The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1860-08-16
9oljtcal
Speech of Hon. John Hickman,
OF PENNSYLVANIA.
Delirered in philadelphia, July %, 1860.
CONCLUDED

Delivered in Philadclphta, July %, 1860.
CONCLUDED.
I have not yet forgotten, when, in the
winter Of 1856, during the FIRST ses-
sion Of the Thirty-fourth Congress, the
residents Of Kansas, asseveratng that
the cardinal principle of the Nebraska
Kansas act had been wantonly and
wickedly nullided, that fraud and vio-
lence, concocted in the Blue Lodges of
Missouri, had invaded their homes and
imposed a foreign rule upon them for
the purpose Of forcing upon them in
stitutions which they abhorred, and in
voking the interposition of Congress
in their behalf, the prided father of
" untrammeled Popular Sovereignty"
turned his back upon his violated child,
and closed his ears, as in death, 10 COM
plants Of outrage almost without a
parallel in the civilization Of the CEN
tury. These despoied pioneers, who
had taken up their abode in a Territory
under the most solemn guarantees of
self-govornment, only asked to prove
their accusations, and to be relieved
from oppression. In other words they
declared they had never been able to
enjoy solf-government, that they were
ruled by invaders, and demanded the
sovereignty conferred by law upon them
Mr. Douglas should have been the first
man to fly to their relief, and if he had
been as completely dedicated to the
principles Of his bill, as some would
make us believe, he would have urged
Investigation and carried it, So far from
having done so, be put himself in the
lead Of those Senators most hostile to
an exposition, and became the mere
mOuthpicce, advocate, and apOlOgist of
those engaged in the work of forcing
| Slavery upon an unwilling people. He
enjoyed at that time the full confidence
Of the South, and his Democracy was
orthodox, because he was loyal to his
| task-masters; willing to do battle for
their most extravagant demands. He
was then Chairman Of the Committee
on Territories, and l call attention to
! his report as such, made March l2,
| 1856, as conclusive upon the point
have stated. In that paper he could
find nothing to say against foreign con-
| spiracies to invade the soil Of Kansas
and control elections, but he had much
to offer in condemnation of Eastern as
sociatiOns to encourage removal thither
He could discover no Irregularities in
the return of Mr.. WhiteGeld, the Pro-
Slavery delegate to the House of Rep
resentatives, but he clearly discerned
that the Territorial Legislature was a
legally elected body, with perfect autho.
rity to enact the most cruel and arbi.
trary slave codes, and that the com
plants of fraud and force were gotten
up merely to stimulate and excite North
crn emigration. At the time of which
l speak, there was no one in Congress
or out of Congress, in Office or out Of
Office, who exerted himself more untir.
ingly to perpetuate that reign Of terror
inaugurated to insure the admission of
Kansas into the Union as a Slave State
L fear there are many now bearing up
the banner inscribed with the name Of
this Senator, who never have fully un-
derstood, or who have forgotten this
furnished page in his history If there
has ever been a more determined foe to
the growth of freedom in Kansas, or to
the principles of the Nebraska Kansas
bill than Stephen A. Douglas, he has
been able to keep himself very much
under cover. 1t is gratifying, however,
to make a single remark in his favor; it
is this; that he seems as willing as the
most ardent Of his friends to divert at
tention from this period of his career
l am not aware that in either essay or
address, he has venturod to recur to il;
but on the contrary he seems disposed
to treat it as blank in his life
Whilst these proceedings we're pro-
crossing in the Senate, the other branch
Of Congress carried resolutions Of in
yestigatlon under a close division of
parties, and sent a select committee to
the Territory, The consequence was
such an exposure as satisfied the coun-
try not only Of the truth Of everything
charged, but Of existing couspirucios
beyond anything that had been imagin-
ed The published evidence effcctualy
revealed the intentions of the South
and made a deep impression upon the
North. 1t was then established that
neither law nor Propricties were to be al
lowed to stand in the way Of slavery ex-
tension; aud we are almost driven to
the conclusion that the repeal of the
| Missouri Restriction was but part of
general and Well-matured plan Of
operations, at the head Of which stood
the self.crowned chief of popular Ter
ritorial Government Mr.. Douglas term
Of Office was now approaching its close.
1t is not unlikely that a desire for q re-
election, and knowledge Of the con
yictiOn forced upon his State by the ex-
animation alluded to, induced him to
look with different eyes upon Kansas,
and created an anxiety on his part to
take up the cause Of her robbed and
wretched people. I cannot certainly
say how this may have been: l only
state a sudden and miraculous change
came over him, aud for a while he seem
ed to glory iu tho name Of rebel" He
| opposed the admission Of Kansas under
the Lecompton Constitution with seem
ing seriousness, and then announced
his determination to vote for tho greater
iniquity, the "English Bill" IL was
! then the hOnOred and heroic Harris who