The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1860-08-14
EXTRACTS FROM THE
SPEECH OF HON. JOHN HICKMAN
OF PENNSYLVANIA

We give the concluding portion Of the
Speech Of Hon JOHN HIcKMAN, deliv,
cred at Philadelphia, July ga, 1860. Mr..
HICKMAN was one of the boldest, ablest,
and most effective Democrats in Congress
who fought the Administration on the
Lecompton Issue, and on its other cor
ruptions. Becoming convinced that the
Democratic party is for the aggrandize-
ment of the Slave Power, he has come
out from it, and supports LINCOLN
and HAMLIN. He was closely associated
with Mr.. DouGLAs, and knows the man.
Read his testimony He proves that
Mr.. DOUGLAS was willing, and expressed
his intention, to support the infamous
English swindle, and was kept from DO
ing SO only by threats of denunciaton
from Mr.. BRoDERIcK Let Democrats
ponder Mr.. llICKMAN's evidence. and
then say whether they believe DoUGLAs
to be honest and trustworthy. Mr.. III.
says ::
Whatever conclusions may be drawn
as TO my estimate of Mr.. Breckinridge's
character as a politician, can only say
that my esteem for him is profound when
brought into comparison with that which
| entertain Tor his Democratic competi
tor. There are few, If any, living men.
concerning whom more has been said,
and less really known. than Stephen A.
Douglas, Of Illinois. There are thous-
ands. by far TOO many thousands, now
sustaining him under the mistaken and
delusive idea that he is directing his eff
forts TO counteract the plans of the South
ern Democracy. This is trighttul hal
lucination, but natural one, when we
take into consideration the humilialing
fact that all that devotion could do has
been done, by those surrounding his per
son, TO distort true record. and 10 stamp
a counterfeit character for him on the
public mind. Viewing him as one Of
the most unsafe and treacherous of lead
ers, you will pardon me certain state
ments which II now seems necessary
should be made, and the correctness of
which. presume, will not be impugned.
| have not yet forgotten when, in the |
winter Of 1866. during the first session
of the Thirty fourth Congress. the resi-
dents of Kansas, asseverating that the
cardinal principles OF the Nebraska Kan
sas act had been wontonly and wickedly
nullifed, that fraud and violence, con
cocted in the blue-lodges of Missouri,
had invaded their homes and imposed
foreign rule upon them for the purpose Of
forcing upon them Institutions which
they abhorred, and invoking the inter
position 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, TO complaints Of outrage almost
without parallel in the civilization Of
the century. These despoied pioneers.
who had taken up their abode in the Ter
ritory under the most solemn guarantees
of self government, only asked TO prove
their accusation, aud TO be relieved from
oppression. In other words. they de-
clared they had never been able to en-
Joy self government that they We're rul-
ed by invaders, and demanded the SOW
ereignty conferred by law upon them.
Mr. Douglas should have been the first
man to fly TO their relief; aud if he had
been AS completely dedicated to the prin-
ciples Of his bill as some would make Us
believe. he would have urged investiga
ton and carried IT, So lar from having
done so. he put himself in The lead Of
those Senators most hostile TO an exposi-
tlon. and became the mere mouth piece.
advocate, and apologist Of those engaged
in the work Of forcing Slavery upon an
unwilling people. He enjoyed at that