The Shasta courier., 1860-10-06
SHASTA COURIER.
B. f. Hallett on the Principles OF the
Kansas Bill.

B. F. Hallett the author of the Baltimore
Democratic Platform of 1852, aud tie Cincin-
natl Platform of 1856, made speech just on
the eve of the Massachusetts State election IN
1855, in the town Of Walthar, the home of Gov.
Banks in which he gave the following lucid ex-
panaton of the principles of the Kansas Bill:
But here come. the argument, the reason why
Democrats abide by the Kansas bill, and will
make that an issue on which they will carry the
next President. Ever since the Missouri Com
promise of 1920, Congress has been kept in tur-
moil and agitation on this subject Of slavery. 1t
got to be SO great nuisance IN breeding DEM
agogues, that the people could not have any
wholesome legislation. Private and public in
terests were alike thrown aside because this
angry subject OF slavery was being brought up
at all times. Now, so long as Congress under
took to exercise the power to prohibit or author
ize slavery in the Territories that sore of agita-
ton was kept open, and the men who got to
Congress upon this demagoguism kept irritating
and irritating it, until it would have destroyed
the Union, had not some stop to the plague been
found. What did the statesmen of the country
doP They said, " Let us look OF this matter
Il belongs to the States and the people of the
States rnust take care of it. THE SANE PRlN-
CIPLE Is EQUALLY SOUND WHEN APPLIED
TO THE PEOPLE OF A TERRITORY. IN
STEAD OF SAYING WHETHER SLAVERY
SHALL OR SHALL NOT EXIST IN THE
TERRITORIES, WE WILL ORGANIZE THE
TERRITORIES AND LET THE PEOPLE
THERE SETTLE 1T FOR THEMSELVES
THEY WILL KNOW BEST WHAT Is FOR
THEIR INTERESTS"
Here, the reader will perceive, Hallett says
that after Congress ha, organized the Territories
not when they come to form State Constitu-
tien, but eHy tne after Congress has organized
Tie Teritories-the people thereof may settle
says that slavery belongs to the States, aud
che people in the States must take care of it
tbe isa'se priscipts iss9ualiy soand when applied
90 the people of Territory and that said peo-
pie, any time after they have been furnished with
n Territorial Government, may 'settle it for
themselves in their own way.
Such was Halletts mastery exposition Of the
Kansas Bill little over one year after the pas
sage of that act, and but few months before
he drafted the Ciacianati Platform. National
Democrats, will you take B. f. Hallett. con-
struction of the Kansas Bill while he was a reg
ular Democrat, enjoying the fall confidence OF
the great National Democratic Party, or will you
take his garbled conflicting stateme IS pat forth
since he quit the regular organization and went
off with boiling secession fac,ioa, in opposit N
to the Democratic party? If you say you will
take Haliett's exposition of Democratic princ;-
pies while he was yet untainted Democrat
you will vote for Stephen A Douglas for Presi-
dent, the regular nominee of the Democratic
party, and the author of the Kansas Bill, who
ruts the same interpreta tion that bill to day
that he always did, and the same that Hallet
did before he caved, and gave the Democracy
the cold shoulder. But if you say you will take
Halett's construction Ct the Kansas Bin since
he left the Democratic party, then all we have
to say is, you might just as we'll go to John p
dale, Hannibal Hamlin, Preston King or Solo
mon P. Chase for the exposition of Democratic
principles, for they too, like IIallett, were once
good, loyal Democrats, but, like Hallett, now
are bitter opponent. of the Democratic party.