Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-10-26

Had there been no Huguenots to question the
spiritual supremacy Of the Papal hierarchy,
there would have been no bloody st. Barthoi-
omew's day. If no one said anything against
the Gear OF Russia, no one would wither under
the knOut or suffer Siberian exile. Shout
hosannah to the Gear, and you are safe in
Russia. Hurrah for Napoleon, and you need
not fear in France. Bow to the image of the
Holy Virgin, and you are safe in the Papal
country. Had there been no upright Nom
conformists, Jeffrey's Bloody Circuit would
never have been traced in history. Had there
been none Of the stern and righteous old
Covenanters to say, "Stand from between US
and our God" there would have been no
Olaverhouse to hunt down and butcher Gods
children. What want is to utter my senti-
ments, whether they please or not | am not
going to ask the chlvalrous sons OF the South
what may say. Laughter and applause
But you say they have the right OF property
in their slaves. Suppose they have. how
sacred is this right OF property? want to
argue the moral question Of 1t. How sacred
is this right OF property in the living bodies
and souls of men? just a. sacred rs it is in
. horse, just as sacred as the tenure Of prop
erty in mule. Suppose it is. You own
them as you own horse or mule. Is the
right OF property in horse more sacred than
my life? Is the right Of property in . mule
more sacred than my right Of free speech
That is the question. II horse or man
must be sacrificed, which shall diel APP
plause.l l meet this thing right in the eye.
They say their right Of property is sacred
sacred as any other right. Suppose it is.
want to know if the right Of property in .
horse is more sacred than my right to life,
and free travel and free speech? tell them,
and tell the people all over the country, II
they have . system or an institution that will
not allow me to live, or speak or read my
papers, or worship my God As please, then
I say in Gods name that thing must die.
My rights will have. Tremendous applause
They say: "But you can't get at it." am
getting at it now. Laughter. They say:
"YoG can't get at IT," I can't get at it by
federal legislation in the States, grant you.
l do not feel, as a member Of Congress, that
I have q right to abolish slavery in the States
Why! Because the Constitution has not
given me the power. Mark it: slavery does
not exist in the States by any Constitutional
power. l simply have not the Constitutional
power to abolish it there. The Constitution
is . grant Of limited powers given by the
sovereign States. Within the circle of its
operation it is supreme, absolute; but its
sweep is limited, and outside Of that is the
whole field of legislative action, which belongs
to the sovereign States, and which they have
not surrendered; and under State sovereignty
slavery skulks. So understand it. But
say if these States have en- institution which
takes away my right to free speech, free press,
free religion, and all the rights of freeman,
it is your duty to try and lead them to put
away this institution from their midst.
But that is not the question. believe
that is little incidental. The question now
is, do you want this system transplanted to
the Territories? And meet it here because
we are forever having chartered and dinned
into our ears the constitutional rights of the
South the right Of property in slaves. 1t is
sacred; it must not be touched" | say my
right to life is as sacred and inviolable, and it
must not be touched. l want to travel on
these railroads, on horseback, or on foot, just
as please, and in peaceful way to utter any
sentiments which I honestly hold. Now
comes back the question, for this is incidental:
Shall this institution, this system of property
in man, go into the Territories, when, if it is
there, it will take away from US all these rights,
and privileges, and immunities, Of the Amer.
can citizen? don't know that can stop to
dwell longer upon this great issue, Cries of
ego onm] for I see friend here whom /
want to have ad lress you for awhile. This
IS the enc great question: Shall slavery be
transplanted to the Territories o. the United
States? describe slavery; portray to you
its characteristics, in order that you may
know what you may expect if it is carried
into the Territories-just as the Lord told
Israel what kind of king Saul would make,
and then said he might reign over them, if
they chose to elect him. So l tell you, if
slavery goes to the Territories, it will rob you
of free speech, free schools and free press, and
all the other glorious developments Of freedom.
Now comes the objection which you hear
in the mouths of Democrats everywhere
negro equality! negro equality! the Black
Republicans are in favor of negro equality
Ny friends, would not dwell upon this were
it not that desire TO defend, and teach you
to follow and love, the old.fashioned and time
honored principles of this Republic. recol-
lect hearing Democrat say, not long ago, in
discussion down at Bloomington, The
Republicans are in favor of negro equality"
What is your evidence of it, sir? "Why,
they are in favor of it." What's your proof?
swell, l have the proof" Will you please
to read it? IL haven't time to read it," But
YOU must read it, the audience said. Then
he produced the Life of Abraham Lincoln,
and turned to the Chicago Platform-that
Platform which, as you remember, was framed
and adopted here amidst the widest and most
intense enthusiasm that ever moved the hearts
of a people [applause]; he turned to this
Platform, printed in the Life of Abraham
Lincoln, and read, "That all men are created
equal" and then he exclaims, "See there,
didn't tell you that the Black Republicans
were in favor Of negro cquslity?" And all
because they had adopted a quotation from
the Declaration Of Independence. l don't
know whether he thought it was from Helpers
book or Lovejoy's speech. 1t is fact, citi-
z.ns, that the Democrats of to-day, North and
South, ignore, deny and trample rudely and
basey under foot that blood bought ant
baptized declaration of principles Magma
Charta of human rights, that our fathers
handed down to US. [Applause.]
"Ai men are created equal" Judge
Douglas, what do you think they meant!
"Why, it meant that British subjects born on
this side of the Atlantic are equal to all British
subjects born on the other side Of the Allan
tic" [Laughter.] That is his exposition OF
the Declaration OF Independence. Another
SAYS: at is a self-eyident lie" Another
says: at is string of glittering generalities"
that all men are not created equal. One
has gone so far-Mr. Fitzhugh, of Virginia
as to say that, SO far from this being true, it
would be much nearer the truth to say: "that
one class Of men are born with saddles and
brides on, and another class with boots and
spurs to ride thcm." There's Democracy for
you. ''noorah for Dooglas" Loud laugh
teri What do you mean, Mr.. Lovejoy? Do
YOU believe that all men are created equal
Yes, do. [Great applause.] What! the
black man? Yes. The white man? Yes.
The tawny and red man? Yes. 1t is a
mistake to say that the Republican party is
only the white mans party. 1t Is not the
white mans party nor the black mans party,