Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-06-06
Republicans of Vigo County Moving.
Large Lincoln Ratification Meeting.

Republicans Of Vigo County Moving.
Large Lincoln Ratification Meeting.
THE DAYS OF 1910 COME AGAIN.
CHEAT SPEECH BY
HON. CALEB B. SMITH,
On Saturday the Republicans OF this
County. pursuant to previous notice, met
together at the Court House In this city,
for the purpose Of ra,ifying the action of
the Chicago Convention, aud endorsing
Abraham Lincoln, Of Illinois. as their IA
vorite candidate for the Presidency.
Early in the morning the booming OF
cannon announced that the Republicans
were awake, and flags and banners stream
ing from windows along the main streets.
showed that the friends Of "0ld Abe" were
alive to all the surroundings. The arts
tica. banner, the work Of Messrs. Wright
aud Goats, on which the young rail split
ter" is represented at his earley avocation,
with maui raised high in the air, just ready
to descend on a wedge which is opening a
gaping split in large log, was brought to
the Court House. and placed behind the
Speakers stand. IL represents Mr.. Lin
coin. 8 long, gaupt appearance when quite
young man. and SO admirably is the like
ness preserved, that those who know the
original now declare this must be true to
life, thirty years ago. In the distance is
the White House. the keys Of which the
people have determined to hand to the
nauler on the fourth day of next March.
Judge 8. B. Gookins was called to the
Chair, ard John B. Hsger appointed Sec
Rotary.
Upon taking the Chair Judge Gookins
explained the objects of the meeting by a
few encouraging and appropriate remarks.
in which he paid many beautiful tributes
to Mr.. Lincoln, to his spotless character as
a man, and his ability as a statemsn-to
the iron will. untiring industry and never
failing mental resources which has made
him to day; what be is-the peoples favor
tie for the highest position among men,
Judge G., before ticking his seat. intro
duced to the audience Hon. O. D. Smith.
1t is useless to attempt a mere outline of
Mr.. Smiths speech. The universal re.
mark, after the eloquent speaker had fin
ished, was 81 have never heard better ad
dress"
He reviewed the history of Mr.. Lincoln q
life from the time, when poor boy he was
q citizen of Indiana, to. when just ripening
into manhood. he WAS found telling the
forests and splitting rails in a neighboring
State-to when he read law, and rapidly
attained eminence at the bar-to the time
when he met in debate, and canvassed the
State of Illinois with Mr.. Douglas. In all
these different relations aud conditions OF
life-everywhe and at all times-he was
the same honest, incorruptible man. That
he was, from the earliest period of his life
until this very hour, "the noblest work of
God an honest man.
Mr.. Smiths advocacy Of the doctrines Of
the Republican party was mastery. No
man who heard him in his elucidation Of
the great constitutional doctrines of free.
dom, but must have seen, with the light of a
sunbeam, the odiousness of that doctrine
advocated by the Democratic party, which
says; that the STAKEHOLDER has the constitu.
tional right to take his slaves into the pub.
lie Territories, and hold them there. He
showed how the courts had decided-aad
even the courts of Southern States-that
when slave was taken by his master out
the State wherein the relation of master
and slave existed by virtue Of positive law i,
the bondman at once became free and no
power on earth could again reduce him
back into slavery. He said that the diff.
ference between the master and slave in
the South and that of master and appren
tice in the North, was, the one owed SER
vice for life, while the other only for a
term of years. That the STAKEHOLDER had
no right to take the life of his slave, and had
no other right 10 him than that of his Ia
Dor. and this was given to him alone by
the laws of the State recognizing slavery.
That the Southern man had just as much
right to the common Territories as had the
Northern man-fnr it was property held
in common BY the General Government
but Shareholders had ne more right to those
Territories than had Northern freemen.-
he said we took our horses, our cows, our
sheep and our hogs into those Territories
aud were protected by the law in keeping
them there. The STAKEHOLDER had the
sams right to take his, and has the same
protection. Those animals were property
recognized as such by man everywhere. =
We had q right to their labor and when We
thought proper. We had the right to kill
and eat them-it being our property We had
the absolute control over IL. Was slave,
negro man, human being, such property
II he belongs to his owner as does horse
or COW, then that owner has a right to
kill and make soup Of him. But he was
not the property Of his master. for the mas
ter has only right to his services. and to
kill him is murder everywhere. He said
the masters right to the services Of his
slave depended upon the law Of the place
where the master and slave was. and when
beyond the jurisdiction Of that law. the
slave became free man. The laws Of a
State never reached into Territory
aud hence. s the normal condi
ton Of all men is that Of r., edom. when a
master takes his slave out of the jurisdic
ton Of slave State. that moment the
shackles fall. He conceded the equal right
Of the South to take their property into the
common Territories-to take all such prop
srty a. Northern mea take there-but not
take their negroes; negroes were not prop.
srfy over which the master held absolute
control--the master having no other right
In tho slave. than that Of his labor.