The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1860-08-30
THE REPUBLICANS OF MICHIGAN
SPEECH OF GOV. CHASE

SPEECH OF GOV CHASE.
A me- ting Of Eve or six thousand Re
publicans occurred at Pontiac, Mich, or
Wednesday. The following is the speech
made on this occasion BY Governor Chase
of Ohio:
FELLOW CITIZENS OF MIcHIGAN-l
come before you through the very partial
introduction of the chairman of your com
mittee, but not altogether as a stranger
But feel that we of Ohio aud you oi
Michigan are OF the same family; that VIC
have the same great principles. We have
derived them from the Ordinance Of 81,
which lies at the base Of your institutions
as it does of ours. What would have
been your condition but for that ordina o. cel
Chains and slavery where pow are liberty.
prosperity and all the institutions of cigil-
i.cd socity. They tell Us that we are free
because We choose to be free. But | tell you
that when we came here VIC cana upon a
soil that had been, before We came here,
rendered incapable of being diverted from
the benign influence cf freedom. So that
you Of Michigan, and We of Ohio, have
derived our free institutions fron q COM
mon origin. Thus, when | look upon
you, feel that We belong to the same
family; and that | an indeed not alto
gether stranger, but am really among
"our folks"
| come not to make set or formal
speech, but to attempt very plain snd
simple statement of the question at issue
before the country. 1t is strange thing
that We have four political parties-three
Of them having 10 chance to get any cleo
torsl votes 10 the Free States-the Doug
las party, with two sets Of principles for
different sides of the river. But our no.
he Republican party, that has no two sets
Of principles for the two sides of the riy-
er. are arrayed. in the Free States, msin-
ly against the Douglas party. | say that
We and the Douglas Wipg Of the Democrat
ic party divide the Free States We don't
expect to get many votes for Mr.. Lincoin
in The Slave States. Why, they don't
know enough yet. remember a negro
man who was coming through our State
by the underground railroad that has an
outlet at the upper end. Somebody ask
ed him if be had seen Gov. Chase. oh
said be. "that big Abolitionist that eats
poor niggcrs y
was once at Frankfort. Gen. Combs
said, 81 understand you have negroes for
breakfast every morning" told bin |
not only had them for breakfast, but for
dinner aud supper too. They really don't
trOu l1f, I1o
stand that we shall treat them as mem-
bers Of the same confederscy, guarding
oil their rights. II they did, We should
have tens Of thousands of votes in the
Slave States.
Well, Mr.. Douglas Is, at this moment
so di>trusted at the South, that be cannot
achieve any electoral success, unless 10
Missouri. and there, il so, through divis-
ion of bis opponents. Now, IL he cannot
although he has done so much for Sla-
very-Whst does it mean! There is 20
demand that Slasery has ever made that
he has not yielded He has denounced
the ordinance of 81, and repealed the
Missouri Compromise. Then be asks
theu-"Why won. you support mei"-
They turn around and reply-"Wby Mr..
Douglas. did you ever understand that
we paid tcageS Work without 10 ages is
our motto. There is one point in which
you differ, We do not propose to allow
you to differ from us in one po;pt. We
are iufalible; il you presume to differ
with US We will rally and beat you" The
result is, Mr.. Douglas comes TO the North
and asks the North to support him. The
question is between Mr.. Douglas and Mr..
Lincoln. You may go into Congress and
you will find Elk out of seven Democratic
Copgressmen for Breckinrdse in the
Senate. tbirty6Ve for Breckinridge, and
Just two for Douglas, one Of these Doug
las himself, and the other, Pugh, of our
State, to the 4th of March next And
when Lincoln is insugurated. the only
nouruer over Mr. Douglas in the Senate
will be Mr.. Douglas himself. The only
Democracy is the Breckenridge party; /
mean. so far as it gives votes and sends
men to Congress. The votes of this coun-
try will be divided between Mr.. Breck
iuridge on the one side, and Lincoln on
the other. This proves that the people
are settling the question of Slavery
There is no other question that divides
them. Breckinridge's supporters take
plain and unequivocal position. They
say that the Constitution of the United
States, made by our fathers, was made
for the purpose of spreading Slavery over
every foot of Territory.
They say unequivocally 10 their plat
form that the Constitution takes Slavery
into every foot of Territory which has not
been protected by State Constitutions
That if Freemen have gone into a terri
tory and established free society slave
holder may take bis slaves there and hold