Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-09-16

Mr. Crittsaaens name is recorded Is favor Of this
resolution 90
Then have the vote Of ny respected friend de-
caring that these questions are not minute or uu-
important-that the union Of the States rests upon
equality ef rights among its members thst neither
Congress nor territorial legislature has the power
TO annul or impair the constitutional right OF any
citizen Ct the URited States to take his slave prop
erty into the common territories, snd there enjoy
the same while the territorial condition remains;
and that such rights be aesaed BY the territorial
legislature, il becomes necessary for Congress to
interfere to protect il precisely upon the same
principle upen which We stand to day. ECheers
Mr. CrittendeE, few days after, followed these
resolutions bv speech in the Senate, which find
reported i1 the daily Globe, the official orgsu Of
that body It Is true that Mr.. Crittenden expressed
6 hope that the time might never come when it
would be necessary for Congress to intervene to
protect these rights in the territories also trust
that the time may never come when any territorial
authority will be co reckless Of its constitutional
obligations as to make it necessary for Congress or
the other branches Of the government TO interere
for the projection Of personal rights and private
property. [Cheers
Bet in the speech to which I refer, he sustains
the position occupy, in language whicbaosmpsres
we'll with that Of the Supreme Court ITSELF he
says:
" Ny idea upon that subjsc Dir, President, with
out shadow Of doubt, is that Territorial Govern
meQt Is iHs mere CTediuEB OF congress, uaduO anu
fashioned BY Congress it pleasss. with What
functions il pleases. with what power it thinks
proper to confer that all these powers are liable 10
be resumed at any time to be fashioned and con-
rOled and changed at the pleasure Of Congress- and
according to its discretion. OF there is no
sovereignty or particle in the Territory: all is
mere delegation Of power, and is in suh0rdiuatiOn
at all times TO the Congress Of The United States
know of no sovereignty in this country, no gu
IRENE political power except that originally vested
in the people of the United States. They are the
natural depositories they are the nGtuRrl owners Of
everything like supreme power OF sovereignty
They have to form this government delegated
certsis portion Of that sovereignty TO the Congress
of the United States. The whole, then Of this SOW
eregnty exists. to that part not Delegated 10 the
| people As 10 that part which they have delegated
thai is in Congress; and here is the disposition Of
the whole sovereign supreme power of this country
None has been delegated 10 any Que else. None,
certainly has been delegated to the Territorial gov
ernments +"
| Further on in the same speech Mr.. Crittenden
employs the following language
"As the Territorial Government has no sovereign
or independent right to act this subject the Sur
preme Court of the United States having determin-
| ed that every citizen of the United States may go
into that Territory, carrying his slaves with him,
and holding them there my opinion is that the Con-
stitntion is to protect that property which it has
authorized TO go there. OF course that is logical
| conclusion. 1t seems to me it is unquestionsbe.
| To assert my right TO go there, to carry my pro-
perty there and to enjoy that property and then to
say there is anybody stronger, or mighter. more
sovereign than the Constitution, that take from
me that which the Constitution says shall have and
enjoy OF shall expel me from the place where the
| Constitution says may 60, can imagine nothing
so inconsistent and contradictory. / say, there
fore, when the proper or extreme case occurs,
when property going there under the sanction of
| the Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme
Court of the United States. shall require such in
terposOn that it is the duty of Congress to inter
pose and grant protection. Give it, and give it adj
| equately. That is my opinion"
Nobly and well said, in language worthy of his
exalted character and reputation.
Mr.. Douglas says he will be content to administer
/ the Government, and makes the acceptance of it on
the condition that territorial Legislature, mat
ter what the decision OF the Supreme Court may be,
| can lawfully exclude property from Territory;
that you may take it there under the Constitution,
but that the local Legislature may then expel it by
hostile laws The Supreme Court says the Terrific
rial Legislature cannot exclude it, and Mr.. Criten-
den says that he can "magine nothing so inconsst-
ent and contradictory" to say that you may take
your property there by virtue of the Constitution,
and then to say that there is somebody stronger
mightier than the Constitution, that can take away
that which the Constitution says you may hold and
| enjoy, and yet unless Mr.. Douglas can force half
the States to accept this surrender Of their rights
he will rend and destroy as he goes. [Applause ]
/ derive some satisfaction from the fact that the
1
| will go far IN this Union, has declared, by his
speeches and votes in the Senate that the principles
upon which we stand are Constitutional and true.
| [Cheersl
Fellow-citizens, cannot enlarge; appeal to you
| if have not conclusvely repealed the accusations
against me- and if have not shown that it is Meth
er 1 nor the Constitutional Democracy, but Mr..
Douglas who departed from the agreement of the
Kansas bill? Ir
Then passing to a more extended view, we have
seen that these principles have been sanctioned by
! the practice OF the government; affirmed by the
highest judicial tribunal in the world voted to be
true by both political parties in Kentucky in 1859
unanimously asserted by both branches of the Leg
islature Of the State, and by overwhelming ma
jority of the whole Democratic party in State Con-
ventiOn, and declared by Mr. Crittenden himself, in
the most solemn FORM to be not only constitutional.
but be sound and true and essential to the rights
and equality of the States. ICheers.] Surely these
/ things make pyramid of authority and argument
! in their support which ought to commend them, if
not to the adoption certainly to the grave and can
did consideration of all men who wish to know the
truth And have tried TO sustain them by legiti-
mate facts and argument | not conscious of
having appealed to any prejudice.
! Fellow-citizens these principles will give us
peace and prosperity; they will preserve the equal
! ity and restore the harmony of the States. They
will make every feel that in his personal rights
/ and right of property he stands on a footing Of
equality in the domain common to all the States.
[Cheersl They have their root in the Constitu
| constitutional principles. And to be driven
from their maintenance Is our State to be twisted
round the fingers of politicians, would twist
gum-elastic thread? Are the people of Kentucky
to be made to turn their backs to-day upon princi
pies they thought true and constitutional last year.
| by loud and unreasonable clamor? Are they to be
driven, terrified staggered and bewi!dered by idle
cries of "disunion, from maintaining their cOnsttu-
| tiOnal rights And when Kentucky is asked TO ex-
| press her own opinion of her own rights in this
| COnfederacy, has the spirit OF the Commonwealth
sunk so low that she dare not do 1t! lCries of mo
! no = and cheers. such were not the men who
| laid the foundation of this State. Such were not
those who maintained our independence in 1898.
Now the question is of the equal rights of per-
and property in the Territories, though indeed
just behind this outpost lie all our constitutional
rights. Then it was question of the freedom of
speech, and whether the friendless foreigner might
be driven from the country for reasons TO be locked
/ up in the breast of the President. Need recite
the glorious part Virginia and Kentucky PLAYED in
the last great drama Many States replied to their
resolutions by stgmatizing them as disunionists I;
but, undeterred by threats and false principles
they naugurated political revolution which saved
the Constitution and our Liberties. lCLeers.1 Now
in 1860, does Kentucky dare to defend the Constu-
| ton against senseless Outcres Does she dare to
the equality of the States and her own rights
! in the Confederacy? They hers by the current
OF our history; hers by the practice OF the Govern
ment; hers by the sanction of judicial authority.
Then, will she fly from them -driVenby the clamor
OF bells and noisy orators or will she stand upon
them brave and self-posted, and maintain alike her
rights, the Constitution and the Union? TCheers
and cries Of &c Wen stand by them."1
FelOw-citzens if my strength will last. can you
bear with me q little longer :. "a voice-''Yes, a
week-gO ong,
know OF but ere political organization which as
serts the principles have attempted to defend The
NePuOiican organization holds precisely opposite