The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-10-15

God gle his angels charge to keep.
The bairnie, lest he stray:
And though in death we Ia asleep,
J. i. RAsK1S.
Northern Democrats Precipitated
Hecessi0n and. the War.
The Hon. Henry stanberry, great law.
yer, and the chosen and trusted advocate
Of Southern rights and interests in the
Courts Of Ohio, in speech recently deliv-
cred in Pixies Opera House, Cincinnati,
established the point that the secession OF
the slave States and the consequent war
upon the Union, were precipifated by the
Northern Democrats. He said:
More than once, as counsel for the own.
ers Of fugitive slaves, I have in this free
state vindicated these constitutional rights
and the laws which have been passed to
enforce them. Never, upon any occasion
before any court or any Jury, have failed
to obtain charge and verdict which
were not fully in accordance with these
constitutional. obligations. Nay, nv
friends, allow me to say further, that ia
that great contest for the tempoealities Of
the Methodist Church, which followed its
division, the Church South selected me.
northern lawyer, as their sole advocate be-
fore the Supreme Court of the United
States, and by that august tribunal The
rights OF the South were sustained.
II speak by the book, when l say that
the South appealed to that Federal tribn-
nal TO sustain these peculiar constitution
al guarantees in vain. Show me if you
can, = single case, single decision of that
Court, in which those constitutional guar
antees were enforced 10 the very letter.
NAY, further, what President of the
few we have had from the North-what
Congress from the first that sat in the old
Capitol before this rebellion, ever did any
act, or passed any law which violated one
jot or title OF these Southern rights?
"1n every department of our Federal
Government-in all its branches, execu-
tive, legislative and judicial-the compro-
misses were never broken. The great body
Of the Northern people were true to the
Constitution. But there appeared on the
scene two sets OF agitators, who were no,
with the Constitution as it was.-
A Northern set, small in number, bnt vi
olent in speech, who said that Slavery was
too well protected by the Constitution; and
a Southern set, more numerous and equally
violent, who claimed that it had not pro-
lection enough. It was this condition of
things that a National Convention Of the
Democratic party TO make platform and
nominate their candidate for the Presiden-
cy, was held III Charleston, South Carolina
in April, 1860. Then it was that this Ques-
lion Of slavery broke up the Democratic
party. The quarrel was not between Abo-
litionists and Democrats; It was between
Democrats alone. TIE wound that sla-
very then received, did not come from
Lincoln bat from democratic hand. The
Northern Democrats said, let US stick to
the Cincinnati platform Of 1856. II is as
far as we can or dare 10 go. Not so. said
the Southern Democrats, we must have
new plank in our platform. The Demo-
cratic party must declare that slavery is
III 81
and that the master who removes with his
slaves into frte territory, still owns them
by Federal law. Let rs leave that cues.
ton 10 the Supreme Court of the United
States, said the Northern Dernocrats-or
LET US leave it, at least, 10 be settled by the
people Of the territory.
Neither judicial decision or popular
voting would suit the South. 1t must go
into the platform, they said, or they would
20 out Of the Convention FIRST, and ont Of
The Union af.erward. For once Oliver
plucked up courage. Fpr the first tine
The Northern Democracy cnt loose from
Southern dicta.ion. They said in SUBJ
stance: is thy servant a dog that he
should DO this thing? IMay not have the
very words spoken, but about the SUBJ
stance-and there was more TO the same
IN their mouths and their mouths in the
lust. And 50 this new plank was no: put
II the platform-and, therefore, the South
,rn Democrats seeded from tho Conyen-
ion.
II dom. say that agitation ut the North
nay not have had lis influence towards se-
,ession, but do say that this disruption Of
ne Democratic party preciritated the ca
,astrophe. The abolitioniets may have set
he ball in motion, but it was the Northern
Democracy that sent il home. The fatal
blow was dealt by Democratic hand, and
slavery was stricken down in the house Of
Is friends. Then these Southern Demo
rats, who had remained in the Union only
because their party at the North had been
-eady to sustain their claim, determined to
remain in the Union no longer. It was not
actual election that carried them out of the
Union. They did no: doubt that by uni
ing with the Northern Democracy thew
:ould elect Douglas. Lincoln did not drive
hem out, nor could Douglas keep them in.
They would have neither. They would
have plank in the platform which would
AIRY slavery into free territories, and a
President who would stand right upon that
blank. The Northern Democya.s - told them
hey could have neither the one nor the
,ther, and then followed secession. FIRST
rom their party and next from their Gov
We beg Of every American not 70 lose
light Of the Right Of the Majority cons.i,u-
ionaliy expressed, which this war for the
Union upholds and must establish, or Free
government utterly perish. The Ken
ucky Breckinridge we'll said in recent
peech:
If Mr.. Lincoln was the worst President |!
hat ever lived, it is the duty Of the Ameri- |
an people to re-elect him /; because it is the
luty Of the American people to put final
nd crushing termination upon this idea