Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1860-08-24

peat that l never can and never will vote for
it; and no earthly power shall ever make me
vote to plant slavery where slavery docs not
exist" Two weeks later, on the 20th Of Feb
ruary, 1850, he said again, in the same arena:
"From the earliest moment when l could con-
slider the institution of slavery, | have held,
and have said, that from that day down TO
the present, again and again; and I shall 60 70
the grave with the opinion, that it is an evil,
social and political evil"
Look now then at what has been the course
of our opponents upon this question. 1t is
not that the people of the Territory shall de-
termine the question, although that is the view
of one fragment of the opposition; but that
the Constitution of itself carries slavery into
the Territories. And what has been the prac-
teal effect Of this Judicial construction! MOTH
ing more than this, that slavery is to be forced
into the Territories as an element of political
power. That the youthful territory of Kan
is to be dragged into the UnioL with the
iron collar of seryitude upon her neck-but
never is to be admitted as long as she persists
in wearing upon her brow the civic crown Of
Republican Freedom.
Against all such reasoning the people of
this State most solemnly protest. No judi
cial construction of the Constitution has to
this hour ever justified it.
But, said Mr.. H., il is supposed that Mr.
Lincoln has placed himself on platform, a
portion of which is hostile to Americans of
the opposition. If Americanism was the hos
tile aud proscriptive principle which our oppo-
nents considered in 1856, there might be some
thing in this suggestion; but have never so
considered it.
IN 1857, the American Convention honored
me with the nomination for the hi9 CHEST Office
In the gift of the people of this State In that
canvass, | spoke freely and unreseryedly to
citizens, native and adopted, in various see
tiOns of the State. In this city said with
the right of suffrage as to the foreigner who
has immigrated, OF with his privilege to be
naturalized under our present system, we do
not propose to interfere 1t was to the faith-
full aud honest administration of the naturaii-
zation laws that tho efforts of the American
party were directed; bow entlrrly. Enapailssag =
the recent Developments at Washington aave
strikiagly exhibited
Nor did the American party prescribe any
one on account of his religion-the argument
was in favor of sn unlimited freedom of reli-
giou, and the uurestrained right to adopt and
practice any form of worship; the only quali6-
cation was, that there should be no combina-
ton to control the American ballot box.
To these sentiments | have nothing to add
or alter. believed then as | believe now,
that the times demanded the organization.
Let us then unite aud press on for the ac-
complishment of the great purposes OF the
Peoples Party. We are all Americans, link
ed now and forever to the fates aud fortunes
of our beloved country. The party of dis
union is in the feld-the Vice President of the
Republic bears its standard onward aud for
wsrd--the President from the windows of the
Executive mansion waves encouragement, while
motley troupe are marshalipg their forces
conjoined beneath the impious banner of a
Southern Republic
do not desire to state the case too strong
ly. read from the address Of Hendrick 3.
Wright, the presiding officer of the recent De-
mocratic State Convention:
"After Yancey and the Disunioniss went
out Of the regular Convention, it occurred to
me that it would be profitable to me to 60 III.
to the Secession Convention and ascertain for
myself the sentiments there proclaimed.
did go into the Ysncey Convention, aud dur
ing the two hours l was there, as God IS my
judge, heard nothing but with reference to
the ex2ediency of erecting Southern Re-
public upon the ruins of the present Union.
II MIR. Breckiuridge be not disunionist him
self, it must be conceded that he is the candi-
date of the disuncnists. He is, then, IN the
hands of the worst men that this country has
ever seen. Those men are fixed upon disso-
luton of this Union and the erection of
Southern Confederacy. l do not care what
their apologists may say; | have heard their
debates and | know that which | do speak,
(Applause.) Disunion was the cry Of the dis
union movement at Charleston and at Balti-
more. Breckenridge is the Pliant tool of the
Disuuionists--t men who proclaim from the
housetops that they want disuuion. And such
are the men that the Democratic party of
Pennsylvania are asked to support For one,
| never will submit to such burning dishonor.
ask the people of Pennsylvania TO ponder
over this statement. The authority is emf
uently respectable. The facts are carefully
stated. The subject of discussion-a South
ern Confederacy--the plsce,--a Democratic
Convention
Fellow citizens, our path of duty is plain.
Fidelity TO all sections and at all times, and
obedience TO the constitutional authorities of
the land, will make our Union perpetual
With our Union as it is, and thorough frator-
nal feeling between its various parts, we may
present ourselves 10 the world as a grand ma
tionality, fostering its own labor aud develop
ing its own resources.
Let US move on in defence of these great
principles, just as we would move on in de-
fence of those stars and stripes, the proud en-
biems of cur native land.
Let us meet disunion with Union. That
Union which gave us the Constitution. THAT
Union which with successive strides of prog
ress has crossed the Alleghenies, the Ohio, the
Mississippi and the Missouri; has stretched its
living arms almost from the Arctic Circle to