The register. (Monroe, La.) 185?-1861, 1860-08-23
Mr.. Breckinridge's .s'Tippecanoe
Speech''

The National 1ntelligencer makes candid
and open avowel in reference to the Himsy
charges brought against Major Breckinridge
by the Opposition press, in grateful contrast
with the slatant Belleve1ite organs in this lati.
tude. The declarations and opinions of such a
courteous and loyal opponent as the Intellgen-
Ger undoubtedly is, carrying with them great
weight and influence, and for this reason VIC
call the attention Of our readers to the follow
ing statement;
Several of our subscribers and correspon.
dents in the Southern States have requested US
to furnish the authentic report Of a speech de.
livered by Mr.. Breckinridge, during the Presi.
Dental campaign Of 1856, at,Tippecanoe, in the
State of Indiana. In this speech Mr.. Breckin-
ridge was charged at the time (and the
charge has naturally been revived at the present
day. withlthe utterance of opinions symbolizing
clostly with those of the Northern Democracy
in their devotion to "Popular- Sovereignty" as
an expedient for the settlement of the slavery
question in the Territories. Rebutting also the
allegation that the Democratic party was Sec.
tional and Southern in its leanings, Mr.. Breck.
ridge was represented to have said at the same
time that che belonged to no party which fa.
vorcd the extension Of slavery"
The Intelligencer then proceeds to say that
fragmentary citations and garbled extracts,
torn from their natural and logical connexion,
may be made to answer the ends of an unscru-
pulous party warfare, but rarely serve the
cause of truth and fair-dealing. Candidly ad-
mitting that no authentic report of the Tippe-
canoe speech had ever been furnished to the
press, the Intelligcncer refers to the state
ment lately made in our paper, and copies
not only the language reported by Gen. Miles
but the letter written to that gentleman in
1856, by Major Breckinridgc. 1t then con
eludes with the following important admissions
1t will thus be seen that Mr.. Breckenridge
in his Tippecanoe speech, was not called speci:
fically to treat on that form Of the 'Territorial
question" which relates to the "protection" Of
slavery as distinguished from its establishment
or prohibition. Denying tho power Of the
General Government either to establish OF
abolish slavery in the Territories, he doubt
less left Insabeyance any expression Of opinion
with regard to the manner in which the inhabi
tants Of a territory, during their territoria
condition, could regulate this subject in theil
own way, under the forms of the Constitution;'
though it cannot be doubted that his private
opinion was coincident with that ayowed BY
Mr.. Buchanan which, alluding to the ditTeren
ccs that early obtained on this subject among
the adherents Popular-Sovereignty, he STATED
in his! inaugural address "that he had eve
been Of the opinion'' that the PEOPLE couLl
DEFINITELY DECIDE THE QUESTION OF sLAvERl
ONLY IN PROCEEDING TO FORM STATE CoNsT1
TUITION.
1t is seldom that We see in these days Of po
litical dcgeneracy partisan presses doing jus
tice to their opponents that we place, will
pleasure, on record the conclusive opinion o
the National Intelligencer. Fully convinced
that it will produce the effect Of q bomb-shel
upon the Belleverite camp in many sections o
the State, we would not be astonished if ou
adversarics seek, by other equally "week in
vcntions," 10 lessen its force-N. o. Courier.