Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-01-26


have been 50 mlsrepfeserted AS to excite ap.
prehensions that II denles important consd.
tutioual obligations end aims even at inter
ference with slavery and its overthrow by
state authorities OF Intervention Of the fed.
eYal government. Considerable masses
even IN the free states, interested in the
-saccess of these misrepresentation ss a
means Of partisan strategy, have lent their
sympathy TO the party claiming to be eg
grieved. While the result OF the election
brings tho republican party necessarily ipio
the ioregronnd IN resisting dsuuion, prsJp,
-tiices against them which have described
have deprived them Of the cooperation OF
lmany good and patriotic citizens. On
complex issue between the republican par
ty aud the dsunionists, elthoughit involves
the drest national calamities, the result
might bo doubtful; for the republican par.
~ Il weak 10 a large part Of The union.
Rot on direct issue, with oil who cherish
the Union on one sidey and oil who desire
It's dissolution by force on the otheB the
verdict would be prompt and almost uHani-
nous. i desire thus to simplify the issue,
aud for that purpose TO separate from Il sll
collateral questions, and relieve it Of all
partisan passions and prejndces.
consider the idea of the withdrawal OF
the Gulf S.eleS, and their permanent reor-
Canzaton with or without Others IN dis
tinct confedrracy as a means Of advantage
to themselves, so certainly unwise and 40
obviously impossible of execntion. when
the purpose is understood, that dismiss
il With the discussion / have already incl
dentally bestowed nPon It,
The case Is different, however 10 regard
20 the other subjects which have brought
10 this connection before the Senate
Beyond doubt, union yitaly inpor-
tAnt to the Republican citizens Of the u s
but Is Just as important TO the whole
people. Republicanism and Union are,
therefore, not convertible terms Repubii-
cHnlsm ss subordinate to Union, as every
thing else is and ought to Republican.
ism, Democracy, every other political name
aud Thing, are oil subordinate-snd they
ought to disappear 10 the presence of the
great Question of Union. So far as am
concerned 1t shall be so it wonld be so
Il the question we're sure to be tried as 1t
ought oRly to be determined, by the, peace
ful ordeal Of the ballot. II shall be so all
the more since there is on one side prepar-
edness to refer Il to the aFbitrameut of civ.
liver. ! 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 admin.
istration without invoking revolutionary
action. If others shanlinvoke tbst form Of
action to oppose and overthrow government,
they shall not so far as it depends on me,
have the excuse that obstinately left my
reIf TO be misuuderstood In such a case !
can afford 10 meet peuddce with coucia-
tiou, exaction with concession which sur
renders no principle, and violence with the
right hand Of peace Therefore, sir, so far
as the abstract question whether, by the
constitution Of the u g. the bondsman,
who is made such by the laws of State, is
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 Constitu
ton regards him as bondsman who may
not, by any law or regulation Of that
State he discharged from his service, but
shall be delivered mp, on claim, to the
party TO whom his service is due. While
prudence and justice would combine in per
suading yon to modify the acts Of congress
on that suficet so as not 10 oblige private
persons to assist in their execution, and to
protect freemeu from being, by abuses Of
the laws, carried into slavery, l agree that
that all laws Of the States, whether free
States or slave States, which relate to this
class Of persons, or any others recently com
ing from or resident in other States, and
which laws contravene the Constitution of
the U. s. or any law Of Congress passed in
conformity thereto, ought to be repealed
Secondly. Experience in public affairs
has confirmed my opinion, that domestic
slavery, existing 10 any State, is wisely left
by the Constitution Of the Q S. exclusively
TO the care, management and disposition Of
that State; and if it were in my power,
would not alter the Constitution in that re-
spect If misapprehensiou Of my position
needs SO strong a remedy, | am willing to
vote for an amendment Of the constitution
declaring that it shall not, by any future
amendment, be SO altered as to confer on
congress power to abolish or interfere
with slavery in any State.
Thirdly. Vile think that Congress has
exclusive and sovereign authority to legis-
late on all subjects whatever, in the common
territories Of the Q S. and y bile certain
ly shall never, directly or indirectly, give
my vote to establish or sanction slavery IN
such territories. or anywhere else 10 lie
world, yet the question what constitutional
laws shall at any time be passed in regard
10 the territories, is like every other qnes.
tion, to be determined on practical grounds.
voted for enabling acts in the cases Of
Oregon, Minnesota aud Kansas, without be-
ing able to secnre in them such provisions
as would have preferred and yet yot-
ed wisely. SO now, am well satisfied that
under existing circumstances, happy and
satisfactory solution of the difheultis in the
remaining territories would be obtained by
similar laws providing for thelr organzs-
tien. if such organization were ortherwise
practicable. If, therefore Kansas were ad
mitted as state, under the Wyandotte Con
stitution, as think she ought to be, and
If the organic laws Of alIthe other territories
could be repealed, could vote to authosiZe
the organization aid admission of two new
states which should include them, reserVing
the right to effect subdivisions OF them When
sVes necessary into several convenient states;
but i do not fnd that such reservations
oo,fI T.. oo.ctts,ts,n.f!, IL TUftho.,f