The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1860-10-03
Governor JohnSOns

reception given this distinguished man, and
most eloquent orator, in Philadelphia, hs
spoke as follows: Will our Republicaoa
friends who really want to know tho truth
please to read what he saysy
Now, fellow citizens, what Is this do
trinc of non-interventon Let US examir
it, and see whether it Is so odious that anY
body North or South can reasonably q
test against it. What is itp Simply
the people of an organized Territory
exercise the right of sclfgovernment wit
| the Limitation of the Constitution Of
United States. That is the sum and sui
stance of Douglas doctrine Of Popula1
Sovereignty. [Applause1 You have heard
that he was in favor of Squatter Sovereig
| ty. It is untrue. There is no man in Il
Republic with sense enough to be the lead&
| Of flock of geese, who is in favor of Squat
ter Sovereignty 1t is an absurdity; but
the principle Of Popular Sovereignty, thal
| the people of Territory have the right
exercise the power Of self-governmcnt wit
in the Limitation Of the Constitution Of TIN
United States, is built upon a rock, and the
winds of heaven cannot shake it. [applause.
Does anybody here object to iti mo i
Does any Breckenridge man object to it,
There are none here.l Is there any Re-
publican who objects to it? 1want to see
that white man. claiming to be an America
citizen, native born or foreign, who wi
stand up in the face of free people q
say that free white men have not the RI
of self government. [Applause.] Yet
secession party holds that the moment
man reaches the boundary of Territory
and passes the limit of State, this princid6
Sc a.: E.o> Il
| as the black snake casts his skin in th<
spring of the year. Laughter and grca
applause.l
We contend that he cannot shed it; ths1m1
it is not an outside garment, but somethip
that is within him, and part Of the essen1
of his soul 1t was purchased for us b
the blood of our Revolutionary ancestorS
and there is no man so high though he be
as rich as Croesus, and surrounded witt
every luxury, who can rise above it /; ar
no man so h''mble, though he be clothed
rags, like the Son of Man, have not Z
wherewithal to shelter himself, and who q
sink below it. Tremendous applause.
1t follows him like his shadow it throbl
in his heart, and pulsates in every arterI
of his body. 1t flashes in his kindling
and swells his heart as he looks up in t6
face of Heaven and exclaims, THANK God
am free man." Renewed applause.
Who refuses the right Of selfgovernment
| Who wants to refuse it to any American
citizen who chooses to 60 out from his nard
tive State to seek his fortune in our Territ1
rics Observe, however, that this is q prin-
ciple that is subordinate to the Constitution.
Douglas does not held that it is a right thaf7
must be exercised in insubOrdination to t.
Constitution. He places it where it must
challenge the approval end sanction Of
everybody but the Republicans. [Applause
Even the Republicans, if they were entitled ]
to the name they assume, would sanction
it, They claim, before all others, to be the ]
Republican party of the United States. =
Now, if understand anything Of Republ
canism, the principle of selfgovernmcnt
underlies the whole thing. [Applause.]
He who denies that principle utterly faila
to be Republican. The Republican party,
however, is grieved by the misfortunes and
wrongs Of the poor, down trodden Ethio-
plan. Oh, what floods of tears they weep
over him, and how they beseech that the
Lord, in the fulness of His mercy, will
strike from them the shackles of slavery L
Yet, fellow citizens, at the very san
moment that they thus exercise themselvdl
they avow and hold on to the doctrine thai
the instant a free white man goes into
Territory, his wrists are fettered, and
has no longer the right Of selfgovernmenJ
Great applause. appeal to every sound
conservative man, whether he be National ]
Democrat, Yancey Democrat, Lincoln Re- !
publican, or Bell and Everett American-I
appeal to every man who loves his country
better than its destruction, who reveres the
Constitution more than anarchy and dis
npI to E>~,, Al
peaceful and conservative doctrine of non-
intervention. [Applause.l
| think, sometimes, that non-interven-j
ton can never be popular, for the simple
reason that it demands that we shall attend
to our own business, and not to that of
other people, Laughter. There are thou
sands all over the country who are exceed
ingly offcious and obligng. and who alwayS3
neglect their own to attend to the business
Of their neighbors. Nonintervention p
their enemy. 1t allows no intermeddlng9
1t is the doctrine of peace. 1t will harmo>
nize conflicting sections upon great agita-
ting and delicate sectional interest If We
are to have peace again, and to preserve the
free institutions of the country, after alt
1 the reflection have given to the subject, II
can see no other plan than this Of non inter-
ventiOn. Let Congress attend to its affairs
!, the States to theirs, and the Territories to-
theirs. Applause. / have said some-a
times fear this doctrine of non-intervention
e will never be popular and satisfactory to
\ the American people, because see cviden-
a ces of restlessness and disposition to try
to introduce new experiments and innova-
r tions upon the established order of things.
> !, A few words, now, upon the practical op-
;. ;. erati,n of the principle Of nOnintervention,
- and shall cease further to tax your pa
!. y tence. What is the operation of the prin-
y ciple? Simply this: if the people Of >
Territory want slavery, they can have it (
a a and if they do not want it, they can refuse
!, it: The Republican party say to the people
of Territory that if they want slavery,
e they shall not have it-that it must he ex-
u cludcd by Congressional interference. The
Breckinridge party say to the people Of o
), Territory that if they do not want slavery,
they shall have it, or in other words, there
} shall be congressional slave code for its
y protection in the Territories, whether it cx-
a a lists there or not. The true doctrine of
u non-intervention is just the reverse. Upon
y that doctrine stand. Iappeal to the peo-
H. pie Of Pennsylvania, and Of the North, to
y stand upon it. When the people Of a Ter
le ritcry do not desire slavery, because it is
% not suitable to their climate, habits, and
y opinions, then, so far as am able, it shall
not directly or indirectly be forced upon
I. them by Congressional enactment. I'm.
70 mense cheering.l
II On the other hand, il the people inhabit-
- ing Territory adapted to slavery entertain