Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-08-28
INTERVENTION FOR FREED ON.
Address of Hon. G. F. Bailey,
AT FITCHBURG, FRIDAY EVENING, AUG, "a, ISL
[REPoRrEp BY MR.. II. E. ROCKWELL


lREroRrED BY MR. II. E. ROCKWELL
Three months ago, the national republican party at
convention, called for that OF the largest
and attended, perhaps OF any ever held
highest office in the gilt American people, that
honest, tried and faithful exponent Irrational repuo
lished record OF whose political fat1' contains teSe
MSTds m am mpledy nI tbc & 81 sogress 10 pro-
hibit slavery all the United states territories Inc
same convention nominated its candidate for the
Office in the g OF the people, that gallant son OF
east, that steadast friend OF republican principles
Hannibal Halnlin OF Maine And Mr. Hamlh mas placed
his opinion on record in these words =, 9 4,e H., -.
Al hold that the constitution, i'll and OF ITSELF Dy It's
express language, authorizes congress 10 ii3it ts III
stutiJn tSavcrY) in our territories. llaNths inc
Ewsl apo 5 M me it IS thai should exert pow
which the constitution gives to exclude the Institution
social, moral. and political EVIL. Oad posl i M
resist aggressive slavery. And demand enactehts
for the protection OF free soil against its IMPRESSIONS
The national republican party N 1900 aoop'eu '"eso
Resolved That with our republican iatne[s we oid
with the imaenabc rights TO liie liberty ana me per
suit of happiness that the primary object ana ute
ror design of our federal government was 10 ierg MS
rights all persons within its exclusive J9rlsulGtioh
$500; sbantG ho Ienrirc nt life liberty or property
without process law, 1t becomes our uuty to NAM
tain this provision of the constitution SSast an
any territory United States by positive legislation
prohibiting its extension or existence therein. -
sovereign power over territories OF the United States
for their government and that n me eAeGsT Ul .s
prohibit in the territories those twin recs oil oarpaS
polvgamy and slavery ,.,
Lincoln and Hamlin, adopted this resolution = II -
of the United states that OF freedom 'na as our re-
publican fathers when they ha9 apSsnea slavery N an
be deprived OF life liberty or property without que pro-
Of law, it becomes our duty, by legislation when
ever legislation is necessary to maintain this pro-
vision of the constitution against all attempts to violate
it, and we deny the authority OF congress OF terrific
rial legislature, of any individuals TO give legal exist
enee to slavery in any teTrltory Of the United states
its last annual convention expressed the doctrine OF the
party in this state in these words;-
1884, and its application to all the territories of
congress to to all the inhabitants the eof the free
ownership Of their own bodies and their right to LIE ll-
impossible that the people should be lett free to form
their own institutions in their own way
This, then, is the republican faith to-day, cleaned
from authentic 1t is the doctrine of congress
slavery; it the doctrine that contained in
the Jefersonian ordinance and the Wilmot proviso
stephen A. Douglas, the great standard bearer OF the
democratic party holds the opposite doctrine and has
| placed his belief on record in these words
The position that have ever taken has been that
slavery and all other questions relating to the domestic
affairs and domestic policy of the territories ought to be
left to the decision Of the people themselves.
The democratic national convention IN lS56 gave us
Resolved That the American democracy recognize and
adopt the principles contained in the organic laws esab-
fishing the territories OF Kansas and Nebraska, as en-
bodyig the only sound ana safe solution slavery
question, upon which the great national idea of the
people this whole country repose in its determined
conservation of the union and nonnere:ence of con
with slavery in the territories, OF III the district OF
At the last convention of the national democratic
party, in baltimore the principles OF the Cincinnati
platform, which have just read, were re-afirmed and
endorsed by the democratic party for 1860
The democratic party of Massachusetts, at its last state
Resolved That ind no necessity for addition or
change in the great doctrine OF popular sovereignty as
declared by the Massachusetts, resolutions Of lSic; that
congress Over the matter Of slavery in the territories but
the right to establish their own domestic institutions
under The principles of the constitution. -, 49,.
THIS doctrine Vf the democracy is the doctrine Of non
Intervention, made familiar to us under the names of
"suuattr SUyCreiLnty, popular sovereignty, and the
strangely inappropriate one Of self government
rcpUblcams Of this locality is this Shall we abandon
the cherished principles chosen standardbearers,
first last conventions and affirmed by the repub
lican party OF the state of Massachusetts? Shall We
fan Win those who honestly embrace This faith if any
such present. but for way is clear; when
and vital question: and adopt those Of the adversary
will adopt his also; will enrol my name with his,
march under his banner, and share with him the glory
ofVietory or The shame OF defeat have presented TINS
question as the only question before us and SO under
stand it, because am not aware that the republican
party has taken position adverse to the doctrine that
as general rule the people Of the territories may regu
late their own affairs in their own way, saving ana eN
cepuIH lhat ieN Shai NOT Fesrct nom ny
states to the public domain by egaliZng therein great
rirDants and Ms of The neciaraon of ndepen
dence. But here with the statement that the
uen1 derive their lust powers nom The consent OF the
governed, and that cannot, in harmony with
that principle, impose restrictions regulations upon
Let me read to you-althoueh you perfectly am-
liar with 1.-THE Language of the declaration OF nde-
pendence upon that point;
I'VE hold these truths be selfevident: That all men
arc created equa that they endowed by their Crea-
tor with certain inalienabe rights; that among these
are life liberty and the pursuit OF happiness; that 70
secure these rights, governments are instituted among
men, deriving their just powers from the consent OF the
governed"
By that language 1 will stand (Applause.) will fol-
low it to all It's legitimate conclusions And when the
giant into the territories Of the United
the African uwart then the republican party saws, and
it the right and duty OF congress TO say Hands on
Jau play in the public domain of the United States
You cunnot govern in that way the weak African @H-
out ms consent for tO e. liberty and tie puF
st ~ hapPmeSS, governments derive their just powers
from the consent of the -Uverned."
Is it not clear that government cannot derive then
power from any whatever to deprive guiltess
man of the right to life liberty and the pursuit OF
happiness or delicate that power to others, me
white man. whether he goes from Massachusetts nom
Maine, or from Georgia, south Carolina Texas as
an emSTah 0rlh any other capaclty INTO inc territories
OF the United states carries with linn, as contend and
am ready to defend him in that right the right OF sell
ent But the question presented to us is in the
language Of Abraham Lincoln "Shall we permit him to
y true as has been stated by the leading spirit of the
doctrine OF popular sovereignty, stephen A, Douglas
that the who framed originally, the
men Wno were active IN preparing ana adopting the ae,
its principles better than do 1t is well knownand
!; was not by accidenttat the master mind, the
same great patriotic framed and dictated the
first law OF congress which prohibtd slavery i'll the ter
rtories also wrote the declaration independence; and
we can easily gather what his views were OF the meaning
Of the words which have just read.
But it is unnecessary pursue this line of arguments
BIO doctrines have been practically applied and tested
LEI us appeal to history From the fncu theories the
ingenious sophstries and loose defamation with which
the public ear has been filled ana the public press tenn
ed, since Stephen A. Douglas commenced his crusade
against the principles of the Jeiersonan ordinance, let
US turn TO the faith and practice of the fathers OF the
republic, and review the history the prohibition Of
slavery in the territories, and its results and hen
slider the The history and results Of neutrality-suspicious.
At the close of the Revolutionary Massachusetts,
|
Wirltoy which now constitutes OHIO, Indiana illinois,
Wisconsin, and Michigan; Georgia and North Carolina
claimed that territory which constitutes the states
ul tennessee Mississippi and Alabama The other states
complained that it was fair that these few
should hold this territory which had been defended with
Tue common treasure aud lor which common deDt mad
beel incurred and claimed that it should become part
Of the public funds In 1854, Whereabouts, Massachu
sets New FORK Connectcut ana Virginia coded to the
cOniedeted states all their claim the territory north
west Of the ohio river that it passed under the
iol VI e c0neuerateu government; Georgia ana North
Carolina still retaining their territory. At the
Time that inns cessOn was cOmpleGd congress raised
colniee 10 report plan Tor the government OF thls
new territory. II was understood at that time that the
territory held by Georga and North Carolina would
soon NC ceutu 70 the general government THOMAS Jel-
ferson was chairman of the committee whom the mat
Ter was referred and he reported to congress plan Tor
hoFetnheIi OF ulal territory Whch Is cailtu VIZ
JenersOnlan ordinance In that plan there was restrlc
tlol prompting slavery IN all The territory that nau
bee and all that should ceded the United States
all that cal the northwest territory, and also all
pN the status ol Heorslit anu SUM
mus we see the same great man VINO Wrote the DeeliIa
tlo9 al huepennenee proposing that congress should
dom forever therein Under the articles ol coniedera
un all votes taken by states each state being
that is to say, sevenwas TO carry ques
ton except that Of adjournment from day to day. The
vote IN congress this proposition OF Thomas Jefferson
10 dedicate TO free labor all the territory then ceded
and Instructive one inasmuch as under this rule in con-
css seven advocates OF the extension OF slavery
enabled to triumph over friends free labor.
Six states voted yea three voted nays state
North Carolina did vote, her delegation being equally
divided, and three states were absent Although the
states present and voting stood two to one in favor of the