and peculiar institu
tons, different and distinct from ever
other State The Union rests on th
theory that no two States would be pre-
cisely alike in their domestic policy an
institutions.
Hence, | assert that this doctrine {
uniformity in the domestic institutions
the different States is repugnant to "a
constitution, subvcrsivc of the principle
upon which the Union was based, revc
lutionary in its character, and leadin
directly to despotism if it is ever estaI
lished. Uniformity in local and domcsti
affairs in a country Of great extent
-utcppllNiil dlWdNN. t7ilbN nv b~hN'p'''i
prescribing uniformity from the eapiti
TO all Of it's provinces in their local an
domestic concerns, and / will show you
dospotism as odious and as iRsuiferab
as that of Austria or of Naples. Di
similarity is the principle upon which I'll
Union rests. 1t is founded upon Il
idea that each State must necessarily r
quire different regulations that no tv
States have precisely the same interest
and hence do not need precisely the san
laws; and you cannot account for th
confederation Of States upon any otht
principle.
Then, sir, what becomes OF this do
trinc that slavery must be established
all the States or prohibited in all Il
States? II we only conform to Il
principles upon which the Federal UniC
was formed, there can be no conflict.
is only necessary to recognize the rig
OF the people Of every State to ha'
Just such institutions as they please, wit
out consulting your wishes, your view
b,