Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-05-12

every other State that diserimnates between the
negro and the white man is slave State, leaving
but very few States in the Union that are free
from his objection Yet Notwithstanding the Sena-
tor is committed to these doctrines notwithstanding
the leading mer OF his party committed 10 the'il
he argues that they have been accused OF oeihS III
favor Of iteSro equality, and says the tehdencH "a
their doctrine is the equality of the white man. nc
introduces the objection, and fails to answer u. ie
states the proposition and lodges 1T TO leave 'te III
ference that he does not endorse it. Sir desire to
see these gentlemen carry out thelr p''c'ple. "
their logical conclusion. If they VIII persist IN the
declaration that the negro is made the eqna OF 'he
white man. and that any inequality Is IN Vioauoh o.
the Divine law then let them carry II out IN thtlr
legislation bv comforting on the negroes all inc
rights of citizenship the same as on white men
For one. never held TO any such doctrine. hold
that the Declaration of independence was only
referring to the white man-to the governing race
of this country, who were in conflict with Great
Britain, and had no reference TO the negro race at
all, when it declared that all men were created equal
Sir, if the signerS of that declaration had unde"-
stood the instrument then as the Senator from New
York CONSTITUTES it, were they not bound on that
day. at that very hour to emancipate all their slaves!
If Mr. jefferson had meant that his negro slaves
were created by the Almighty his equals was he
not bound to cmancipa;e the slaves on the very day
that he signed his name to the Declaration of indie
pendence? Yet no of the SigncrS OF that de-
claIatlOn cmanClpateu MS slaves. NO One vi luc
States on whose behalf the declaration was signed,
emancipated its slaves until after the Revolution
was over Every one Of the original colonies, every
one of the thirteen original States, sanctioned and
legalized slavery until after the Revolution was
closed These facts show concuSively that the De-
claration Of Independence was never int nded To
bear the construction placed upon it by the Senator
from New York, and by that enormous tribe CT lee
turers that go through the country delivering lee
lures in country school-houses and easements of
churches to abolitoniSS in order TO teach the chill
dren that the Almighty had put his seal of condem
nation upon any inequality between the white man
and the negro
Mr. President am free TO say here-what have
said over and over again at home-that, in my opin-
ion, this government was made by white men for
the benefit of white and their po>tcrity forever,
and should be administered by white men, and by
none other whatsoever.
Mr.. Doolittlc | will ask the honorable Senator,
then, why not give the Territories to white men?
Mr.. Douglas. Mr.. President, | am in favor Of
throwing the Territories open TO all the white men,
and all the negroes too that choose to GO and then
allow the white men to govern the Territory. !
would no let Of the negroes, free or slave. eth
er vote or hold Office anywhere where | had the
right, under the constitution, to prevent It, | am
in favor of each State and each Territory Of this
Union taking of its own negroes, free or slave.
If they want slavery, let them have It. if they de-
business, not mine. We in Illinois tried slavery
while we were a Territory, and found it was not
profitable; and hence turned ThilanthrOpiSts and
abolished it, Just as our British friends across the
ocean did. They established slavery in all their
colonies, and when they found they could not make
any more money ont of it, abolished it. hold that
the question of slavery is one of political economy
governed by the laws of climate, soil, productions,
and sefntereS and not by mere statutory row:
SION | repudiate the doctrine, that because free
institutions may he best in climate, they are,
necessarily, the best everywhere or that because
slavery may be indispensable in locality, there
fore it is desirable everywhere. ! hold that wise
statesman will always adapt his legislat on TO the
wants interests, condition. and necessities of the
people to be governed by it One people will bear
different institutions from another. One climate
demands different institutions from another. | re-
peat, then what have often had occasion 20 say,
that do not think uniformity Is either possible or
desirable. | wish to see no two States precisely
alike in their domestic institutions in this Union.
Our system rests on the supposltOn that each
State has something in her condition climate or
her circumstances, requiring laws and institutions
different from every other State Of the Union
Hence answer the question OF the Senator from
Wisconsin, that | am willing that Territory set
tied by white shall have negroes free slave,
just as the white men shall determine, but not as
theHegroes shall prescribe.
definition Of the States Of the Union-Lahor States
and Capital States. The capital States Believe,
arc the slaveholding States; the labor States are
the non-slavehnlding States. 1t has taken that
Senator good many years to coin that phrase and
hring it into | have heard him discuss these
favore theories of his for the last ten years think
and never heard of capital States and labor States
before. 1t strikes me that something has recently
occurred up in New England that makes it polite
to get up question between capital and labor, and
take the side OF the numbers against the few We
have seen some accounts in the newspapers of COM
5inations and strikes among the iournevmen shoe
makers in the towns thcrc-labOr against capital -
The Senator has new word ready coined to suit
their case and make the laborcrs believe that he is
on the side of the most numerous class of voters.
What produced that strike among the Journey
men shocmakers? Why are the mechanics of New
England the labOrers and employees, now reduced
to the starvation point? Simply because by Your
treason, by your section al agitation, you have crea-
ted strife between the North and the South have
driven away your southern customers and thus de-
prive laGOrers Of the means Of support This is the
fruit of your Republican dogmas. 1t is another
STEP following John Brown, Of the "irrepreSsibe
conflict" Therefore, we now get this coinage of
Labor States-he is on the side of the shoenakcrs
QaughtcrD and capital Statcs"-he is against those
that furnish the hides. (Laughter) / think those
! shoemakers will understand this business They
know why it is that they do not get so many orders
as they did few months ago 1t is not confined
to the shoemakers; it reaches every mechamc's
shop and every factory all the large laboring es-
Establishments of the North feel the pressure produ
ced by the doctrine of the "irrepreSSbe conflict
This new coinage of words will not save them from
the just responsibility that follows the doctrines
they have been inculcuating. If they had aban
doned the doctrine of the "irrepressi6e conflict
and proclaimed the true doctrine of the Constitution
that each State is entirely free to do just as it pleases
have slavery as long as it chooses, and abolish il
when it wishes. there would be no conflict; the
northern and southern States would be brethren
there would be fraternity between u.s. and your shoe
makers would not strike for higher prices.
Mr.. Clark. Will the Senator pardon me for inter
rupting him amomeut?
Mr.. Douglas. will not give way for speech
will for a suggestion.