Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-03-14
WHOLE NO. Ola.


''Th- true intent and meaning of this
act. is NOT 10 iegislste SIsrery into any Teri
try % STATE, ner 10 exclude u fhersfy0m; but
ts leave the people thereof perfeefiy frse to
form snd regulate their domestic Institutions
In their own way. subject 10 ihe Coastituf.0R
the Unied States
The reader will recognize the above as
the celebrated stump speech" in the Kan
sss and Nebrssks act. IL aas uPos this
little period that Senator Douglas hoped to
throw enough sand in the eyes Of the peo
pie. TO blind them to the real object Of the
Kansas aud Nebraska bill. In 1856 every
Democratic orator throughout the land
committed the above period 10 memory.
and spoke il trippingly on the tongue
Every li,tle pnt-heuse IolitIcisn explained
the whole tenor and effect Of the bill
which repealed the Missouri CompromIse.
BY simple repetitiun Of the Language con
tanned in the above quotation. IL was al
ways and on every occasion knock down
argument, which ensbled the followers of
the Little Grant" to triumph in every de-
bate. Upon svery stump the Republicans
told the people. that this explanation Of the
Kansas and Nebra-ks act = this little
"stump speech" attached to that bill-like
its author, was all humb ug. all deception.
all drmsgogueism. That the Democracy
did not mean to leave the people Of the
Territories perfectly free TO form and reg
ulste their domestic institutions IN their
Th.y I'll ,h.,, L.. -.
"subisct TO ;he Constitution Of the United
States" would be construed to mean that
the Constitution gave the stakeholder the
right to take his slaves into all the public
Territories, and have them protected there.
whe Republicans woTd maze thi- asser-
tios-thi- proPhesy-Douslssites all over
the land would hsld up their hands iu holy
horror. and swear by their party's god.
that -uch q construction could never be
given to such plain language. Les Us nov
see what the last four years have revealed.
Steadily and stealthily have the Democrat
ic leaders forced upon the consideration Of
heir party. the doctrine that the Federal
Constitution carried Slavery into the pub
lie Territories. The great aim and effort
Of the leaders ever since the passage OF the
Kansas and Nebraska bill, and the conse
qusnt repeal of the Missouri Compromise.
has been TO educate the people on this sub
ject The doctrine at 6rst was startling;
no Northern Democrat could be found to
admit IL; but the lash was applied. blow
after blow. until now, the 9Th day Of
March, 1860, this unnational doctrine j.
admitted by the Democratic party. both
North and South; and but few weeks
ago. hen the people OF Nebraska Terrific.
ry, IN their Legislative capacity, met and I
passed an act excluding Slavery forever
from their borders, Gov. Black. the app"in-
tee Of James Buchanan, vetoed the bill /
upon the grounds that the Shareholder had /
q right to take his slaves, cas- other proper
ty," into the public Territories. This wss
the first instance where this D.mocTatic
party let the people Of Territory "prr
fsctly free to regulate their domestic iDsti. i
iutions in their own way" The second
instance v here the people Of Territory I
bave desired, under the Kansas and Ne
braska bill, TO regulate their domestic in
s,itutions in their own way" occurred on
ly last week in the Territory of Kansas
The Territorial Legislature OF that Terri
tory passed the following act and sent IL
70 the Governor for his approval:
"Sfc 1. Tha, Slavery or involuntary
servitude, except for the punishment of
crime, whereof the party shall have beru
duly convicted is and shall be forever pro-
hibiied in this Territory.
"SEc. 2. This Act shall take effect and
be in lorcs from and after It's passage,
The Governor. Mr.. Sam. Medsry, a
Douglas Democrat. sent back the bill, with
one of the most remarkable messages that
ever emenaied from the pen or brain Of any
Executive offer. The b,ll passed the
Leg stature by almost snsnimOu. vote,
and the Governor. recognizing the Consti
tutIonal right of the slsveholder to take
his slave into the pablic Terntorhs
among oth-r ridiculous things. says
"It." (ihe Territorial legislature "csn
abolish all legal relations between man
and wife; it caa abolish all laws for the
c,llec'ion of debts; it can abolish the Sab
bath day. or prohibit the holding Of Sun
day schools: it can rrpeai all laws in re
lstion to contracts bet twsen man and man;
it can refuse TO provide for the punishment
Of crime protection of virtue" &c :.
but it cann,t touch that niggrr dri
vel's Niger! That is the political gospel Of
the Democratic party-the sum of the
Kansas and Nebraska bill-lhe total Of
my great principle" a Territorial lie
gislaiure NAV set at defiance the Common
Law, the decencics and amenities Of life.
and the Law Of God as set forth in His
book. but il cannot make 9 statute to pro-
hibit Q majority of the people from owning
the minority. II may do ANYTHING else
establish Polygamy. as in Utah; legaliz-
prostitution aud gambling, .s in califor
MIA; hut there's that nigger-he belongs by
the Law OF civilization and Christianity
the decision Of the Supreme Court says, To
his masisr. Who may take him everywhere.
Who does no, recollect the examples put
by the Little GIANT" in his canvass in
Illinois. illustrative of this very thing .
When appealing to the people Of Illinois
he would say: 1898
"Yor snigrant from Illinois. going to
Kansas. do gov lose yolr cspabiliy ~ .
Judge Of the institutions by which you " il
be eavsrnedf Here in Illinois you hav.
the right 10 say what laws shall be enscipd
What institutions shall be set up. Yo.
legi-lste here to suit yourselves In cross
ing the Mississippi into Territory. d,
you lose your identity or ysur cover o
Distinguishing between good and evil. !
yop may make laws here. why not in yon
new honest You have assisted ia in fix
ing the political status OF tie negro in Iii
noi-; uhy should Congress deprive yol
ofth- right Of doing the same thing IL
Kan-a<f"
whe tina. heard Mr.. Douglas in 1854
's5. Sc. 81. or '56 does not know that tbi
was his argument aud who that can rss
does not know that IL wss all lie. n chca