Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-01-14

common territories Of the United States. The
Presidential candidate on the ground
Of that policy, has been allowed, practiC ally no
utterance by speech, or through
The press, In the slave states; while Its policy,
principles, and sentiments. and even Its temper,
have been 20 misrepresented as to excite app,ehen
sions that IL denies important constitutional obi
cations, and aims even at interference with slave
~ and IL overthrow by the states authorities or
ofthe federal government.
While the result Of the election brings the re
publican party necessarily into the foreground In
resisting disunion, the prejudices against them
which I have described have deprived them Of |
the cooperation Of many good and patriotic citi-
zens On q complex issue between the republican |
party aud the disunionists, although II involves
the direct national calamites, the result mig be
large part Of the Union. But on direct issue,
with all who cherish the Union on one side, and
all who desire It's dissolution by force on the
other, the verdict would be prompt and almost
unanimous
I consider the Idea Of the withdrawal Of the
Gulf States, and their permanent reorganization
as means Of advantage to themselves, unwise
and impossible Of execution, when the purpose is
understood, that dismiss II with the discussion
have already bestowed upon it.
The case ID different however, In regard to the
other subjects which have brought in this con-
nection before this Senate.
Beyond doubt, Union Is vitality important to
the republican citizens Of the United States but Il
licanism and Union are, therefore, not convertible
terms. Republication 10 subordinate to Union,
everything else 10 and ought to be-republican-
ism, democracy, every other political name and
thing; all are s1bordinate-and they ought to dis
appear In the presence Of the great question Of
Union. 80 far as ! am concerned, IL shall be so;
It should be so IL the question to be tried
as Il ought only to be determined, by the peaceful
ordeal Of the ballot.
IL shall be so all the more since there 10 on one
side preparedness to refer II to the arbtrament OF
civil war: | have such faith In this republican
system Of ours, that there is no political good
which | desire that am not content to seek
through its peaceful forms Of administration with
out invoking revolutionary action. IL others shall
in yoke that form Of action to oppose and over
throw government, they shall not, so far II de-
ponds on me, have the excuse that | obstnately
left myself to be misunderstood. In such case
can afford to meet prejudice with Cancellation,
exaction with concession which surrenders no
principle, and violence with the right hard Of
peace.
Therefore, sir, so far as the abstract question
whether, by the Constitution Of the nied States
the bondsman, who 10 made such by the laws Of
State, 10 still man or only property, | answer
that, within that State its laws on that subject
are supreme that when he has escaped from that
State into another, the Constitution regards him
as a bondsman who may not, by any law or regu-
laton of that be discharged from his service but
| shall be delivered up, on claim to the party to
whom bis service Is due.
When prudence and justice would combine In
persuading you to modify the acts Of Congress on
that subject, not to oblige private persons to
assist in their execution. and to protect freemen
from being, by abuse Of the laws, carried into sla-
very, agree that all laws of the States, whether
free States or slave States, which relate to this
| class Of persons, or any others recently coming
from or resident in other States, and which laws
contravene the Constitution Of The United States,
/ or any law Of Congress passed in conformity
thereto, ought to be repealed
| Domestic slavery, existing in any State. is
wisely left by the Constitution Of the United
Stafn sslNr In and
disposition of that State; and If it We're in nv
power, would not alter the Constitution in that
| respect. II misapprehenson Of my position need,
SO strong a remedy, | am willing to vote for an
/ amendment of the Constitution declaring that il
shall not, by any future amendment, be altered
as to confer on Congress power to abolish or in
| terfere with slavery in any State
| While think that Congress has exclusive and
| sovereign authority to legislate all subject
| whatever, in the common territories of the United
States; and while certainly shall never directly
indirectly, give my vote to establish sanction
slavery in such territories, anywhere else in th,
shall at any time be passed I'm regard to the terri
tories Is, like every other question, to be deter
mined on practical grounds | voted for email lins
acts in the cases Of Oregon, Minnesota, and Kan
| sas, without being able to secure in. them suci
provisions as could have preferred; and yet
| voted wisely
So now, [ am well satisfied that under existing
| circumstances, happy and satisfactory solution
| Of the difficulties In the remaining territorie
| would be obtained by similar laws, providing 70
the Organization, II such organization were other
wise practicable. IL, therefore, Kansas was ad
mitted as State, under the Wyando: constitu
ton, think she ought to be, and II the or
ganic laws Of all the other territories could b.
| repealed. could vote TO authorize the organiza
| ton Of two new States which should fnclud
| them, reserving the right TO effect subdivision
| Of them, whenever necessary. into several conve
| nent States; but do not find that such reserva
tons could he consti ADDITIONALLY made
Without them, the Interior embarrassment
which would result from the hasty incorporation
Of States Of such vast extent and various ineres,
| and character would outweigh all the immed lat
, advantages Of such a measure. Buff the measur
were practicable, l should prefer diferen
| course, namely: when the eccentric movement,
OF secession and disunion shall have ended 4
whatever form that end may come, and the angr
eXcitsments Of the hour shall have subsidized, an
| calmness once more shall have resumed It's accui
; toned sway over the public mind, then, and M
| until then-one, two, or three years hence
should cheerfully advise a convention OF th
| people, to be assembled In pursuance of the Cor
z stitution, to consider and decide whether any an
what amendments Of the organic national La
ought to be made.
: republican now-as have heretofore been
q member Of other parties existing in my day
e nevertheless hold and cherish, as I have aIwa,
: done, the principle that this government exists
r its present form only by the consent Of the go
erned, and that 1t Is as necessary as II 10 wise
resort to the people for revsions Of the organ
= law when the troubles and dangers Of the Sta
Il
e the public authorities. Nor ought the suggestic
: | to excite surprise. Government In any form Is
Il machine; this is the mos. complex Que that Il
n mind of man has ever invented, or the hand
= man has ever framed. Perfect as II Is II ought
be expected that II will, at least as often as ON
f In a century, require some modification, to ada
the changes Of society and alterations Of
l. pire.
e l hold myself ready now, as heretofore, to vo
d for any properly guarded laws which shall
:! deemed necessary to prevent mutual invasions
States by citizens of other States and punish tho
d | who shall aid and abet them
e Notwithstanding the arguments Of the gala
r Senator from Oregon, General Lane Tema
D. Of the opinion that physical bonds, such as hig
a ways, railroads, rivers, and canals, are vast
n more powerful for holding civil communiti
together than any mere covenants, though WRIT
Is on parchment or engraved upon iron. / rema
re therefore, constant TO my purpose to secure,
e possible the construction Of two Pacific railwa
!. one Of which shall connect the ports around /
e mouths of the Mississippi, and the other the tow
" on the Missouri and the lakes, with the harbc
| on our Western coast.
10 II, in the expression Of these views, [ have n
10 proposed what 10 desired or expected by ma
Others, they will do me the justice to believe til
d ] am as far from having suggested what in ma
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