Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1860-09-15

GROUNDS satisfactory to me, that they coin.
cided with my own political opinions, and
l united in the meeting. Pretty soon af-
forwards, l went to Mexico, and when
returned, twelve months afterwards, in 1s4S,
l found the campaign in full blast with
Gen. Taylor the candidate of the Wings,
and Cass and Butler as the nominees of
the National Democracy. 1t is we'll known
to thousands of those within the sound of
my voice that as soon as l returned home,
l took the stump in behalf of the Democ-
racy, and maintained its doctrines to the
best of my abllity-[Voice-A right l.
and was not afraid to do it, because they
were the representatives of my principles,
and you may judge of my zeal, as one of
those gentlemen was my old commander
and my friend. 1t was said that l was
not present, and did not vote at the eec-
tion at Lexington, in ls4s, and that is
true, but with that fact has gone the ex-
planation which my opponents have never
published, showing that it was my intention
to be absent during the canvass, but it
was not my intention to lose my vote. You
all know that at that time as a citizen, |
could vote anywhere in the State, (being
before the revision and adoption of our
present Constitution,) but it so happened
that there were six or eight gentlemen ac-
companying me, all of them belonging to
the Wing party, and they proposed to me
that if l would not return to my own town
and vote they would not. If we had all
voted, there would have been six or seven
votes cast for Taylor, and only one cast
! for Cass and Butler. Cheers I ac-
ccpted the proposition and we went hunt
ing, laughter, ;, and if every man had done
as well as myself, we would have carried
the State by forty thousand majority
| Applause Among those with me l re-
member the names of three of my friends
Thomas L. Redd, Nelson Butler and
George p. Jewctt.
Another charge has been extensively
circulated throughout the Southern States
that l was an emancipationist in $40, or
at least voted for an emancipatonist at
some time. Mr.. b. read an extract from
letter from the Hon. George Robertson,
published in southern paper, having,
reference to his position on this question
and alluding to his private affairs, and
commented on it at some length, and with
much severity. | come to the fact that the
only time | knew of the question of eman-
cipation being raised was in 1S49, when
We were electing delegates to the Conven-
ton to form n new constitution. Then
DIR. Breckenridge and Mr.. Shy were eman
cipationss. Mr.. Wickliffe and I cam
vased the county 10 the best of our abilities
in opposition to emancipation, believing
that the interests of both races in the Com-
monwealth would be promoted by the con-
tinuance of their present relation. At
the polls DR.. Breckenridge voted against
me and against him [chcers] because we
were representing opposite principles, and
Just so would it be again under similar cir
cumstances. So much for that charge.
But have seen pamphlets published and
circulated all over the Union, for the pur,
pose OF proving that was Know Moth
mig in the State Of Kentucky, Laughter !
| have no doubt that very considerable
proportion of those listening to me were
members of that Order in that year, and if
there is man among you who belonged
to the Order who ever saw me in one Of
your lodges, who did not know that was
recognized as one of the most uncompro-
missing opponents of that Order, let him
be good enough to say so now. L believe
l was the first gen tleman in Congress who
took position against the organization.
When 1 returned home in the spring of
1855, it was making great progress in this
commonwealth. and although l had with
drawn from public life to attend to my pri-
vate affairs L opposed it in repeated speech
es all over Kentucky. This statement may
not be very acceptable to some gentlemen
within the sound of my voice, but | do not
want to deceive any man. | stand upon
my principles, and am willing to view
them without the slightest regard to con-
sequences.
am represented to this day as having
said that | would make a difference be-
tween one of my own religious belief and
another and that between an unnaturalized
and naluralized citizen | would make a
political difference. | never uttered such
sentiment. (Great applause.
The underlying principle with me was
this that the condition Of citizenship be-
ing once obtained, no question, either OF
blIll VI ltllElOHI ehOuiu pc dllONS" W NNiii-
mingle with political consideration. Gap
plause.) / deem it only necessary to make
these statements hero succinctly and pass
on, because | am speaking to assembled
thousands who know this injustice.
But, fellow>citizons, to come to more ex-
tend ed topics, it has been asserted that !
and the political organization with which
am connected, have abandoned the ground
on which we stood in regard to the terri
lorial que stion in 1854 and '56,-that We
then occupied position which is now oc'
cupied by the friends and supporters o
Mr. Douglas, and by that eminent gen.
: tleman himself. l deny it. and shall
now proceed to prove this denial-both as
to myself and as to the party therein in
! volyed. There was a body to whom We
could refer the question, and we thought il
Ill b,