Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-09-28
The Republican Party Vindi-
Gated. fisa i1I
SPEECH OF cAssIus M. CLAY, OF KY.
D'hoered at the Republican Mass Meeting
| at Ottaaoa, Ill.,, Sept. 7, 1860.

SPEECH OF cAss1us M CLAY, OF K,
Differed a! the Republican Mass Meeti,
at Ottaaoa, Ill.,, Sept. 7, 1860. ..[
= From the Chicago Press and Tribane.1 !
Ladies and Gentlemen This great CO..
course Of people could not be brouel
together for the consideration of any subie
OF merely temporary or material iuteres
You all feel that the question which no
undcriies political parties in this country
none o'hcr than that which in all ages nevt
fails to art use the masses - the uuestio
whether they will bo freemen or slaves.
In the formation of this government ou
fathers declared that all men were create
equal, and entitled to life, liberty, and th
pursuit of happiness. The word "property
was not included in that declaration. be
cause they conceived that these three othe
things were infinitely above and beyond al
property. And you will not listen to. da
to a discussion about questions of mer
property-about tariff, banks, and kindre
subjects - when you know and feel that tn
fundamental question of all, and the tru
issue of this contest involves what is NOR
imr ortant than these-life, liberty, and tn
pursuit of happiness. These are at stake
and on this issue are we divided. Whicl
side will you take9 .r
! PREJUDICE AND ABoLlTIONIsM. -.'
But there is always lying in the path O
truth, prejudice; and, setting aside tn,
ofice-holders, that is everything that pre-
vents US from being to-day all of US Rcpub
licans. [Applause and laughter.] 1t is th,
prejudice that the Democratic party hav,
instilled into their followers that will no
let them hear the truth. [''That's so !''
If we could ever get the truth be.
fore the people, should 90 home a
once to my work, and not make any more
speeches in this canvass; because that would
make every man who is honest Republican.
Cheers.
And what is the objection urged against
US F? Why. they cry out everywhere, that we
are Abolitionists that We are in favor of
overthrowing the Constitution and the laws,
and of making war upon the States in order
to liberate the African. Well, if we were
in favor Of all that, we would still be a
great deal nearer Heaven than the Democrat
who overthrows the Constitution and the
laws, in order to enslave the African; would
we not? ["Yes, yes," and cheers But,
gentlemen, we stand by the Constitution and
['And always will."] Yes, and always
will stand, because we believe that without
law there is no liberty. [''That's so.'']
But We believe we will be able to take
care Of that institution undlr the Constitu.
tion and the laws, after a while; and we
Will do it il our own way. [Applause and
cries of "Good, good."] Are you in favor
of that, my Democratic friends If you
are not, you are no Democrats, because the
old Democratic doctrine - the ever. living
doctrine - is that the people shall rule by
the majority, under the Constitution and
the laws. Then say no more on the head of
Abolitionism, if you please. Laughter
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
But, say our Democratic friends, ssYou
are in favor Of the Declaration
of Independence" Well, We plead guilty.
[ Laughter We are right there, every one
of us, on the same platform on which the
Fathers stood in l776, when they declared
that all men - not the black men, not the
white men, not the red men, but all men
were created free and equal, and entitled
to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
These are the worde of the Fathers, be-
lieve, my Democratic friend. Do l mi s.
quote Where they stood we stand to-day.
What was true in l776 is true in 1860. We
do not mean by that to abolish the State
constitutions and plunge the country into
civil war. Our Fathers asserted that sub
lime truth, and it did not bring en- civil war
at that time. Yet they enunciated it, as the
foundation of all their action; as we do
now, of all our action whenever or where
ever we have the power by cur political organ
izations, national or State, to carry it out
Just as the philosopher announces the great
truths OF science to be applied as occasions
may arise; as the principle of mathematics
and the direction of the needle as it trembles
to the pole, are referred to by the surveyor
who lays off the lines Of a farm or marks the
boundary of State. So our fathers placed
that before US as declaration of principles
which it is the part of the States in their
several capacities and Of the national gov
to carry out whenever and where
ever they have the power. Are we right
there? Yes" ""yes.'] If we arc not, and
you Democrats take the opposite ground, we
stand on the Democratic ground and you do
not that is all. [Applause.
NEGRO EQUALITY.
Another allegation is, You Republicans
are in favor Of Negro equality; you, Cash.
Clay, are, in particular" Laughter and
cheers. Gentlemen, l am thus far in favor
of 1t: So far as | have the power, am in
favor orevery mans owning himself. ["That's
right Is that Democracy? l lam in favor
of letting the man who makes the corn have
the right, above al! others. to eat the corn.
T Loud cheers. l believe that the man who
builds house has the right, above all others,
to live in that house. Are you Democrats
opposed to that? L I'D cries of "No, No.
Don't you Republicans be too hot in answer
ing Tor them. Laughter Suppose, my
Democratic friends, you apply your doctrines
to yourselves, saying that a man is not by
nature, as we'll as by law, entitled to the
earnings of his own hands Then the Re-
pnblicans, who, if am not mistaken, are in
a large majority here, to day, might come
upon you, tonight, rob your corn-crib, pillage
your meat house, take away your wife and
children, aad turn you out of doors, bare and
penniless, and still, according to the doctrine
of your enlightened Democracy, you cannot
say one word against it. Laughter and
cheers
1NFER1ORITY OF RACE
But, say you, the African ought to be en-
slayed because he is of an inferior race. What
does that lead to, if carried out? If you
enslave a man because he is physically your
inferior, or has no friends, or is obscure, or is
Intellectually your inferior, or if you enslave
him because you are better looking man
than he is, then L, though not much above
the average down in Old Kentuck, might still,
I am afraid, enslave good many of you
Democrats, and perhaps few Republicans,
on the mere score of looks. [Great laughter. ]
No, gentlemen; believe the Constitution
was designed for precisely the opposite pur-
pose--to protect the weak, and curb the
overbearing violence of powerful and tyran-
nical men. The man of strong arm and
intellect can protect himself, and when you
appeal to me to enslave, or assist to enslave
man because he is weak and humble, tell
you that appeal meets no response in the