Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-08-15


erywhere in the Territories. And the nulliR-
cation party tell You that slavery must be
maintained everywhere and forever in the
Territories. Both would settle the matter
without any reference TO the wishes OF the
people. For il the people do not want slav-
cry, they would prevent its existence by
means Of unfriendly legislation; they need
not have it, and Intervention TO keep them
from having il is entirely unnecessary On
the other hand, the Southern party proposes
to crowd slavery where the people will not
have il, for if they do not want it, assuredly no
Congressional legislation is required to force
it upon them. SO both are seeking TO fasten
upon the people of the territories a system of
laws which is unnecessary, and which they do
rot want There is no difference in this re-
speet between the Northern abolitionist party
and the Southern sectional party They both
stand in favor of giving to the federal govern
ment power which is foreign to the object of
It's creation, and in this regard, the principles
of both are subversve of the constitution. The
one would muster all the prejudices and pas
sions of the North TO q war of pride upon the
institutions of the South The other would
rally Southern pride and prejudice under
Southern banner and WELD the whole power
of the government against the interests of the
North. On either hand, the issue presented,
is that of sectional contest Thus you find
an "irrepressible conflict fiercely ranging be-
tween the two great distinctive sections of
this country-a conflict that can only be set
tied in one of two ways, either by the dissolu-
ton ofthe Union, or by the adoption Of non
Intervention with slavery, or any other do
nestle institution of the federal govern
ment-nonintervention now, and non-inter-
vention Notwithstanding the people of the
Territories perfectly free to form and regulate
their domestic institutions in their own way;
subject to no outside control or interference
whatever The Democratic party stands
pledged to this principle now, as it has ever
stood, and it will not desert it while the Union
exists to be defended. 1t maintains that the
people Of the Territories are perfectly able to
control their own internal affairs, and ii pur
poses to leave them, as it does those of the
States, free to do it. | say now and here as
have always said, that the Democratic party
is not entitled to the sole honor of the discov-
cry of the principle of non-intervention In
the great contest of l948 and lS49, the noble
Clay stood firmly and consistently upon this
ground; leaving the quiet shades of a coveted
retirement, and coming forth again in his re-
vered old age to pour oil upon the troubled
waters of bitterness and strife. Clay was the
leader of all national Union men in that great
and heroic struggle, and the representatives
of both the Wing and Democratic parties raj
lied about him and gave him their earnest
support For eight or. nine months we as
sembled together in the council room, at eev-
en- o'clock Of each day, TO consult upon meas
ures for healing the existing bitterness and
giving peace to the country. There was the
godlike Clay, the father and the leader in the
movements. And there was the noble Web
ster upon his right and the venerable Cass
upon his left, and around them the men of all
parties uniting for a common purpose in the
threatening crisis--all burying our party
strife until we could do what was first and
most important-until we could save the
country. You all know the result of that
great struggle, how at length peace was Sc
cured with the addition Of the compromise
measures of l850-of that bond of agreement
which stipulated that there should be no Will
mot proviso on the one hand, and no slave
code on the other no Congressional interven-
ton against slavery at the North and no
| Congressional intervention for il at the South;
but which, in consonance with the Jeffersoni-
an theory of government, delegated the whole
vexed subject to the people of the future
States in their sovereign capacity, to be de-
termned by them without interference, and
subject only to the Constitution of the United
States. That policy, thus enunciated in
the compromise measures, was the joint
work of the patriotic national men of both
political parties. Clay and Webster o
more Wing President, signed the bill In
1852, the Wing party, in their National Con
vention at Baltimore reaflirmed the principles
,r Nka tha frna NIL
of action for all good Wings in all future time
The same year the same principles was reaf
irmed by the Democratic party for the gov
ernment of all good Democrats in all future
time Thus, while Wings and Democrats con
tinue to differ upon other subjects, all agreed
in banishing the slavery question from th'
arena Of national politics. ] remember that il
the Presidential campaign of 1852 the Whig
were in the habit of claiming the principle o
non-intervention as a Wing discovery anC
clinging fast to it as their particular glory. j
was my practice to deny this claim, and (,
assert that this principle had an origin antece
dent to the birth of the Wing party "l}ut,
the Wings told me, ''our Clay was the the autho
of the compromise, our Webster advocated it
and our Fillmore signed the bill" ] was il
the habit Of acknowledging these facts. "But,
| said, gentlemen, you must admit that whil'
You have the generals who engineered tn,
movement, we Democrats furnished the pri
vate soldiers, whose votes in both house
carried it through" say now, therefore, as
have always said, that the honor of adopting
the great principle is to be equally divided be
tween both parties. 1t was the common plat
form, upon which all national Union mel
stood in harmony There we stand tonight
. and there we will continue to stand so long a
the party TO which we belong maintains its OF
ganization. l have fought for this principl
! ever since was in public life and do no
intend TO desert the eolors, if ! am obliged I,
stand alone Let me ask you, old Wings
whether you intend to abandon the policy tina
Clay sanctioned and Webster defended2 lie
me ask you whether you intend 20 quit you
platform, merely because you find me standin
upon it2 lido notintend to abandon this plan
which have fought for myself If | find ever
Wing in America standing upon it In 1856
the Democrats in the Convention at Cincir
matt reanirmed the doctrine of non-interyer
ton with slavery. The Americans ikewis
: affirmed it, and Incorporated their affrmatio
: in the twelfth section of their platform. / as
a you, Americans whether you are going t
. abandon this doctrine now because you fin
me defending it2 There are not American
: enough in Christendom TO drive me from i
James Buchanan and John c. Breckinridg
I we're elected upon this principle. You hay
= not forgotten that Mr., Buchanan, in his lette
I of acceptance, distinctly said that the pla
: = form on which he was placed recognized IN
right of the people of the Territories, as we
:, as those Of the States, TO regulate their dc
. . nestle institutions, including that Of slavery