Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-05-23

vs4itAgeously under these circumstances? Iput 1t
70 the commoi sense of everybody if that can be ex
pected. / will not say, as q southern gentleman
said to me the other day, who was in favor oil
southern candidate at Charleston, that IL the ange,
Gabriel was put upon slaYe-codc plank ne woulu
be defeated all through the North. do not know
anything about what sort Of run Angels "ou9
make; but am clearyof the opinion that 1t w0uIa
weaken any candidate we run in the North. why
All men have a pride of opinion; all men nave re-
gard for consistency. If this were new Question:
and no ground had ever been taken upon It It Is pos
sible that we might bring up many gentlemen 10 tie
point of passing proposition to protect slavery !"
the Territories; but when they nave S.oou upon
nonntervention for ten years; when all their con-
ventons have adopted it, ask you il it is possible
that thew can be prepared at this time to turn right
about and go for Intervention. II does not help
the matter at all that this thing is held up an atuT0
Suppose it be said that whenever it is necessary
Congress must legislate to protect slave property
the Abolitionsts would say in this canvass, lit will
be necessary as soon as the presidential election is
over if you carry the day" They will say that OF
course. Our friends perhaps, may dispute IL and
say they think it will be long time before is nee
essary but that is the argument they will have to
meet The Abolitionsts will hold up all the bloody
slave codes from the time of Draco down, and tell
the northern people that this is the music they have
got to face If we are going to legislatc at all, L
to pass statute now declaring that slave and all
other property should be protected in all the Terri
tories of the United States during the territorial con-
dtion; because men would see that statute, would
know what it meant, and have better chance TO
defend it
But again, Mr. President, it is argued that there
are differences of opinion the subject of month";
tervention and the meaning Of the Cincinnati plat
FORM really do not think there is any difference
Of opinion far the action of Congress is con-
cerned. think no man can read that PLATFORM or
the Nebraska BILL the speeches on that occasion,
without seeing that we are all agreed far con-
gresSiona action is concerned have extracts from
the speeches of many southern Senators and Rep
resentaves upon the occasion Of the passage OF the
Kansas-NebraSka bill, but do not choose to read
them. In the first place, the drgUmCntunI Gd hor-
minem is not very convincing to an intelligent
mind. In the next place. to show that this was the
universal opinion Of the party them as could do in
this way, should have to take up the time of the
Senate to too great length and | should also, per-
haps Oblige gentlemen to make explanations OF their
positions. But | think it abundantly clear that
Congress not to interfere with the subject; that
the difference Of opinion upon the point after that
what would be the effect of congressional nOn-in-
PREVENTION. Some gentlemen said that the Terrific
ries might legislate to protect slavery but not to
prohibit it Others said they might legislate either
to prohibit it or not This question: from necessity,
is one that the courts must determine Suppose 4
law is passed by Territorial Legislature; who de-
termines its constitutionality and validity? The
courts. Our opinion will not control the courts
Suppose the Senate should resolve unanimously
that particular thing legal and constitutional
the Supreme Court any other court, would not
be bound TO adopt it at all. There is in fact, no
difference, as far the action Of Congress is re-
CURED on the subject We differ as to what the
court will decide about the power of Territory
L for haS a,1 hora Il
again that think the court will hold that Terri
torial legislature has right to protect property,
and cannot ,egislate against it think So Some
body else entertans an opposite opinion. 1t is ne
cessarily judicial question.
But again, sir it is said that the Cincinnati plat
form, with the doctrine of non-intervention is con-
srued differently by different people So is the Con-
sttution Of the United States; and yet we have
never thought proper to make new constitution.
So is the Bible the churches have divided about it
for the last two thousand years or more; and yet
Providence has not thought proper to favor with
new Bible. Nobody has asked it. Perhaps | am
wrong-I believe the abolitionistS have said that the
times demanded an antslavery constitution. an an
ti,sayery Bible and an anti-slavery God; and they
have made for themselves constitution in the
higher law" and for aught | know, they may
adopt Joe Smiths Mormon Bible. They have east
ly found divinity in John Brown; and some of them
are relying. they say, "on him, ard him hanged
But do not find that any considerable portion OF
the Christian world asks for new divinity or
different Bible, ard yet they differ about it. So
with regard to the constitution. Itturns out, there
FORE that the Cincinnati platform stands in the
position with these other great instruments in this
respect
What has occurred since 1856 was member
of the convention when that platform was adopted
at Cincinnati and it was unanimously adopted and
was satisfactory. What has occurred since?
know of nothing that is supposed to have any bear
ing upon 1t, except the bred Scott decision. If gen
tlemen say that that ought to be part of our plat
form, doubt whether anybody will object Every
Democrat that know of yields to the decisions Of
the courts on questions of that kind. I prefer
though, taking the decision itself to any mans COM
mentary upon it, just as l would prefer adopting
the Bible to the views any commentator IF should
attempt to read in any court what somebody said
was former decision, the judges would stop me-
and say Give us the decision ITSELF" because the
Judges know their opinions, and can express them
better than anybody else
But, Mr. President, | may say that look upon
platforms for candidates very much as do upon the
weights that are put upon horses. think the less
OF platform you hamper a candidate with, gener
crafty SO you express your principles clearly the
BETTER inst the less weight you put upon horse
the better race he runs. have great many rights
that were not in the Cincinnati platform do moi
eAIeeto nave theIn put INTO 10 get them there
| should have to have the Constitution of the Uni
ted States certainly all there and the constitution
my own State, and no doubt some other great natu
raj rights that are not in either Ny friend from
Missouri (Mr. Green) suggests to me the Bible, also
Are we to expect everything to be put inf If W,
do, do not know how large we should make it,
1t would be just as absurd as if a man who had ,
horse that was going to run a great race and or
which he had bet largely, should put upon his bach
all the property he had in the shape of kettles mill
stones or anything else cumbersome That woulC
be the height of absurdity / tell you further Mr.
President after we get candidate in the field, anC
he is running against our adversares over the way
the very gentlemen who now may be disposed t.
quioble and who want to insist on this and that,
they saw that he was hampered and was likely t,
lose support, would be very sorry that he wa
thus placed in a false position. My real liking 70
the Cincinnati platform was that It had been fou
years before the country, everybody understood il
and it not necessary IN dahota obo,,