The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-07-13
HOME DEPARTMENT,
Mr.. Riddles Speech.

tnnt A. U. Riddle would speak at the meet.
Ing Of tho Republican Club In the evening.
our citizens crowded the Court House tn
hear him. Fow political orators could at.
tract SO large an audience in this village, on so
short notice His speech was a capital
one' and commanded tho respectful atten-
uon OF oil present until q late hour. when.
at its conclusion, q voto of thanks WINS
passed., and the meeting adjourned.
Mr.. Riddle said it was not his design to
deliver lecture upon the abstract question
OF Slavery. lilo felt that upon that cues.
tion his audience were all agreed and there
was nothing now to bo said. Whatever
might be tho vows of any in regard to the
fighuulnoss or wrongfulnoss of Slavery,
nG@- proposed by political action to inter
fere With II IN tho Southern States. 1t had
become a question of paramount impor-
iance. not simply whether negro slavery
shsuld Gc iostered and perpetuated, but
Shother we should longer continue to havo
Government Cor the protection of free
wbito mnn. Mover before, in our history
as nation, had such momentous issue
been presented to tho people, inasmuch as
It involved the integrity, and oven the sta
bility, o! tho Government itself. The de.
mands Of the Slave Power had increased in
number, and become moro and more intol.
cradle, as new concessions had been made
from time to time, until they had obtained
the Dred Scott decision, by virtue of which
thorc could bo mono but slave torritory in
sll this broad land. There was no plain so
remote, and no vale so lonely, that this de
cis'on of tho Supreme Court, If Of any val
idity, did not cx'end tc it, aud blight it
with the curse Of Slavery.
We had already witnessed, in tho year
1850, the kabe spectacle of great
party. which hal long controlled the policy
of the nation, aud had even arrogated to
itself the honor Of maintaining tho Consti-
tuition and the Union, going down into OBJ
livion in the height Of its power. The Dem
ocra,ic party was dead, and no longer to 5o
named, except to draw from its fate lessons
of warning and instruction to the living, 1t
had not been defeated by it's powerful an.
tagonist, nor had it wanted tho patronage of
the Government to sustain il. Il had liter
ally expired in The tOOrk Of preparing for
the contrst Of 1860. II it was unable to
survSo its own efforts to prepare for action,
We might readily conclude what the issue of
that contest would have been. 1t had fol-
lowed into oblivion the Wing party, which
went down moss justly, in 1852, because it
sought to rival its old enemy in serviity to
tho Slave Power.
Mr.. Riddle then proceeded to expose the
Douglas dogma Of Popular Sovereignty.
From what source, he asked, was this right
Of Popular Sovereignty derived If from
natural and immutabe principles of right
and justice, he would approve 1t; bu, in
such Popular Sovereignty all would alike
participate, and the idoa of Slavery would
be impossible. Some Democrats said it Vas
derived from tho Constitution, but ho doubt
ed that they could tell how. The Constitu-
ton was ordained for tho States, aud
did not apply to the Territories, except
by virtue of Congressional legislation
Congress, then, conferred Popular Sover-
eignty upon the people of the Territories,
If it bo conferred q: all. And how could
Congress confer power which it did not
possess If it had no power to prohibit
Slavery in the Territories. how did tho peo
Pile Of the Territories acquire that power !:
He referred to The fact that Mr.. Douglas,
and every other Democratic Senator, had
voted against MIR. Chasos amendment to
the Nebraska Bill. admitting tho right of
the people to exclude Slavery; and that no
Democratic Senator, however great his faith
in Popular Sovereignty, was willing to grant
TO tho people of Kansas and Nebraska the
right to choose their own Territorial officers
lie said that Mr.. Douglas had caused the
existing agitation in regard to Slavery in
the Territories. by granting TO the South
what il had not openly demanded, tho re-.
peal of the Missouri restriction; and had
finaIly dealt out equal aud exact treachery
20 both sections.
Congress had the power to prohibit sla'
very in the Territories. but it had no more
power to make slave than to make king.
Mr.. Riddle spoke forciby and eloquontly
of the mission of the Republican party
They we're greatly mistaken who supposed
thu, Mr. SovAri, or any othei man, gifted
and must tworthy as ho might be, had found
ed tho Republican party. lis existence
uas rendered necessary by the corruptions
OF tho party in power, and for the vindica-
tion ot the principles which underlie the
fabric of our Government and, though oil
lis great men should die, the party and it's
principles would still survive. and be vic;o-
rious at last We might grevc to lose our
noble and trusted leaders, yet We would
ersct stately mausoeums to their momory,
and 90 forth again to the battle, inspired
with rew hope and courage BY the light Of
their glorious example.
The Republican party. said Mr. r.. came
out of the contest Of 1855 stronger than be-
fore, and more nbo to cope successfully
With the enemy. He paid glowing tribute
to our. gallant leader in that contest, and TO
our equslly gallant leader in this, whom he
pronounced in all essential qualities giant,
and by no means "little" one. His con-
cluding remarks. IN reference to the present
and future of the Republican party, vere
very appropriate and impressive.
We have not attempted to give any of the
language of Mr. Riddles speech, and arc
u-ara thai thia maaora outIina fails 10 do