Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-01-04
REMARKS OF GEN. JOSEPH LANE,
OF OREGON,

OF OREGON
Delivered in the Senate of the UAited States, De-
cem6er 49, 1869.
Mr.. LANE. Mr.. President desire to say to the
Senator that it is not my purpose to prescribe rules
or platform Of principles for the Democratic party
had nothing to do with dsplacing Judge Douglas
from his position as chairman OF the Committee on
\ Territories; but will say to my friend from Ohio
q that have very great respect for him, and that
L have no doubt there are many gooUDemocrats IN
the northern States who do not agree with me upon
g thcterritoral question. l would not say that any
one of them who disagrees with me, and holds diff
ferent principles on that point is not good Demo-
s,crat; nor do pretend to say that the fact that
Judge Douglas holds the views or opinions he does
6con this point would have been good reason with
&ne for opposing his election to the Guardianship of
a the Committee on Territories. He had been dis:
z placed before became a member Of this body 1t
was done by Democratic Senators, whose devotion
TO the Constitution the Union, and the rights of the
States, no man will undertake to gainsay.
While am up, Mr.. President, | will say that
have my views, in relation to the territorial aues
ton, and I am sorry to find that they differ Very
materially from those If my friend from Ohio; but
! am sure he is good Democrat There is no doubt
about that and know l am good Democrat
Then, sir, how can undertake to say that gentle
men, differing in opinion on the territorial question:
shall not act together as Democrats when the sal
v,tion of our country depends upon the success Of
the Democratic party? | think that the principles
OF the Democratic party are the true principles of
this government, and they must be maintained, they
cannot be compromised. Seeing and feeling, as | do,
the Importance of union, on the part of Democrats,
on all great questions, | would not rule out any
member of that party because he did not feel as
d. in relation to territorial matters. have great
respect for Judge Douglas; | believe him to be
Democrat; but | have a right to differ even from
him. and do differ in opinion from Judge Douglas,
and also from my friend from Ohio in regard TO the
power of the people in the Territories. hold that
the territory of the country is the common property
of the whole country that the people of every State
of this Union have equal rights in the Territories,
aud that while they remain in territorial condition,
the inhabitants cannot, by unfrendly legislation or
by system Of unequal taxation, debar the people
OF any State from admission there; or in other
words that they cannot, by legislation, infringe on
the rights of the people of any State But let me
give an illustration; | hope the Senate will allow
lie to make case
Application has been made to Congress, during
the last two three years, for the organization ola
territorial government in Arizona. Arizona Is IN
tie southern portion of our country. The climate
is warm; the soil is adapted to the production OF
cotton it is rich in mineral resources. have no
doubt that slave labor could be used to advantage
in Arizona. | believe it could be protitably used
there for the production of cotton. saw the cotton
fields on the ella in the winter of 1S4S picked
tic cotton out of the bos examined its quality and
texture and found it to lie fine. Cotton can be
grown and produced there in abundance Besides
the cotton slave labor could be used proftably in
the mines of that region, and in agricultural pur-
suits. That being the case representing, as do,
northern State elected by the Democracy of north
ern State could not for one moment consent that
the people of the South should rush out there as
soon as territorial government was organized get
possession of the Legislature, and, by system of
uniendly legislation unequal taxation undertake
to keep the people Of the North out of that Terrific
nv. We would not submit to 1t at all we would
say at once they have no right to pass such laws 1;
ard believe any honest court, such one as would
be sent to that Territory, would decide such enact
ments invalid, as violating that principle ofequaty
OF States upon which this Government must rest
The principle of equality Of States must be MAIN
tanned Their equal right in the Territories is so
clear to my mind, that l cannot imagine how any
gentleman can gainsay it. The territory is the com
mon property of all the States, and am sure that
the northern people would not submit to any such
system of taxation any such legislation, in Ter
rtory as would exclude them. The Northern De-
IL ,cracy are just; and, while they would not submit
to that course of policy the part of the South,
they would not attempt to exclude the South by a
system to which they would not submit themselves.
Mr. Pugh, of Ohio desire to correct the Sena-
tor from Oregon. am certainly surprised after the
great pains undertook to express my opinions, to
hear the Senator reterate the assertion of the Sena
tor from California, that had declared my opinion
that it proper, or just or right, or even compe
tent for Territorial Legislature, by mere indirect
fraud, or unequal taxation, or restrictions on the
'"''. "f s"ffrace ANYTHING of that sort to pre-