The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-10-12

Out EcVOlutIOu'AuS luis SoSC'uuouS' As0-
member that the government was made by
our fathers on the principle OF portion OF
the states being free aud portion OF them
slave. Remember that we have lived I'm
der this Constitution for seventy-three
years, with the states divided into free and
slave, just as the people chose. And now
Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. Seward inform you
that this government cannot endure on the
basis on which it was made. Why cannot
it thus endure? Because they say it is COO
trary to the Declaration Of Independence
and the laws of God, to allow each state to
have slavery as long as it chooses, and aboi.
ish it when it pleases. Laughter. l be-
lieve that all these preachers who take their
texts from Greeley's Almanac instead of the
Bible, are in the habit of informing you
that the institution of slavery as recognized
in the Constitution is in violation of the
law of God. Every man who advances that
idea charges the trainers of our government
with having been guilty of the imp,ous act
of making constitution in direct violation
Of the laws of God.
They predict that because our Coustitu.
tion is unrighteous and unholy, therefore a
just God must punish the nation that lives
under it. Seventy. three years experience
furnish US the evidences of that punishment.
TGreat laughter. We can only judge Of
the punishment OF the Deity by the results.
What nation on this globe has been so won.
derfully and so beautifully blest as this
people under our Constitution. Tremen-
dous applause. We have progressed more
rapidly in numbers, in wealth, 10 the extern
sion of territory, and in all things which
make people prosperous and happy, than
any nation on earth. If our history can be
taken as an evidence of kind Divine Prov
idence, we are the favored nation of the
world. ICheers.
The simple question now arises whether
we are willing to live as we have lived un-
der the Constitution that our fathers made
for US, or whether we will join this anti
slavery abolition party in changing the
government, and and take the chances oil
their making better one tor us. lCries
of "no," mo-" and applause.
Their propositions mean REVOLUTIONARY
disguised revolution. (Cries of "that's so,
and cheers) They cannot carry out their
principles and preserve the union of these
States. They are not willing this govern.
ment shall remain on the principles upon
which it was made. Suppose the ideas
which Mr.. Seward and Mr.. Lincoln now
tell you are great central ideas, bad prevailed
when this government was made, and the
immortal Washington when he took his sea,
as President of the convention that framed
the Constitution had risen in his place and
said this Union divided into free and slave
States cannot endure. These States must
all be free or all be slave, otherwise the
Union cannot last. Suppose, if there be
not sacrilege in the superstition, that Wash.
ington had made this statement, what would
have been the result? DO you think the
one free State OF Massachusetts would have
out-voted the other twelve slaveholdlng
States, and thus have abolished slavery ev-
erywhere in America? Cries of "no."
| On the other hand, is it not probable, if not
certain, that the twelve slaveholdng States
would have out. voted the one free State
and thus fastened slavery by constitutions
provision on every foot of American soil
| Applause.
The friend sof freedom, when this govern
ment was made, only claimed that the
people of each State should be permitted tC
regulate and control the slavery question ioI
themselves. They were not willing at thai
day, when we were the minority and the
slave States had the majority, to entrust the
Federal Government with this power. Nc
Northern man ever desired to entrust the
Federal Government with power over slave
ry, until the slave States had become mi
nority. We of the North struggled for the
principle of non-interference by the Federal
Government, and the right of the people Of
each State to control the question for them
selves, until we incorporated it into the gov
ernment. Under that principle, six OF the
original slavehoIding States have become
free, New ork, Connecticut, Rhode Island
New Hampshire, New Jersey and Penusyl.
vania.
By what authority did they abolish slave
ry? Did they dc it in obedience to an act
of Congress when they did it? On the
contrary. Each of those States held slave
ry and protected it as long they thought it
was for their good, and abolished it when
they thought it would be their. interest to
do so. Thus, you see, that under this prin-
ciple of non Intervention by Congress, and
the right of each people to decide for them>
selves, the free States have increased from
one to eighteen. Beginning with a small
minority we have become a controlling ma
jority, under the operation of that just and
equal principle which allows everybody to
do as they please, and now. we wish to re-
verse that principle and exercise power over
the South which We would never have SUBJ
mitted to when we were the minority Is
it fair? Is it honest for Us now mere be-
cause we have got the numerical strength,
to exercise power which We deemed no
Just when we were the minority section
Loud cries of "No" and applause Are
you, the descendants of those ancestors,
who resisted this federal power when 10 a
minority, now prepared to violate the fanda-
meHtal principle OF self-government, because
you have got the power to Cypress other
people,? Cries Of "No."] l tell you, my
friends, there is but one path of duty and
of safety, and that is the path marked out
by Clay, by Webster, by Cass, and Union
Wings and Union Democrats 10 the COM
promise measures Of 1850. Immense ap-
pIause. The principle on which these
measures rested was Don-ints rterence BY
Congress with 81 very either 10 the States or
Territories. 10 1852 the Wing party, as
sembled in national convention, affirmed
that principle as fundamental article in
ita creed ond tho 90 mo xa.,r Tho Rz.o....:.