Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-09-07

l772, when the House Of Burgesses of Vir-
ginia passa memorial to the King, set
ting forth If the people of the Colony
were ret perihitted to regulate that institu-
ton to suit themselves, His Majesty would
lose that portion Of his Dominions. The
only question was whether an American
citizen, under the Constitution, was not
entitled to as many privileges in Terri
tory as was the British subject in the Colo
MES ? If he was not, then it was difficult
to tell what was gained by the revolution:
The people of Territory claim what our
fathers fought for as their rights in the Col
onies--te regulate their own affairs in their
own way, under the Constitution. The COL
onies did not contend that they were SOW
ereign, but that they possessed the inherent
right to govern their own affairs.
Congress, he argued, could declare war,
make peace, raise revenue, coin money,
maintain armies, establish navies, and do
all those acts which are federal and not To-
cal, but government had 70 right to inter-
fere between husband and wife, parent and
child, or any other matter which is domes-
tic aud not federal. The Boutherner could
60 to the Territory with bis negro, and be
entitled to the same protection under the To-
cal laws that the Northerner could have
with his property. The first thing to be
enquired after was, whether the local laws
were friendly to the particular property ia
ken there. If they were not, then he would
advise the emigrant to 60 some place else.
If merchant started to the Territory with
supply of liquors and found the Maine IL
quor law in force, he would be very apt to
change his course. So with every other
species of property. It was subject to the
local law, and that generally represented
the sentiment Of the people. He here de-
Tended at some length the doctrine of the
equality of the States and the citizens of the
States in the Territories, and contended that
Illinois and Virginia had precisely the same
privileges one not more nor less than the
other. This doctrine he had defended and
would continue to uphold as long as he lived.
He was law-abiding, Constitution loving
man. Each man with his property stood
in the Territories upon the same ground,
| entitled to the same protection and subject
to tie same restrictions as the other. They
were both alike to be governed by the local
law.
| He said that the North west loved the u
Mon as dearly, if not more SO than the peo-
pie Of Virginia. They were bound by mar
ital and kindred ties to both North and
South, and ifthis Union should be dissolved,
it would be cutting the heart-strings ofthose
who had emigrated to the West, leaving
their fathers, mothers, sisters apd kindred
behind in both sections Of the Union They
of the North west never intended to pay
duty at the mouth of the Ohio river in fol-
lowing the waters Of the Mississippi to the
Gulf. They furnished the waters Of the
Mississippi, and intended to claim the priv
ilege Of navigating it free of duty into the
broad ocean. He appealed to all to join in
unfolding and maintaining the Constitution,
and in the assertion and defence Of the equal
rights Of all.
He argued that the running of Mr..
Breckenridge could have no other effect
than to divide the Democratic vote in the
Northern States, and thus render the chances
of the election of Lincoln more probable.
The friends of Mr.. Breckenridge bolt
ers from the Baltimore Convention -were
therefore, in effect, aiding in bringing about
the success Of the Black Republican candi-
date, which he should look upon as great
calamity to the country.
He said that he had been asked in Nor
folk the other day oy the Breckenridge E.
lector whether he thought the mere election
OF Lincoln would be cause sufficient to dis
solve the Union: He answered, no. Any
man who was elected President of the Uni
ten States by the American people in con-
formity with the Constitution, must be in
augurated. If, after that, he attempted to
make war upon the rights of any State or
the citizens of any Of the States, he would
insist upon enforcing the laws, and hanging
him as traitor to his country ten feet high
er than Virginia hung old John Brown. =
There was no evil in the Union for which
secession was a remedy. If government
failed in accomplishing the end for which it
was instituted, and became oppressive, there
was no sufficient remedy but revolution.
He was for maintaining the Constitution and
laws Of the country at every hazard and a.
gainst all aggressors- cared not whether
they came from the North or the South -
He would exhaust every resource before he
would appeal to the last resort. but if it
came to that, he would unite in defending
the rights of Virginia as readily as he would
those of Illinois.
1t was pretty question to ask him wheth-
er he would help dissolve the Union in the
event of the election of Lincoln, when the
secessionists have inaugurated the very steps
to accomplish that object in opposing him
in the North. They bring about the cleo
ton of Lincoln, and then ask him if he will
not assist them in dissolving the Union be-
cause of that result? He answered EN-
phatically, no!
As we shall publish hereafter more ex-
tended and connected report Of the remarks
of the honorable gentleman on the main
points of his speech, We have purposely O.
mitted notice of several less important
| ideas advanced.
He concluded his very able, interesting and
patriotic speech, by stating that he under
stood the Hon. VIM Smith had recently
made speech in this place to rery large
audience. (N1r. Smith had about $50 per-
sons to hear him, mot one-third of whom will
vote for Breckenridge after notices had been
circulated for nearly week. In that
speech he had read letter from Mr.. Blu
chanan, which raised a question of veracity