Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-09-05
SPEECH OF HON, An, STEPHENS.

AUGUSTA, Ga, Sept l, 1860
An immense audience OF ladies' aud gentlemen assem-
bled at the City Hall PARK to-day to hear Hon. A. H.
Stephens speak.
Me- Stephens said be appeared reluctantly before the
people, and only did because he could not refuse the
invitation Of his old constituents The signs of the times
porend evil Everything tending to national dis
rupton aud general anarcty Whether tins tendency
be arrested depended the virtue intelligence ard
patriotism Of the popa Of all parts OF the country in the
present great crisis lie for Douglas aud Johnson
the regular nominees Whether Douglas received two
thirds Of the electoral vote not according to the
yes Of the party he received the two thirds vote Of the
Convention The two thirds rule adopted upon par
lamentary understanding, such provided by the
constitution to pass law the veto Of the President
Any other construction is impractCahe Whothor Doug
las got 2l2 votes asserted on one side, or one hun
dred and fty-iour alleged, On the oherhe (Dougas)
received mere than two-thirs after the sCcedcrs
lef lie (Stephens supported the ticket because the
candidates on it supported the mehonored platform oil
non-interventon, the only principle which can pre-
serve the Union. The objections urged against Douglas
by the seceders that be refused 10 say that II was
the duty Of Congress to do what they would not do
themselves Douglas refused TO say that the duty
Of Congress pass laws TO project slavery in the Terri
tories. hence they oppose him and refuse 10 vote for such
law themselves Mr. Stephens defended Douglas against
the charge that he would rot WELD TO the decision of the
Supreme Court and said that Douglas agreed with every
prncpe decided 10 the Dred Scott case bus also insisted
constiiutonay regulate slavery had not been decided
No case involving this principle had been before the
Court The position Of Douglas i that OF perfect equal
ty between the citizens Of all the States with respect 10
the rights Of person and property Mr.. Douglas believed
that Territorial Legislature might by system flaws
virtually exclude slavery. He (Stephens differed with
Mr. Douglas this point but it was matter Of no vital
or essential Importance because If the majority Of the
people of Territory were opposed to slavery it would
not 60 there lie injury to the South resulting
from IT, He believed slavery will go tbs extent Of the
capacity for it, and that law OF Congress or Terrtor
81 Legisa ures can e1tendt beyond this. He dwe upon
the Uuon and the importance Of preserving it, IL was
the best Of the world that had ever been
established II it falls we shall its like again
lie called on the patriots Of all sections to unite to save
n The Union had enemies at the North and South, but
he Sephens) was not Of them. lie knew Mr. Breck-
nridees ability and patriotism and he would have sus'
tained him had he been nominated by the Democratic
Conventions his present position divides the party and
increases the chances of the Republican candidate. He
did not regard Mr. Breckiuridge dsunions but his
running endangers the Urion, notwithstanding, and he
has nc chance of an election before the people.