The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-02-21
VOL. 5, No. 44.-WHOLE NO. 252.

country. lie ignores the universal prIucl
pies of the Declaration of Independence
and represents the great founders of the
Republic as merely paving the way tol
his great principles" while few village
politicians ge, up an obscure ordnance.
adverse to the general tendency Of things.
But as those Jesuits never could prevent
their students from peeping GU; Of their
college windows into the wide world, where
they preceiyed very different state o!
taings, so Mr.. Douglas cannot prevent us
from travelling out Of the yellow covers O.
Harpers' Magazine, into the open records
of history, where We find Mr.. jefferson
antl-slavery clause, although accidentally
lost in l1S4, strenuously insisted upon by
the leading spirits of the Republic, incorp6-
rated in the great act of l1S., solcmnly
reatiirmed by the first Congress under the
Constitution, and firmly maintained even
against the petition of the people of one OF
the Territories. Cheers This is the
true Jetiersonian plan, the plan which
Jefferson framed, voted for, and which was
carried out in his spirit no, that manrled
report Of 1874, which Mr. Douglas wants
Us to take as the foundation Of all territori
al government, because an historical acci.
dent happens to coincide with his schemes
That true Jefiersonian plan rested. in
deed. on the principle of popular sovereign
ty, but it will be conceded that Mr.. .Jeher-
sons great principle was as widely differ
ent from that of Mr. Douglas as the ordi
nance Of l1S7 is different from the Ne
braska bill While Mr.. Jeiferson's notion
OF popular sovereignty sprung from the
idea that man has certain inalicnable rights
which the majority shall not cncroach upon.
Mr.. Douglass doctrine rests upon the idea
that the highest development of liberty
consists in the right of one class of men to
hold another class of men as slaves, if they
see fit to do so. Applause. While Mr
Jefferson excluded slavery from the Terri
tories. IN Oro3er to make room t0r true
popular sovereignty, Mr. Douglas invents
his false popular sovereignty in order to
make room for slavery The ordinance of
l1SI, the true Jetfersonan plan" was
indeed no mere accident, no mere occas-
ional act of legislation. Ii sprang from
the idea, as Madison expressed it, " that
republican institutions would become fall
lacy, where slavery existed; - and in or
der to guaranty republican institutions to
the Territories, they excluded slavery
Cheers
The ordnance of l1S7 was the logical
offspring OF the principles upon which your
independence and your Constitution are
founded; it is the practical application of
the Declaration of independence on the
government Of the Territories Its very
existence sets completely at nouaht Mr.
Douglass doctrine and historical construc-
tion, and the dwarfsh hand of the dcma-
gouge tries in vain to tear this bright page
out OF your annals Cheers. The ordl-
nance of 17S7 stands written on the very
gate-pOsts of the Northwestern States :;
written on every grain field that waves in
the breeze, On every factory that dots the
course Of their rushing waters, on every cot
tage that harbors thrifty freemcn written
IN every heart that rejoices over the bles
sings of liberty. Long-contiuued ap
plause. There it stands, in characters of
of light. Only blind man cannot see it :,
only fooi can misunderstood it; only a
knave can wilfully mSinterpret it. he
peated cheers.
Such is MIR. Douglass principle OF popu-
lar sovereignty In its logical and historical
aspect; apparently adopting the doctrine
that slavery is the creature of local law on
Iy, and fighting against Congressional
slave code, but, on the other hand, admit
ting the very principle on which protec-
ton to slave property becomes a logical
necessity; and again assuming the ground
that slave property maybe introduced where
there Is no l>cll law, but explaining away
the logical consequences of that doctrine
by the transparent sophistry Of untricndly
Legislation dragging the proudcst of Amer
lean sta;esmanshIp into the dust emascu-
lating the Declaration Of Independence
because incompatible with lis principles
setting aside the ordinance l1S1, because
that stern fact il conclusive historical ar
gument against it, jesuitical piece o.
equivocation and double dealing, unable It
stand before the criticism Of logical mind
because it is a mixture Of glarng contra
dictions; aaaJIe 10 stop the ,car Of pria
cipies and interests, because IL as at lcal
ruth useJ LApplause. |, is true, it
principal champion worked hard to cove
with bullying boisterousness the mora
cowardce from which it sprang but il
vain; He mistakes the motive power whicl
shapes the actions of free nations. IIavin.
no moral convictions of his own to stanC
upon, he could never address himself 4
the moral sense Of tie peQple. iSensa
tion. Having no moral convictions Of hi
own This is a grave charge, but | know
what | say. respect true conviction
wherever l find them. Among the fire
eaters Of the South, there are men VIII
speak Of the moral basis of slavery, and be
lieve in it who speak of the blessings OF ser
vitude. and believe in it; who assert tha
slavery is right, and believe in it. Afro
cious as their errors may be, and deeply q
| deplore them, yet | respec. their conyic
tors as soon as | fnd them out. But loo
into the record Of the champion Of popu
lar sovereignty scan it from syllable t
syllable; and then tell NE, you Dougla:
ties Of the South, DO you find one wor
there indicating moral conviction tha