Gazette and sentinel., 1860-09-22

L II " ~ III lbO NAhhAAN VI NY u y
ton by epithets, but | proudly challenge my
bltterest enemy to point out an act, to disclose
an utterancc or reveal a thought of mine, hos
tile to the Constitution or the Union of the
States. Loud cheers. a voice. He couldn't
do il. ~ The man does not live, however ex-
allied his character, who has power enough to
couple nv name successfully with the slightest
faint of d~isloyalty to the Constitution and
Union Of my country. Great applause.)
But, fellow-citizens, if there be nothing in
my character or antecedents to justify his NC
cusation, what is there In the platform Of prin
ciples upon which / stand? 1t is not pre-
tended that these resolutions which relate TO
the acquisition of Cuba and a railroad to the
Pacific, contain anything having the slightest
tendency in that direction. 1t can, therefore,
mean only those resolutions which have rela-
ton TO the question of territorial power and
slave property, in the territories. L will read
to you those resolutions, and you will see If
they be according To the decision of the Su-
preme Court, as / have shown it to be to-day.
What are they This is the platform adopted
BY the Baltimore Convention, which nomina-
ted me for the Presidency of the United States.
/. Resolved, That the government of a Ter
ritOry organized by an act of Congress Is pro-
v~isional and temporary, and during its exist
ence all citizens of the United States have an
equal right to settle with their property in a
Territory without their rights, either of per
sons or property, being destroyed or impaired
by Congressional or Territorial legislation.
>. ResoLred, That it is the duty Of the Fed
eral Government in all its departments to pro-
tect, when necessary, the rights Of persons and
property in the Territories, and wherever else
its constitutional authority extends.
The third resolution provides that whenthey
come to form a State Constitution, they may
decide the question of slavery for themselves.
That, fellow-citizens, is the platform of
principle avowed. Are they Constitutional ?
Are they just? Or are they sectional? l.
they are Constitutional, they are not sectional (;
for the Constitution is broad enough to cover
the whole Union. Whoever, therefore, stands
upon the Constitution, can be neither a sec
~tionalist or a disunionist. l have shown you
that these principles are taken almost word
for word from the opinions of the Supreme
Court of the United States. They find their
root in almost all the precedents and practices
of the Government. They are principles upon
which we nay well live and by which we
may well be willing to die. (Cheers.) They
are vitality important, and they concern rights
of person and property they cannot be alb
stract, minute, or unimportant, for they con-
WI az AObcA Ao N11A'NI - 49, N@N
What has been the position of Kentucky
upon that platform? You remember the po-
sition taken by the gentlemen who were can
didates for Governor of this State last year.
They both held that Territorial Legislatures
have no power to exclude our property, and
each commended that every department of Gov
eminent must protect it when it became ne
cessary. Mr.. Joshua Bell, l believe, went a
step further than his competitor, by expressing
his opinion that the time was at that instant
arrived, when it had become necessary TO in
terpose the arm of the Federal Government
to protect our property. Mr.. Magoffin held,
if it became necessary, private property must
be protected from Territorial interference and
confiscation. The whole people of Kentucky
voted for one or the other of these distin-
guished gentlemen. Your Congressional
Conventions, that nominated candidates for
Congress, Endorsed this principle by a most
decisive and overwhelming majority. Nay,
more; if / may refer to the proceedings of a
party Convention, the Democratic Convention
which met on the 9th of January last at
Frankfort-indorsed the same principle by an
overwhelming majority. l hold in my hand
the resolution by which it was done. But
neither the time nor my strength suffices for
me to read it. l shall incorporate it in my
remarks.
Nay, more. The Senate of the Common
wealth of Kentucky, by the unanimous vote of
both parties, Endorsed this same principle as
being true, by the following resolution:
"Resoiued, By the whole Senate of the State
of Kentucky, that the Territories are the COM
mon property of the Union, and as q field for
the expansion of the institutions and develop
ment of the energies of our advancing and
progressive people, are open TO the citizens Of
IN IL Co.. ~ .bat tbara axiztc M pnuyar
in the General Government, or the Govern
ment of a Territory during its continuance as
such, and until, having attained sufficient pop
~ulation, it shall have formed a Constitution
and been admitted into the Union, to impair
the right of any citizen who may have emi-
grated thereto, to the enjoyment of any species
of property recognized by the States. But
that this right having been solemnly affirmed
by the decision of the highest tribunal, shall
be guarded by suitable laws, faithfully admin
istered; and if in any case a Territorial Gov
eminent assail that right by 'unfriendly legis-
l%ation,' or experience should show that exist
ing laws are inadequate for its protection, it
will then be the duty of the General Govern
ment, by the exercise of its powers, legislative,
executive and administrative, to provide such
security and protection as the exigences Of the
occasion may demand"
What is that but copying the decision of the
Supreme Court and the resolutions of the conven-
ton? The House of Representatives of the State
of Kentucky, last winter, by a like unanimous
vote, passed a resolution in almost the same words.
| cannot read it, for my strength does not allow
I will incorporate it with my remarks. So that
both parties at the polls, last summer, and by the
unanimous vote of their representatives in We
Senate and House of Representatives Of the State,
have declared that these are the principles of the
Constitution and of the Commonwealth Of Ken
lucky.
Surely l might pause here, but | want, in sup
port of these principles, the high authority of one
of our most venerable and eminent statesmen ; ]
want the authority of Mr.. Crittenden. Gentlemen
whatever doubts he may have as to my fidelity to