The register. (Monroe, La.) 185?-1861, 1860-09-27

az 1t seems 70 me, ne comes 10 SPEAK
of his v.citisens, expressing the
lingering hope that I am not dis
unionist. lLaughter.1 Like humane
lawyer, he gives me, personally, the
benefit of doubt, and for this do I
thank him. Laughter and applause
IA voice" Hurtah for Breckin-
As to my connection with principles,
or party, which tend that way. l
may speak of that presently. My OBJ
iect now is, to relieve myself person
ally from the accusation or imputation
that am such, I would greatly have
preferred that l should have received
a strong aud direct blow, than to. re-
ceiye as do, the kind and reluctant
confession Of sorrowful friend. Ap-
plause. 80:
In passing, I may say, in regard to
the distinguished gentleman who is
associated with me as candidate for
the Vice Presidency that his whole life
4 is refutation of such a charge, if
made against him. Born in North
Carolina, reared in Kentucky, long
living in Indiana, now coming from
Oregon, he has been in all parts of the
country, tried in all, and honored in
all. He loves them all, and brought
the last, as State, into the galaxy of
the Union. [Applause.
When q man is before the people
for public Office great deal depends
upon his personal character and ante
cedents; and he gets much if he can
show that he is not liable to an in
furious report Much depends, there
fore, upon whether am disunionist.
Born within sight of this spot !:
known to you for nearly forty years !;
your representative in the Legisla.
ture, in Congress, and other situa-
tions of trust, invite any one to
point to anything in my record which
would sanction such charge or such
an imputation.-(Gheers. will not
degrade the dignity Of my declara-
ton by epithcts, but I proudly chal.
lenge my bitterest enemy to point
out an act, to disclose an utterance
or rcval thought Of mine, hostile
to the Constitution or the Union Of
} the States. Loud cheers. A voice
:" He couldn't do it."] The man does
not live, however exalted his charac
ter, who has power enough to couple
my name successfully with the slight
est faint of disloyalty to the Consti
tuition and Union Of my county
Great Applause.]
But, tellow-citizens, if there be moth
ing in my character or antecedents to
Justify this accusation what is there
in the platform Of principles upon
which l stand 1t is not pretended
that those resolutions which relate
to the acquisition Of Cuba and a
railroad to the Pacific, contain any
thing having the slightest tendency
in that direction It can, therefore,
mean only those resolutions which
have relation to the question Of Ter
ritorial power and slave property, in
the Territories. l will read to you
those resolutions, and you will see il
they be according to the decision Of
the Supreme Court, as | have shown
it to be to-day.
What arc they !? This is the plat
form adpotcd by the Baltimore Con-
vention, which nominated me for the
Presidency of the United States
Ffrst-That the government Of a Territory
rsanized by an act Of congress is provisional
and temporary. and during its existence nj
citizens Of the United Ltates have All equa
right to settle with their property in the Terri
toty, without their rights, either of person o,
property, being destroyed or injured by Con
grcssional or territorial legislation.
Resolced-That it is the duty of tho federal
government, in all its departments, to protect
the rights Of persons and property in the Terri
tories and wherever else its constitutional au
thority cntends.
The third resolution provides that
when they come to form State Con
stitution they may decide the ques
ton of slavery for themselves.
That, fellow-citizens, is the plat.
form of principles avowed. Are they
constitutional Are they just? Or
are they sectional !? If they are con.
stitutional, they are not sectional
for the Constitution, is broad enough
to cover the whole Union. Whoever,
therefore, stands upon the Constitu.
ton, can neither be sectionalist OF
a disunionist. lhavc shown you that
the principles are taken almost word
for word from the opinion of the Su
premc Court of the United States
They find their root in almost all the
precedent and practices of the Gov.