The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1860-09-20
Don't Care Whether Slavery is Voted
Down or Voted Up"

This expression, used by Judge Douglas.
has been torn from lis surroundings. and
wholly ard utterly perverted. The Re-
publican press, with that Unborn love of
perversion and Misrepresentation which
characterizes so many of them, have so
emascuia.ed the record as 10 make this ex
preston Indicate that Jud,, Douglas had
no opinion upon the subject of slavery.
aud was perfectly indifferent as to wheth'
er he should vote for slavery or aga.ins; it.
TIE men who quote this remark must
know that Judge Dousla- meant no such
tfing. The expression occurs in Mr.. Doug
las speech on the Presidents message on
he Locomp,on bill. AS is known. NJ.
Douglas had pledged himself in every
form TO allow the people of Kansas to come
INTO the Union, "with or without slavery"
as they mi sht determine. |; is known
also tha. base fraud was perpetrated on
the people Of Kansas whereby they had
been deprived of fair vote On the Ls
compton Constitution. In the speech re-
fered to, Mr.. Douglas was attacking that
fraud upon the rishi> of The people. and The
Infamous evasion of the Kansas aud Ne
brsska bill. He was urged to suspend his
action until the vote of the 21st OF Decem
Der was heard from. upon the ground that
the slavery clause might ve voted down.
In reply to This Mr.. Douglas showed that
his ground Of attack was not that slavery
would or would not be established. but
that the people had right to fair vote
on that question. and that ne Was dete r
mined 10 vindicate that right, whether
slavery was voted down or voted up
That the public may judge whether this
construction is right or wrong. we extract
from the speech sufficient upon which to
form an opinion of Mr.. Douglas true
meaning. He says:
"But l am beseeched to wait till hear
from the election on the 2lst OF December.
| am told that perhaps that will put it all
right. and will solve the difficulty. How
can it? Perhaps there may be large
vote. There may be large vote returned.
Laughler.] But | deny that it is pos
s,ble TO have any vote on the constitution.
Why wait for the mockery of an election,
when it is provided, unalterably. that the
people con not vote--when the majority
are dis'ranchised.
Eut | am told on all sides. "Oh just
wait; the slavery cause will be voted
down" That does not obviate any of my
objections; it does not diminish any Of
them. You have no more right to force
freesoil Constitution on Kansas than
slave State Constitution. Ii Kansas wants
a slave State Constitution; she has a right
to IT; if she wante free State Constitution.
she has right TO it. Ii is none of my
business which way the slavery clause is
decided | care not whether II is voted
down or voted up. Do you suppose, after
pledges of my honor, that | would go
for that principle. and leave the people to
vote as they choose. that would not de-
grade myself by voting one way if the
slavery clause be voted down, and another
way if it be voted up? l care not how
that vote may stand tase it for grant
et that il will be voted out. think |
have seen enough in the last three days TO
make it certain that it will be returned
out, no matter how the vote may stand.
Laughter;l
Sir | am opposed to that concern. be-
cause it looks to me like sy stem of trick
cry and jugglery to defeat the fair ex-
preston Of the will of the people. There
is no necessity for crowdi"g this measure,
so unfair, 50 unjust as it is III all its aspects,
upon ns."
Can any sane man fail to perceive the
meaning of Judge Douglas in these re-
marks? He says there. what he says now,
that Kansas has the right to form her own
| institutions in her own way. and 81 shall
defend her rights, let her form them as
she may-whether they please me or not. 1"
This is the meaning. and the whole mean
ing. of Judge Douglas remarks. and any
attempt TO give them a different signifi-
canoe. by garbliug the record, isa mean
Injustice - CHICAGO Trses.