Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-02-10
Mr.. Douglas Proposing to ''Sub-
due" the Republican Party.

Mr.. Douglas Pr0p0simg to 'sSub.
due" the Republican Party.
The bill proposed by Mr.! Douglas, as bid
for the Charleston nomination, is another step
in advance in the march of aggression upon
freedom Of speech, and human rights gener-
ally. Ostensibly, it is an act to prevent hostile
incursions from one State into another; but,
in reality, it is bill to punish the people Of
the free States for being opposed to the
extension of slavery. Under the pretense of
preventing the invasion Of one State by the
people of another, it provides heavy punish
ment for those who enter into any such
combinations as prevailed during the Kansas
struggle; and, if another effort should be
made on the part of the South to colonize
another Territory with slaves, and the people
of any neighborhood should unite to send out
free colonists for the purpose of securing that
Territory to freedom, the provisions of this
bill could and would be used to punish them
for an act so unfriendly to slavery. ed"
And, still worse, if the utterances Of the
press, or the speeches at public meetings,
should be deemed inimical to the institution,
or should be so construed by servile courts,
or if any act Of free community, in the
exercise of its natural rights, should be inter-
preted by the fire-eaters as an ofense, this bill
affords the means, not merely of Furnishing
the actual offenders, but Of annoying all who
may be placed under ban, on account Of their
free principles, by the adherents of pro-
slavery Administration.
The programme of this outrageous enact
ment is laid down in Mr.. Douglas last speech
as follows s.r..
"Sir, give US such law as the Constitution
contemplates and authorizes, and will show
the Senator from New York that there is q
constitutional MODE Of suppressing the 'irre-
pressible conflict l will open the prison
doors to allow conspirators against the peace
of the Republic and the domestic tranquility
of our States to select their cells wherein to
drag out miserable life as punishment for
their crimes against the peace of society. /
''Mr. President, the mode of preserving
peace is plain. This system of sectional war
fare must cease. The Constitution has given
the power, and all we ask of Congress is to
give the means, and we, by indictments and
convictions in the Federal Courts Of our
several States, ,oiH make such examples Of
the leaders Of these conspiracies as ,cill strike
terror into the hearts Of the others, and there
will be an end of this crusade. The great
principle that underlies the organization of the
REPUBLICAN PARTY is violent, irreconcilable,
eternal warfare upon the institution of Amer
lean slavery, with the view of its ultimate
extinction throughout the land. Sir, Icontess
the object ef the legislation I contemplate Il
to put doacn this outside interference 1t Is
to repress this 'irrepressible conflict" t.
| Such an instrument as this infamous law
worse than the old "Alen and Sedition Law
in the hands of the INSCRIPTIONS officers Of
prosecuting government, would be terrible
engine of oppression and persecution. Nc
community would be safe from its inquisitoria
power. Itwould penetrate into the secrets
of every hamlet, and be as thorough terro,
as the Inquisition was in its palmicst days
1t is by this means that Mr.. Douglas proposes
to put into execution his threat-'I viii
subdue you"-free people of the North
Will YOU tamelv submit?