The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1860-07-18

take our property to the Territories and have
i! protected there, you shall not place your
property in the same position" That is pre-
cisely what i; contended for. What the Dem
ocratic party maintain, and what it the true
principle of Democracy is, that all shall enjoy
the same rights, and that all shall enjoy the
same rights, and that all shall be subject to
the same duties. Property-this Government
was framed for the protection Of life, liberty and
property. They are the objects for the prOtec-
ton of which all enlightened governments were
established. But it is sought now to place the
property Of the citizen, under what is called
the principle of squatter sovereignty, in the
power of the Territorial Legislature to cOnfis- !
cate il at their will and pleasure. That is the
principle sought 10 be established at present;
and there seems to be an entire mistake and
misunderstanding among portion OF the pub
lie upon this subject. When was property ev-
es submitted to the will ofthe majority? New
er] Ityou hold property as an individual you
hold il independent Of Congress or Of the State
Legislature, or of the Territorial Legislature
it is yours; and your Constition was made to
protect your private property against the as
saints Of legislative power. lCheerS, WE'LL
now, any set of principles which will de rive
You of your property is against the very essence
Of Republican government. and to that extent
makes you a slave; for the man who has power
over your property to conf'cate it has over your
means of subsistence; and yet it is contended
that although the Constitution of the United
States coners no such power although no
State Legislature has any such power yet a
Territorial Legislature, in the remote extreni-
ties of the country, can confscate your prop
erty.
A Voice-"They can't do it; they amt 60
ing to do it'll
There is one mode, and one alone, to abolish
slavery in the Territories. That mode is point
ed out in the Cincinnati platform, which has
been as much msrepresented as anything ! have
ever known. That platform declares that a
majority Of the actual residents in Territoty,
whenever their number is sufficient to entitle
them to admission as a State, possess the pow
er ito form a Constitution with or without do
lnestc slavery to he admitted into the Union
upon terms Of perfect equality with the othsr
States" II there be Squatter Sovereignty in
this resolution have never been able to per-
ceive il. II there be any reference in it to a
Territorial Legisa ture it has entirely escaped
my notice, 1t presents the clear principle that
at the time the people form their Constitution,
they shall then decide whether they shall have
slavery or not And yet it has been stated
over and over again that, in accepting the nom
inaton under that platform, endorsed the doc
t,ine Of Squatter Sovereignty. l suppose yor
have all heard this thousand times
A voice. I'VE all knew it was a lie.'
Wen, am glad you did.
How beautifully this plain principle Of con
stiluional law corresponds with the best inter
ests of the people! Under it emrgrants from the
North and the South, from the East and thu
West, proceed to the Territories. They carr,
with them that property which they suppos
live together in peace and harmony. 1h'
ques lion Of slavery will become ioregone con
tcu ion Lefore they have inhabitants enough tt
enter the Union as State. There will be n,
"bleeding Kansas" in the Territories; they vii
all live together in peace and harmony, promo
ting the prosperity OF the Territory and thei
Town prosperity, until the time shall arriv
when it becomes necessary to frame constitu
ton Then the whole question will be decide
. to the general satisfaction. But upon the op
posite principle, what will you find in the Ter
!, rltories? Why, there will be strife and conten
: ton all the time. One territorial legslatur
. may establish slavery and another territoria
legislature may abolish it, and so the struggl
will he continued throughout the territorial ex
istence. The people, instead OF devoting thei
u energies and industry to promote their ow
: prosperity, will be in state Of constant strit
: and turmoil, just as we have witnessed in Kan
: sas Therefore, there is no possible principl
that can be so injnrious.t to the best interests
: Territory as what has been called squatte
severe gnty. t
Now let me place the subject before you i
= another point Of view. The PEOPLE ofthe South
: ern States can never abandon this great prime
&c pie Of State equality in the Union without sci
. degradation. ["Never'1 Never without a
~ acknowledgment that they are inferior in tn
g respect to their sister States. Whilst it is Wit
). to them to preserve their equality-the NortheT
!. stutes surrender nothing by admitting the pri'
" ciplc' In doing this they only yield obeden'
st 10 the Constitutiun of their country as expaul
"a ded by the Supreme Court ofthe United State
!, While for the North it is comparatively me
abstraction, with the South it is question
co equal State sovereignty int the Union.
;. II the decrees of the high tribunal establsht
: by the Constitution for the very purpose are
:, be set at naught and dsregarded, it will ter
:, to render all property Of every description ins
:. cure. What, then, have the North to do?-
!, Merely to say that, as good citizens, they W
:, yield obedience to the decision OF the Supren
" Court, and admit the right Of Southern ms
\. to take his property into the Territories al
o. hold it there, just as Northern man may d
ks and it it is to me the most extraordinary thil
ar in the world that this country should now
90 distracted and divided because certain perso
II at the North will not agree that their brethr'
Of Al the South shall have the same rights in Il
to Territories when they enjoy. What would
T. as Pennsylvania say or do, supposing an
at body was to contend that the Legislature
10 any Territory could outlaw iron and coal wit
N Lira tha Enrr;tr..2 q nd chaers Cl