The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1860-04-24
JOHN sHERMAN's GREAT SPEECH,
In New York, April I3, 1860.

We yesterday gave single paragraph
from the excellent address Of Mr. Sherman
at the Cooper Institute, and would be glad
to re publish the balance entire, did oui
space admit; but must confine ourselves to
the following additional extracts:
The President Of the United States, in
his last annual message to Congress, de-
clares that it has been established that
every citizen owning slaves may take them
into the Territories Of the United States,
and there hold them as slaves and that his
right to do so must be protected by the
judicial, legislative and executive braches
of the government. He further declares
that neither Congress, nor any Territorial
Legislature, nor the people Of territory,
nor any human power has any authority to
annul or impair this vested right. 10 a
former message he says that slaves are re-
garded by the Constitution of the United
States as property-the same as horse or
cattle-and may be carried into any Of the
territories of the United States, and there
held as slaves, not only without local or
Congressional law, but in defiance Of both.
The Democratic party adopts these propo,
sitions as part Of its political creed. l
fairly state them as smopg the recognized
principles of that party-I mean the con
trolling majority which guides its councils,
and not the exceptional fragments that
hang upon its outskirts. You scarcely ex.
pect me to pass judgment on the difference
between the different shades Of Democra-
cy. l speak only Of the great majority.
How ia it on the other side?
The Republican party denies these pro-
positions, and insists that slavery is tho
creature of local law, dependent entirely
upon the law Of the State in which it ex
lists, limited to the jurisdiction Of the
State; excepting only, that if the slaves
escape, he may be re.captured. And the
Republican party affirms that slavery is a
social, moral and political evil, and that it
is the right and duty Of Congress and of
the people to prevent its extension into free
territory. oud eh.en)
Upon this issue, mainly, the Republi-
can and Democratic parties are about to
enter into a contest for the administration
of the government for four yeals, and, per-
haps, for generation. You and our fel.
low citizens from Maine to California are to
be the great arbiters. This contest is no
factous strife. 1t is constitutional trial
between opposing ideas, to be conducted
in the mode prescribed by law before the
great jury Of ,he American people. Be.
fore that supreme tribunal the Republican
party is willing to discuss its case upon its
merits, and to its verdict, whatever it may
be, il is pledged in advance to yield a
cheerful submission. The Democratic par.
ty, however, enters the contest in differ.
ent spirit. We are met at the outset with
the distinct and oft repeated threat, made
by Democratic Governors, Senators and
representatives., that if the Republican
party should, in the regular constitutional
way, by the votes Of the majority Of the
electoral colleges and Of the people, elect
a Republican as President of the United
States, they will dissolve the government,
break up this fair fabric Of liberty, and di-
vide into hostile fragments the union Of
these States. AS either Democrat or
Republican must, in all human probabiii-
", be elected, the substance Of these
threats is, that unless Democrat be elect.
ed, there shall be no President of the
United States. They will sink the ship
that has thus far borne us as nation on
voyage 80 prosperous that the history Of
man does not present its parallel. They
tell US that if the shareholders of this
country are not allowed to carry their
slaves into free territory, and there hold
them as slaves, they will committe an
overact Of treason. They tell us that il a
Republican President is elected, they will
resist his Inauguration with armed force
These extraordinary threats are made by
men in high positions in the Democratic
party-by the men who usually control
that party. The Republican party is CON-
PEELED, at the outset, to consider whether
it will yield its political organization, sur
render all its deeply cherished principles
and all the power and patronage of tho
government to the menace of such adver-
saries. This is question Of manhood as
well as Of principle. loud applause.)-
When they assume to be our governors, it
is high time TO test the virtue of their
claim. The natural effect of such menaces
is to excite the Anglo.Saxon spirit of us
all. When the gauntlet is thus thrown a.
our feet we will take it up. AS their equals
and peers, we will insist that the majority
shall exercise its right in conformity with
the Constitution and laws to select the
agents of the government, and if we sue.
ceed in electing Republican President,
we shall see that he shall exercise the func.
tions Of the office. loud chcers.) We
will defend them in the exercise Of their
lawful functions, and have no doubt there
are patriotic men enough in every State to
punish all who attempt to execute such
threats.
But while it is our duty not to be moved
by these threats, it is equally our duty
fairly to examine the claims Of these op.
posing parties and to test them by practi-
cal contrast Of their public measures and
policy.
Let us contrast the two parties in the
thirty fourth Congress, when, for the first
time, they met each other face to face
The President and Senate wero Democrat
ic. A Republican plurrlity in the House,
succeeded, after a long contest in electing
q Speaker. In the meantime a civil wal
was raging in Kansas. The free state set.
tiers had been worried by democratic on.
cials, mobs and invaders, until they were
driven to evaporation aud were enraged to