The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-04-21

Extracts from tAs speech OF Mr..
! F0sBcA4ens
The following are the portions of Mr..
Fessenden's speech on the political plat
form of the Republican party, which have
created SO much comment and sensation
have said during the last canvass re-
peatedly, and / aided in passing re.olu-
ton through Congress to the effect that
the object and purpose of this war was
not to affect slavery in the States, but to
uphold the Constitution and the laws of
the land. have said at this session that
that pledge has been made by me; that
the party to which belonged had pledged
itself that it did not come into power and
would not prosecute this war for the pur.
pose of abolishing slavery in the States !;
and said that, % far as I was concerned,
| meant to keep my pledge. But, sir, |
did not say, nor did the party to which /
belong ever say, that it pledged itself to
do nothing that indirectly might affect the
institution of slavery. DO gentleman call
upon us, because We are prosecuting this
war, to forget all We have said, and all we
have been struggling to accomplish for
years? What, sir, have we been strug,
Cling fors 1t was to place this Govern
ment in position where it should not.
lend its aid to the support Of slavery
Since its formation, it has been devoted to
that object and what the Republican
party contended for, as / understood it,
was to free the Government from the in
cubus that bad been laid upon it through
its unnatural connection with this peculiar
institution.
Now. sir, are gentlemen so unreason-
able as to ask us. in this particular crisis
of our affairs, and because Of the peculiar
existing state Of things that We shall for
get all we have heretofore said on this sub.
ject !; that We shall forego all We have
tried to attain; that we hall at once ig-
more the question of slavery altogether
that we shall do nothing directly or in
directly which is calculated to effect our
own purpose, and that constitutional
purpose, which we declared hong ago tn
my Judgment it is asking too much Of
| us and the process of reasoning by which
gentlemen attempt to meet this question,
it strikes me, is hardly fair one. Let
me ask the Senator from Virginia, Mr.
Wiley, for whom l have very great req
pect, does it follow, when We act consti
tutionally in one direction. that, therefore,
we mean to act uncons,itutionally in am
other direction Does it follow, because
we adopt one measure, that we mean to
adopt another. and different one The
honorable Senator has connected all the
measures before Congress together, and
he views them IS parts Of whole. In
the first plate, here is the recommenda-
ton of the President in the next place.
here is the bill for abolition Of slavery in
the District Of Columbia and in the third
place, here are the questions with regard
to the confscation of property; andagain,
the resolutions of the honorable Senator
from Massachusetts,, Mr.. Sumner,) with
regard 10 the States themselves; and the
honorable Senator from Virginia takes it
for granted that they are parts of system.
Let me tell him it is not SO; and he acts
unwiscly in leading his people to suppose,
because we carry out, or attempt to carry
out, what VIC believe to be q constitutional
power and duty resting upon us with
regard to this particular measure, that,
| therefore. we mean to exercise a power
which may not belong to US under the
Constitution. Each measure should be
left to be judged, to stand or fall, upon
Its own merits, aud according to its issue
Mr.. President, that the Republican
party would rejoice to see slavery abolished
everywhere, that they would rejoice if it
no longer existed, that they feel it to be
a blot upon our fair institutions and
curse of the country, there is no doubt.
| can answer, for one, that has been my
opinion always, and l have expressed It
here and elsewhere but, sir. l have held,
and hold to-day. and say to-day what !
have said in my place before. that the
Congress of the United States, or the
people of the United States through the
Congress. under the Constitution as it ex.
lists now, have no right whatever to touch,
BY legislation, the institution Of slavery in
the States where it exists by law. / have
said that, and | say it again, boldly for
my position never has been misunderstood
on this subject. But, sir, say further,
that SO far as the people Of this country
have power, under the Constitution, to
weaken the institution Of slavery to de-
prive il of its force ; to subject, II rs an
institution. to the laws of the land to
take away the political influence which it
has welded in this country, and to render
it, 50 far as they can, nullity, they have
the right to do SO, and it is their solemn
duty to exercise it. And say, more
over, that honorable Senators mistake in
endeayoring to excite the sensibilities of
their people by complaining of any con-
stitutional action Of ours upon this subject,
and charging us with breach Of our
plighted faith.
Whv sir do yo,, sunnnsa wo cama In