Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-05-16

SAYS new IOrk Is SUN n slave Ctdtc5 tOA e1"S
every other State that dscriminates between the
negro and the white man is slave State, leaving
but very few States in the Union that are nee
from his objection Yet, notwithstanding the Ssna-
tor Is committed to these doctrines, notwithstanding
the leading men of his party are committed 70 !he9
he argues that they have been accused OF being IN
favor of negro equality, and says the tendency OF
their doctrine is the equality of the white man. nc
introduces the objection, and fails to answer II: III
states the proposition and lodges it. to leave the H.
ference that he docs not endorse it. Sir desire t.
see these gentlemen carry out their principles t.
their logical conclusion. If they will persist IN th'
declaration that the negro is made the equal OF inc
white man, and that any inequality is in violation
the Divine law then let them carry 1t out IN thch
legislation by comforting on the negroes all 'h'
rights OF citizenship the same as on white men,
For one, never held to any such doctrine hoi,
that the Declaration of Independence was only
referring to the white man-to the governing race
of this country, who were in conflict with Grea'
Britain. and had no reference TO the negro race a.
ALL when it declared that all men were created equal
Sir if the signers of that declaration had unde''
stood the instrument then as the Senator from New
York CONSTITUTES it, were they not bonnd on ina,
day. ut that very hour to einancpae all Their slaves:
If Mr.. Jefferson had meant that his negro slaves
were created by the Almighty his equals, was he
not bound to cmancipate the slaves on the very DAY
that he signed his name 10 the Declaration OF indie
pendenceY Yet no one Of the signers of that de-
caration emancipated his slaves. No one of the
States on whose behalf the declaration was signed,
emancipated its slaves until after the Revolution
was over. Every of the original colonies. every
one of the thirteen original States, sanctioned and
legalzed slavery until after the Revolution was
closed These facts show concluSively that the De
clalation of Independence was never intended to
bear the construction placed upon it by the Senator
from New York, and by that enormous tribe CT lee
t,lrers that 60 through the country delivering lee
lures in country school.hOuscs and easements of
churches to abolitonists in order to teach the chill
dren that the Almighty had put his seal of condem-
nation upon any inequality between the white man
and the negro
Mr. President, am free to say here-what have
said over and over again at home that, in my opin-
ion, this government was made by white men for
the benefit of white men and their posterty forever,
and should be administered by white men, and 10y
none other whatsoever.
Mr. Doottle will ask the honorable Senator,
then, why not give the Territories to white men?
Mr.. Douglas. Mr.. President, am in favor of
throwing the Territories open to all the white men,
and all the negroes too that choose to go, and then
allow the white men to govern the Territory.
would ro let Of the negroes, free or slave eth
er vote or hold office anywhere, where had the
right, under the constitution, to prevent it. | am
in favor of each State and each Territory of this
Union taking of its own negroes free or slave.
If they want slavery let them have It; if they de-
sire to prohibit slavery, let them do it, tits their
business, not mine. We in Illinois tried slavery
willie we were Territory, and found it was not
profitable; and hence we turned fhanthropists and
abolished it. lust as our British friends across the
ocean did They established slavery in all their
colonies, and when they found they could not make
any more money out of it. abolished it. I hold that
the question of slavery is of political economy,
governed by the laws of climate soil, productions,
and selfinterest, and not by mere statutory nrOvi
sion. | rcpudiate the doctrine, that because free
institutions may be best in one climate, they are,
necessarily, the best everywhere; or that because
slavery may be Indispensable in one locality there
fore it is desirable everywhere. | hold that wise
statesman will always adapt his legislation to the
wants. interests, condition, and necessities of the
people to he governed by it. One people will bear
different institutions from another. One climate
demands different institutions from another. | re-
peat, then. what have often had occasion 70 say,
that do not think uniformity is either possible
desirable. | wish to see no two States precisely
alike in their domestic institutions in this Union.
Our system rests the supposition that each
State has something in her condition climate, OF
her circumstances, requiring laws and institutions
different from every other State of the Union
Hence answer the question OF the Senator from
Wisconsin, that am willing that Territory set
tied by white men shall have negroes, free or slave
Just as the white men shall determine but not as
the negroes shall prescribe.
The Senator from New York has coined new
definition of the States Of the Union-Labor States
and Capital States. The capital States, I Believe
are the slaveholdng States; the labor States are
the non-slaveholding States. 1t has taken that
Senator good many years to coin that phrase and
bring it into use. | have heard him discuss these
vorte theories Of his for the last ten years. Think
and never heard of capital States and labor States
before. 1t strikes me that something has recently
occurred up in New England that makes it polite
to get up question between capital and labor, and
take the side of the numbers against the few. We
have seen some accounts in the newspapers of COM
5inations and strikes among the .journeymen shoe
makers in the towns there-labor against capital -
The Senator has new word ready coined to suit
their case and make the laborers believe that he is
on the side of the most numerous class of voters
What produced that strike among the Journey
men shoemakcrs? Why are the mechanics Of New
England, the laborers and employees, now reduced
to the starvation point: Simply because. by your
treason, by your sectional agitation you have
ted strife between the North and the South, have
driven away your southern customers, and thus de-
prive laborers of the means of support This is the
! fruit of your Republican dogmas. 1t is another
STEP following John Brown Of the irrepressible
conflict" Therefore, we now get this new coinage o.
labor States" he is on the side of the shoemakers
Qaughter) and "captal Statcs"-he is against those
that furnish the hides. (.aughter.) / think those
shoemakers will understand this business They
know why it is that they do not get so many order.
as they did few months ago. 1t is not confined
to the shoemakers; it reaches every mechanic!
shop and every factory. All the large laboring es
adjustments Of the North feel the pressure produ
ced by the doctrine of the ''irrepressible conflict
This new coinage Of words will not save them from
the just responsibility that follows the doctrine
they have been incuculating If they had aban
doned the doctrine of the 'irrepressible conflict,
and proclaimed the true doctrine Of the Constitution
that each State is entirely free to do just pleases
have slavery as long as it chooses, and abolish
when it wishes there would be no conflict; tn
northern and southern States would be brethren
there would be fraternity between u.s. and your shoe
makers would not strike for higher prices.
Mr. Clark. Will the Senator pardon me for inter
rupting him amomeut?
| Mr. Douglas. will not give way for a speech