The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-02-10
[EDIToR AND. PROPRIETOR.
NUMBER I.

willing that all articles OF hith shouid %
made up on the other side precisely as gen.
tlemen choose to make them. had no fear
that the Republicans In the free States would
be convinced that such was the fact, becauso
they knew Il not to bc true; but II gcntie-
men chose to adopt II as their doctrine, they
were welcome to do 30, and we must make
the best of il. II is like certain other doc
trines that are assumed for party purposes
and will have its effect, undoubtedly, TO
certain extent. But the Senator will allow
mo to say-and here do not attempt 70 ad-
vance an original idea because we havo
heard Il before, here and clsewhcre-that IN
our belief, the true solution ot this diihcn,.y
\ is to be looked for in another direction. We
believe, in fact wc know, that previous 70
the session oi Congress OF 1854, this coun.
try was quiet upon the slavery question. IL
had been quiet, not only by the platforms OF
the parties Of the day, as developed at their
conventions, but Il had been quieted In point
offact. from the disposition oil men entertain
I'd to ascertain whether IL was possible that
this warfare could DO put an end to for q
while TWAS thought that the limits OF tho
free and slave power wcrc well defined, or at
least sufficiently defined. When the two
great leading political parties had delibente-
ly determined that there should bc no moro
trouble on the subject, and the people were
tired of the contest, II was reasonable to sup
pose that the agitation would cease.
But, sir, it began again in the winter OF
1854 the fire broke out anew; tho Pando-
ri's box Of political evils, as it has been call.
cd, was opened; this country was thrown
into u flame upon this eternal slavery ques-
ton and who applied the torch? Then be-
gan excitement again; then began trouble
in all sections Of the country. And how was
il continued? Continued by the course Of
things in the Territory Of Kansas; by the
aggressions Of the slave power, If may be
permitted to call it no by the attempt to
lorcc slavery upon free Territory, by the
interference Of this Government; and by tho
defence which was made for all these aggres-
sions, all these outnages, by nc.rly all tho
Democratic party, and certainly by iall the
Southern section Of it: and on this floor by
no man with more zeal, more ability, or
more power, than the honorable Senator from
Illinois himself.
Sir, | take II that lesson was taught
them with regard to aSgressions upon the
rights of Others. take il that when people
were encouraged to go into the Territory OF
Kansas, armed, to drive out Others who were
attempting to settle there rs pcaceable citizens
and exercise their rights and when murder
and rapne, and every crime which can dis
grace humanity, were heapcd upon that soil,
and perpctrated upon freemen; and when
these things were apologized for and defended
in the Senate of the United States, q lesson
was taught then, from which many John
Browns might learn something; and cx-
press my surprise that many more John
Browns have not profted, IL may call 1t, or,
at least, practiced on the lesson they there
| learned. -.---.-s-
Senators tell us Republicans that wo arc
the authors of this evil that II is owing to
our teachings that John Brown made his
fomy into u neighboring State. Sir, neither
the Senator from Illinois nor any other Sena-
tor can find anything in the principles and
teachings ofthe Republican party to authorize
any such accusation rs that. They can find
nothing in the practice of the Republican
party to authorize an accusation like that.
Ii is not enough to convince the country-at
uny rate, il IL not enough to convince tho
people of my section OF the country-that
the Republicans arc responsible for all these
things, whatever they may DO, when they zee
and know that there is nothing in the Re
publican creed, that there il nothing In tho
Republican practice, that there is nothing in
doctrine or doing by them, to justify or OK
cusc il in any shape or form. Much loss,
sir, can that conviction be brought home to
them when they turn to 1854, 1855 and 1856,
and watch the course Of things then existing
in a Territory Of tho United States, and hear
the apologies for all these crimes that wcro
made here and clsewherc-crimes, us con-
sider then. Wo are not to be told that,
because wc take certain ground in reference
to the extension Of slavery, therefore we arc
responsible for all that has transpred, or may
transpirc, having no necessary or natural
come. ton with our object.
Why, sir, this idea OF appealing to US to
stop agitation, appealing To the people Of
the Free States, the Republican party, not to
agitntc, not to aggrers. not to prets on their
neiyhbors, not TO preach disigreeablo dVc-
trincs, comes, In my Judgment, with n very
III crace from gentlemen who have, rs read
their declarations and their acts, been coun.
selling aggression from the beginning; for l
tell the honorable Senator frankly, that
when he advocated the repeal OF the Missouri
restriction, ind laid this question open again
To all the difficulties thut have followed, no
couns-llcd aggression and ~hy1 SIMPLY
because ! have ever believed rs Deiie'o
now-I take the declaration made, substan-
TALLY, by an honorable Senator from South
Carolina-that the object Of that repeal OF
the Missouri restriction was TO extend slavery
over that Territory and to enlarge tho area
of slavery. Sir, tho predecessor Of the hon
orable gentleman who sits there MIR. Chest.
nutl said No in his speech, which was pub
lished. lie proclaimed II to bc the object
and the design of that rcpcal--after tho Tact,
10 be sure. | bclievedit 10 bs 20 then. l
believe Il To he 30 now. have never changed
INV opinion on that subject:
we'll. sir. how does the senator attemptto
maize ont bis case? II rcips certain gentle
men, members of the Republican party have
,rnclaimcd, mt different times, that there was
nm antayonism between Freedom and slavery,
between free labor and slave labor. Iwish
the honorable gentleman from the State Of
Illinois, who was the competitor OF the Scna-
tor, stood where do, to answer the Senator,
and as he answered him elsewhere, with
reference 10 that extract from his speech.
wish his ability was here. do not cay that
| with he was herr In the place Of the honor,
able Senator or Of his colleague; although
might bc excused, as . party man, Tor wan,
ing even that simply wish 70 ~ unas
am sorry hc cannot stand hero 70 answer 10,
himreli, with reference TO inas matter, ana
will not undertake TO reply LOT him put
r;,b regard 70 that extract and that which
was CITED fom tho spcech Of my friend from
New York who sta behind mo, have besn