Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-10-31
The STANDARD.
Sp;&suH OF HON. JOSEPH LANE.

The Hon. Joseph Lane, having been honored by
his political and personal friends with sesenade on
the occasion of his recent visit to Indianapolis the
capital of Indiana delivered speech in reply to an
address of introduction and congratulation from Mr.
Senator Bright We extract from Mr.. Lanes speech
the principal portion, as follows:
"Pardon me if I refer to political matters. You
are aware that have been selected as candidate
for the Vice Presidency on the ticket with the gal
liant Breckenridge, and so many charges have been
made against US that trust may be pardoned for
introducing this subject
at has been charged that the party with which
have the honor to act design to employ the Federal
Government for the propagation Of slavery. This
DENY deny that the National Democratic party
desire to propagate slavery in the Territories. 10
concede this would be to concede that belonged to
q sectional party-as sectional as Republicanisln.
declare that the party with which act is neither
an anti-slavery party nor proslavery party
1t is simply and purely constitutional party 90
not believe that the Federal Government is gov
eminent of parties, but one established to protect
the rights of all people, those at the North and at
the South, and to the decision of that Government
as exhibited through the Supreme Court, l. in com
mon with all good citizens, submissively bow. The
Democratic party has adopted platform OF pr'ncl-
ples emnently national and necessary for the perpe-
tuity and preservation of the Government
sit has been charged by wandering orators that
we are disunion party. Gentlemen, look at me-
You have known me long; some Of you from boy
hood up Do you believe there is drop OF dis
union blood coursing round this heart or through
these veins? Cries of mo, mol No, you cannot
believe it. What la disunionst? As soon might
YOU expect the decever of souls to act the part Of
Saviour What, John c. Breckenridge disunion-
list The man who conceived such an idea, who
could entertain such thought is so low that did l
know his name would not contaminate my lips
with it scorn all such charges, and spurn them
as do those who make them.
"Ibelieve this Union can and will DC preserved
by an adherence to the great fundamental principles
Of the Constitution. BY these fundamental princi-
pies am determined to stand or fall have fought
for the honor of this Union. | would fight for it
again against disunionists, against any foe, either
within or without never could so far forget my
duty to my country or to my God as to do aught to
aid in the severance of the States of this glorious
Union There are no men alive with greater love
for the Union than Breckenridge and Lane. 1t is
not true then, that we are disunionis.s but it is
true that we are for equal and exact justice to all
the States of this Confedracy.
ITO the charge that we favor slave code, let me
say few words. If they who make this charge
will read Mr.. Breckinridges letter of acceptance,
and my letter of acceptance they will there clear
~ defined the doctrine Of non-intervenon with the
subject of slavery on the part of Congress We be-
lieve that there has been already too much egisla
tion-yea, and too much agitation-on this subject.
Our platform is, that the Territories, having been
acquired by the common blood and treasure of all
the States belong to the people of those States and
Congress holds them in trust for these people, but
on the subject of slavery it cannot must not legs
late to the prejudice of the people of any section
The people of u Territory, when they come to form
Cfota to kbo.r
into the Union alone say whether slavery shall
shall not exist in the limits of the proposed State
No other party can say. Congress cannot speak in
regard to this subject the Constitution has given
that body no power to NEEDLE with it. This being
the case, what shall say for the men who declare
that Territorial Legislature exercise this pow
er-the power to exclude savery9 What, make
the creature greater than the creator! Give Ter
ritorial Legislature power you deny to Congress
The man who would pursue such course of reason
ing as this must be perfect muddlehead Laugh
ter The Territories must be left free for the occ-
pancy of all the people of all the States that they
may 60 there with whatever is recognised as pro-
perty in the States from whence they come; and as
have already said, when these people come to form
q State Government, them and not till then, can
they legslate on this subject
II am for all the rights of all the States, and
will do all in my power to preserve those rights.
have battled and always will battle against any in
reference the part of Congress with the subject
Of slavery. 1t is subject with which Congress has
nothing to do. Leave the Territories open to the
Southern man as we'll as the Northern man let
each take his property with him and enjoy it while
the Territorial condition remains. This is equal
and exact justic The men of the South fought as
hard and as raw ~ to acquire the territory or urn-
ished as muth treasure to purchase it. as those of
the North. How, then. can you discriminate how
keep our Southern brother out of his inheritance
Let us, them my friends contend for these consttu-
tional privileges and constitutional rights
"a voice What if Old Abe should be elected?
swell, say that if he should be elected, we will
keep right on battling for the principles of the Ma
tional Democratic party. Should he be elected by
his sectional party, and his sectional platform,
we must content ourselves with the thought that
four years will quickly pass, and at the expiration
Of that time the people will rise in their might and
place man in the Presidential chair who will stand
by and to the principles of the Constitution, as now
expounded by the Supreme Court and held by the
Breckenridge party. Loud cheers.
There are those who contend that the people in
the Territories have the same right and power to
control and regulate the domestic polity of the Ter
ritories that they have in the States This view is
wrong. The difference is that in the State they live
under constitution created by the people in the or
ganization of their State government but in the
Territory their organic law is passed 6y Congress
that is and must be their constitution while thew
remain in the Territorial condition, and under this
law the Territorial Assembly cannot do that which
Congress itself cannot do The truth is, the nhabi-
tants have sovereignty that conferred by the
organic law. Sovereignty, in its common accepta-
tion, cannot exist in Territory. The Territories
and their Legislatures live and act under the law of
Congress, and even Mr.. Douglas does not deny Con-
gress the right to alter, amend completely annul
the act Of a Territorial Legislature What then,
becomes Of your boosted squatter sovereignty The
fact is this popular sovereignty is popular hum
bug. Laughter allude, Of course, to squatter
sovereignty.
''Suppose Arizona should, as she most probably
will during the next winter be placed in Terrific
rial condition, and our brethren from the South, be.
that Territory lies pretty far to the southwark
to rush there and obtain possession of the Ter
ritorial Legislature, and were to pass lava To-
cal police regulation that you men of the
North might bring your horses to the Territory, but
that you should not put bride on them, nor work
them, in such manner Is should prove most profit
able to yourselves. Would you Ike it? Would you
submit to it? Of course Won would not What