St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-09-27
CHARLES POMEROY, ESQ.,,
Republican CANDIDATE for Presidential Elector
AND
WE 3. FAIRFIELD, ESQ.,,
Political Discussion.

Messrs. yandever and Samuels, CAN
didates in this district for Congress,
held joint discussion in this town
on Tuesday. The meeting was called
to order by VIM. b, Fairfield, Esq,
who nominated r. w. Humphrey, Esq.
for President on the part of the he
publicans, and Hervey Wilbur, Esq,
was called to the chair by the Dcmoc-
racv. Mr.. Samuels opened the debate,
as follows:
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentle
tlcmen-Having been nominated by
.he Democratic Convention as can
,Iate for Congress from this district,
I appear before you for the purpose
Of ntcrchanging political sentiments
and precepts and let me say that If
Democrats are satisfied that the prin-
ciplcs | promulge arc wrong, it is
their duty not to give me their sup
port and, on the contrary, if the Re
publicans are satisfied that the princi-
pies promulged by my competitor are
wrong, it is their dnty not to yield
him their support l suppose VIC all
desire the prosperity of the govern
mcnt under which we live l know
that l do, and if l should be elected
by the votes of persons who were en-
cmes to this government and her glo-
rious institutions and should be made
aware of the fact would instantly
resign my position and SO home. l
will accept no place or prefcrment at
the hands of the enemies of my coun
try. The two principal political par
tics in this campaign arc the Republl
can and Democratic and their candi
dates are Lincoln & Hamlin and Doug
las & johnson. l shall say nothing
of candidates. l propose to discuss
only the principles they represent.
The Democratic party occupies til
position it always has occupied. lt.i
not a new creature, thing of yestcl
day; but it is coeval with the govern
mcnt, and its basing principle is th
right and capabilty Of man to gov
crn himself 1t cschews all dogma
that circumscribe freedom in man. |
contends for no mock philanthrop,
and lachrymosc sympathy for TIL
rights of negroes, while it ignore
those of the white man but believe
in the white mans capacity to COVER
himself in whatecvr state, territory {
country he may be situated.
Republicans say they do not den
mans capacity for self-government
but intend to show that, in rcspct
to the territories, they do deny it an
particularly So where the SLAYER
question is concerned. They ADM
mans right to govern himself so Ion
as he acts in accordance with til
views of Congress they admit it
reference to husband and wife, parel
and child, master and servant, &c
but not in the settlement of the slav
~ question but if they admit it
these other cases, why not whcl
slavery is concerned? The truth il
they are governed by motives of falls
philanthropy. They say this is
great moral question, and therefor
Congress must legislate upon it. B,
that don't follow. Murder and stca
ing are also moral questions, but the
don't say Congress must rcgulat
these.
l have great respect for Congress.
! have great respect for my fricn
Mr.. Nandevcr, but | am unwillin
that either he or Congress shall -
come our moral guardian and tcac
er.
Mr.. Samuels then went into an a
gument against the power and du
Of Congress to prohibit slavery in Il
terrisories, in which he frankly ADM
ted that the Republicans had prec
dents for their claim that Congress hi
power to legislate Tor the territories
but he asserted that this did not cstaI
lish it, and there being no clause
the constitution giving Congress IL
power they had no right to cxercis
it, and if they had it was not the
duty to do SO !
The remainder Of his speech W;
principally devoted to laborcd clue
dalton of the right Of persons in ii
territories to govern themselves IN
king the usual assertions about til
government being made for viii
men,-niggers not in the bill,-min
ing our own business, &c. He all
asserted that the agitation of slave
had fastened the chains of honda.
more tightly upon the negro, and h;
kept territory slave that would nc
be free.
Mr. Samucls wound up with a &C
sideration of the Fugitive Slave La
and said that, " if elected to Congr,
he should vote against its repeal, a
if it was not already efficient he wo
rotc 10 make il So After few OF