The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1860-07-27

there is nothing in the way of any Demo-;
crat voting for Breckenridge and Lane, in in
the proceedings of the assemblaee at Balti-
more. 1t must lie confessed, however.
Rreckinridge is III the same condition with
Douglas in this respect. The Convention
that nominated him, although it was COM
posed Of nearly all the Democratic States,
did not contain two-thrds and therefore
every Democrat is at perfect liberty to vote
as he thinks proper, without running coun-
ter to any regular nomination of the party
Three enthusiastic cheers we're here civ.
en- for the n"minees.1
Well, now, after this DEPRESSION; after
relieving myself from all responsibility, l
Will now make few remarks to you, sta.
ting the reason why prefer Breckenridge
and Lane to any and all the other cau,li-
dates i'll the field. The sovereign States of
this Union are one vast partnership. The
Territories are acquired by the common
blood and the common treasure Of them all.
Each Slate, and each citizen Of each Slate
has The same right in the Territories that
any other State possesses. What the Dem
ocatic party contend for, and what is the
true practical Democracy, is that all shall
enjoy the same rights, and that all shall he
subject to the same usages. Mr.. Breckin-
ridge holds thai this Government was
formed for the rejection of life. liberty and
property. They are the objects for the
protection Of which all governments were
established; but it is sought now to place
the property of the citizens under what is
called properly 'sqatter sovereignty in the
power of the Territorial Legislature, to be
confiscated at their will and pleasure.-
That is the principle sought to be established
at present and there seems to he an en-
tire mistake and misunderstanding in a
portion of the public mind on this subject.
When was property sumit,ed to the will of
the maj"rity2 If You hold property as an
individual, you hold it independent of Con.
gress; of the Legislature, or of the Terrific
'i"i Legislature. is yours aud your Con-
S'''ut'o" was made to protect your private
property against assaults of Legislative
powers.
Well, now, any State, any set of princi-
pies which will deprive you of the perfect
control of your own property conceive to
ho the very essence Of Republican Govern"
ment. Deprive you Of Il is and you become
slave; for the man who has power over
your property to confscate il, has power over
your means oe subsistence. And yet it is
c"ntended that although the Constitution
Of the United States coDf.rs no such power
yet few men called the Territorial Legis-
lature, in their remote extremity Of the
country, can confiscate your property and
send you away deprived Of it. There is
but one mode. and one alone, by which
the citizen can be deprived of lis slave
property in the Territories. That mode is
pointed out in the Cincjnn; plntform,
which has been, as you knos -eatIy mis-
represented. That platform uselares that
when sufficient number of residents are
located in Territory, in order TO form
State and come into the Union, and when
The people frame IA Constitution, then they
may decide for themselves the question
whether they will have slavery or not
There is no Territorial Legislature mer-
toned in the Cincinnati platform. There
is no squatter sovereignty there. 1t pre-
'sents ths clear principle that at the lime
the people form their Constitution, they
shall then decide whether they will have
Isiavery or not. And yet il has bee9istated
over and over again that, in accepting the
nomination under that platform, I endorsed
the doctrine of squatter sovereignty. I
suppose you have heard it all over the
country: it has been repeated in a thou
sand newspapers. A voice-We know
they lied:] Iam glad you knew it. Now,
how we'll this plain principle Of constitution
al law corresponds with the best interests
of the people. Under it emigran.s from
the North and the South, from the 3t
and the West, receive their benefit. Tliay
carry with them thst. property which tfey
suppose will best promote their material
interests; they live together in peace. and
harmony. The question Of slavery viii be-
fsome foregone concIu usiou before they
lave pODula,ion epf3c;an, - ,sl e. -
mission into s1he Union. There will be
no "b'eedipg Kansas in the Territories ;
the people there will alllifvs Segsther in
peace and harmony, promos;ng peace in the
Territory, and their own prosperity, until
the time arrives when it bSsesss ssipecesssry
to form State Consti.usib6ss Taen the
whole question will be de&pa tosths salts
faction ofevery on. ssss e g
| But upon The other pElnep III = mt sde
you find ina.ie .-FsrritssII sy AM
1 - ns ~