Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-09-21


summation, abandon it, because he defers
action is it not true, rather, that all
wise men more or less defer their meas
ures, until a favorable moment, when their
objects can be better secured? Only
simpleton would say, in such cases, that
there was any inconsistency involved; and
our hero must be soft, if he thought, on
any such ground, that his opponents had
abandoned their platform. But, really, he
believed no such thing although he said
so; but hoped to make silly men believe
the falsehood he knew he uttered, and
thereby gain a demagogue's end.
Nor is it any more probable that Repub-
licans have abandoned their principles, from
the feet, if fact it was, that Republican
had not Introduced slavery intervention in
his Land District bills. In that case also,
the prohibitory measure might have been
either deferred, or left for another to in
troduce and even if not intended by him
at all, it would not follow that great par
ty had abandoned the principle. Mr. Thay-
er is not the Republican party, nor is his
act the act of the party. If some of the
Democrats, including the s'Great I AN, )"
have differed from their own President, then
Mr.. Thayer might not be the Republican
rule in this case; and this is all that need
be said to show the utter nonsense of the
demagogue's argument.
He said also, that Mr.. Thayer had in
troduced the doctrine of Popular Sove-
reignty in those bills, by making provision
therein for delegate to be sent by the
people of those Land Districts to Congress
Such all know was his statement. Did
he believe that was what Douglas and his
supporters mean By Popular Sovereignty :?
If he did believe it then must he be an ig-
noramus. If he did not believe it, he as
serted what he knew to be a falsehood
and thereby exhibited himself. Since it is
well known that the Republicans have al
ways been in favor of allowing the people
Of the Territories to send delegates to con-
gress, and every other privilege mention
ed in this speech as having been inserted
in those Land District bills, for the sake
of the argument admitting that the speak
er was correct in calling this Popular Sow
reignty, it would then follow that Repub-
licans have always been popular sovereign
ty men, and could not have abandoned
their principles by inserting in congressional
bills provisions which they had always sup
ported. Every intelligent man knows that
Popular Sovereignty means, the leaving to
the people of a Territory to decide wheth-
er they will have slavery or not. and this,
according to Mr.. Larrabee's statement,
Mr.. Thayer did not introduce into his bills,
He also said that the people of Wiscon-
sin once had the privilege, and voted
whether they would have slavery, or not !;
and then inquired, why the people of the
Territories should not have the same priv
ilege? Now is it not great pity TO spoil
so beautiful a picture, and thus destoy the
very basis upon which he so self-compla-
Gently built his airy castle. Popular Sove-
reignty but it must be done. Did the
people of this State ever have the question
whether they would have slavery, or not,
submitted to them? Can it be true, that
the speaker did not know that, as early as
1857, an Ordinance was passed, prohibi-
ting slavery in the whole n W. Territory,
of which Wisconsin formed part, and i'm
mediately after the Federal Constitution
was adoped, in 70, Congress re-enacted the
same Ordinance, thus depriving the people
of the privilege for which he contends :
Undoubtedly he knew it, but he is the man
to stand up and affirm the contrary. Can
demagogue 60 farther than this? And
yet there were men in that hall who could
applaud such trash
- We assure our readers who did not hear
the remarks, that they did not contain a
single point initiating against the Republi-
cans that was not as foolish or false. as what
we have presented. Tt was such speech
as only loafng dema gogue could make,
if indeed any other man could have made
it, As the dark object upon the platform,
porpoise like, blowed, fretted and sweat a:
taking Oft his coat and drawing up his
sleeves, addressing himself to the huge
work of conceiving falsehood and bringing
forth Misrepresentation especially as he
warmed in his work, and chuekled over the
havoc he thought he was making amongst
the ranks of Freedom. foetid odor exha-
led from his smoking chest, quite as often
sive as what he would impute to the poor
negro, in whose enslavement he has saeb
an Unsuitable longing to bear conspicuous
part This speech, and its author forci.
bly, remind the listener of the first grea,
SQua'ter, who tempted our First Parents,