The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1860-09-25
SPEECH OF GOVERNOR BRAGG.


Hon Thomas Bragg was next introduced to the
meeting. He commenced by abiding 60 the late
State election, when our defeat was predicted on
the ground of our supposed divisions. 1t was said
we were hopelessy split and that were frightened
out of our breeches Laughter. This cry was
always the same, but it turned out invariably that
we have ended every campaign by whipping our
opponents Gear out of their breeches. Laughter
and applause1 Gov. Bragg reeited the fable Of
the lion and the ass to illustrate this Well we
again hear the old braying of the ass We have
heard for years Again we are told that we are
divided and split up, and are to be beaten. The
Opposition think if they get us by the ears they
have .sqot" US. Like the man who married two
wives, in order that the first should be kept off
him by the quarrels resulting from bis marriage
with the second, if they should succeed in beating
us it will not be by their own strength but by the
division in ours.
Gov. Bragg now alluded to Douglas and his
assertion that he did not come to get the votes of
the people [Laughter.] What did he come for?
1t would seem that he got disappointed at Balti-
MORE and he comes here to chide you, 1.-THE people
and give the State to Bell. Do you, he asked,
intend to be carried off by such means?-are you
going to sacrifice your principles and your party
at the behest of any man? You are called upon
not to give the State to democrat, one calling
himself democrat, but to your hereditary foes.
1Cres of "nO we WON'T
Gov. Bragg said his purpose was to review the
position taken by Judge Douglas in his speech at
Raleigh, and he proceeded to dissect the inconss-
tencies of the Judge and the pretexts under which
he asserted his consistency. We understand the
speech of Gov. Bragg will be printed for general
circulation, when the people will have an oppor-
tunity of seeing it. Having gone the question
of Squatter Sovereignty, Gov. Bragg took up the
l,tE, oft he al lad Nv L
iuridge aud Lane, and read each of the three
resolutions bearing upon the question and asked
if any man in the audience objects to one word of
them. On the question of intesyentio by Congress
in the Territories, Judge Douglas had boldly asked
if Congress had ever interfered? Governor Bragg
answered yes,-in the case of Florida, when Gen.
Jackson boldly repealed law taxing non resident
slaveowners higher than resident slaveowners,
upon their slave property. Not only did he repea!
the law but he made the offence of collecting such
unequal tax highly penal, punishable by fine and
supposed, pretty good democrat Loud
Cheers.] To the charge that We were endeavoring
to force slavery upon the people, Gov. Bragg said
it was not true. All that was urged fair
demand that the people of the States should have
fair protection from set of squatters-twothirds
of whom may be unnaturalized foreigners, totally
Irresponsible If to deny this be squatter
sovereignty for one, said he, stand up against it,
And this is called disunor! He denied the
purpose was to ask or establish slave code-that
We want to force slavery anywhere. 1t a
Islander to say Loud cheers. The bred
Scott case was referred to, and in it was shown
that in the opinion of the Court we had the right
under the Constitution to carry slaves to the
common territories. Judge Douglas, however,
says, well, that may be; but when you get them
there you cannot hold them there.-They are to be
there subject to the ''local law voice-"nigher
law."] Yes, higher law Laughter. Now,
continued Gov. Bragg if the Constitution permits |
me to take my property into the territories surely
the Constitution will override all local law in
enabling ME to hold my property there. [Cheers
Gov. Bragg admitted that technically the direct
question involved in this discussion did not go up
to the Supreme Court, but every lawyer and every
man of common sense knows that the principle
which covers the whole case was decided, and
Douglas should have admitted it like man, and
then never would have had any trouble in the
Democratic party. Loud cheers. Gov. Bragg
read extracts from the bred Scott case to show
what the Court had decided
After an examination of this, Gov. B. went on
to show palpable breach of faith in Doug as, and
read extracts from his speeches. &c, to prove it.
1t was shown that down to 1854 and 1856 the
doctrine of Douglas was that the people of the
territories could not legislate so to exclude !
slavery from their limits prior to their formation
Of State Constitution. This was what they al!
understood and held. But Douglas, after the
decision OF the Supreme Court, which by |
common consent final settlement, asserted in
the teeth ofthat decision, that the power of the
people In this matter was perfect.
Gov. Bragg alluded next to the cutlery against |
Yancey by men but short time in the party, and
who have been little everywhere against it, whilst
he, Gov. b. and his friends around him, were |
regarded with suspicion. |, he sad first voted for
General jackson, and have never wavered since, |
nor am now going to depart from that course to
please Judge Douglas any one else. Loud and
continued cheering.l Gov. Bragg contrasted the
conduct of Douglas with that of Gen. Cass-the
father and advocate of Squatter Sovereignty. He, |
with Douglas and the rest, agreed to abide by the
decision of the Supreme Court, and when that
decision was given, General Cass at said he
was mistaken in the matter and abandoned the |
doctrine. [Cheers. Douglas, on the contrary
still holds on in opposition to the Supreme Court
nine-tenths of the people of the country. Gov.
Bragg said the majority platform upon which
Breckenridge stands is substantially the same as
that passed by the United States Senate known as
the Davis resolutions, and one of those resolutions
On the Territorial question adopted at our own |
ate State Convention, in March last At Charleston,
The North Carolina delegation voted for it as unit
amongst them Mr. Dick laughter and cheers
md if that resolution be disunion, then was Mr.
Dick seen voting disunion at Charleston.-T Great
cheering. Then Fitzpatrick also voted for this
iisunion resolution, and forthwith he is put upon