Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-03-23

are the facts.
Look Into tho territorial legislation, and
you will find as rigorous code for the pro-
lection of slave property as in any State
a code prescribing the control of the master,
providing that if negro slave should leave
his masters farm without leave, or in the
night time; he should be punished by so
many stripes, and If he committed such an
offence be should receive 50 tnany stripes
and SO oh as rigorous a code as ever exist
ed in any other southern State of this Union.
Not only that; but after the State came in
to the Union, the State of Illinois re-enact-
ed that code, and continued it up to the
time that slavery died out under the opera
ton of the State constitution.
| dislike, sir, to have controversy with
my colleague about historical facts. l stp-
pose the Senate of the United States has no
particular interest in the early history of H.
linois, but it has become obligatory on me
to vindicate my statement to that extent
Now sir, word about the repeal of the
Missouri Compromise. have had occasion
to refer to that before in the Senate, and I
atm sorry to have to refer to it again.
My colleague arraigns me as Chairman Of
the Committee on Territories against my
self as member of the Senate in 1854, upon
the Nebraska BILL He says that. as Chair
man of the Committee, I reported that we
did not see proper to depart from4he exam
pie of 1850 that as the Mexica1 laws were
not then repealed in terms, we did not pro-
pose in terms to repeal the Missouri res
friction, but-there the Senator stoes, and
there the essence of the report begins-but,
the report added; this committee proposes to
carry out the principles embodied in the
compromise measures of 1850 in precise
language, and that we 60 on to state what
those principles we're /; and one was, that
the people Of Territory should settls the
question Of slavery for themselves, and we
report bill giving them that power
But inasmuch as the power to introduce
slavery, Notwithstanding the Mexican laws,
was conferred ON the Territorial Legisla-
ttres Under the compromise measures of
1850, the right to introduce it into KANSAS,
Notwithstanding the Missouri restriction,
was also proposed to be conferred without
expressly repeating the restriction. The le-
gal effect was precisely the same: After
wards some gentlemen said they would rath-
er have the legal effect expressed III plain
language.
said. eff you want repeating act.
have it it does not alter the legal effect"
[ said SO at the time, as the debates show
and hence I put in the express provision
that the Missouri act was thereby repealed
It did not change the legal effect of the bill;
but that variation of language has been the
staple of a great many stump speeches, a
great many miserable quibbles Of county
court lawyers, great many attempts to
prove Inconsistency by small politicians in
the country Be it SO. The people under
stand that thing. The objectI had in view,
was to allow the people to do just as they
pleased The first bill accomplished that
the amendment accomplished it. Whether
that was the object of others or not, is an
other question That was my object The
two bills in my opinion had the same legal
effect; but said if any doubts it, 1 will
make it plain. Some said ave doubt wheth-
er that gives the right" Then m ,de it
plain and brought it in express terms, and
he calls change Of language, without va
rying the legal effect, change of policy
My colleague is welcome to make the most
out of that. have had that srraignment
over and over again.
The Senator las some doubt as to wheth-
er / am in good standing il MY party; wheth-
I am good representative of northwestern
Democracy. l have nothing to say about
that will allow the people to speak III
their conventions on that subject. Wheth-
err represent the Democracy of Illinois or
not, shall not say. The people under
stand all that: | can only say that ave
been in the Democratic party all my life ;and
know what cur Democrats mean. My col
league Endorsed and approved the compro-
mise measures of 1850, He was Demo-
crat few years ago. Even in 1856, he
declared, believe, that he could not vote
for me, if nominated, but he would vote for
Mr. Buchanan but; after the nomination,
he did not like the platform, and he went
over. have no objection to that; it is all
right enough I never intended to taunt
him with inconsistency; but do not think
he is as safe and as authoritative an ex-
FOUNDER of the Republican party as the SEN
ator from New York. The Senator from
New York says that Stats that does not
allow negro to vote on an equality With a
white man is slave State I read his
speech here to-day. I suppose the Senator
from New York is pretty good Republi-
can. thought he spoke with some au-
thority for his party. | did not suppose
those neophytes who had just cone into
tbs partywere going to unsettle and unhorse
the leader and embodiment of the party so
quickly, and prescribe platform that would
rule out the Senator frem New York. l
must be permitted, therefore, to take the
authority of the leaders of The party in pref
crence to those who are kept in the rank
and file of the party until they have served
an apprenticeship. Laughtet.]
The Senator from New York says it is
slavery not to allow the negro to. vote.-
We'll, sir mold that Chat is political sla-
very. If you disfranchise man, you make
him political slave. Hence the ipequali-
ty you Greats is slavery to that extent =
Ny colleague will not allow negro to vote.
He lives GOO far south in Illinois for that,
decidedly. He has to expound the creed
down in Egypt. They have other EXPOSE
tons UP north. The creed is pretty. black
in the north end Of the State about the cen