Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1865-05-17


mind, and it must be So 10 evorrbod!
else, that M. Jefferson meant Tho wbi,o
race ana not the African race. The CON
su'ullon gives 1t that Interpretation. And
ms own acts, and those of his associates
"hel lhey were framing the Declaration
OF independence, owning slaves, and oC
'erwardS passing laws and malsiug will:
whioh provided for their regular descent
as property, confirm it. Then il seems
10 me that this does not avail the Senator
much. But in the next resolution of tbo
platform, which he read, it is declared
THAT the Constitution confers mon
Congress sovereign power over the Terri.
tories oI the United States for their GOV
ernment' and that in the exercise of hi,
power 1t Is both the right and the impera-
i've duty of Congress to prohibit in the
Territories those twin relics orbarbarism.
poIygamy aud slavery"
The Republican platform declares and
the Senator from Illinois argues, that the
power OF Congress being sovereign over
the Territories, it can exclude slavarv
rom the territories. What do you mean
oy sovereignty? ! shall not undertake q
10 dehne 1t on this occasion, bat will
give my understanding of the power of
Congress over the Territories. deny a.
ny such assumption as this platform con
talns. l deny that any such power is
conferred on the Federal Government in
references to the Territories. Is il not
sovereign? Tho Federal Goyernment
possesses no sovereign power. All its
| powers are derivative and limited and
those that are not expressly granted are
reserved to the States respectively. Con-
gress mas no sovereign power All its
powers are derived, 1t can exercise do sin
gle primitive or original mower. Where,
tnen, does 1t get sovereign power in ref.
erence 10 Territory Of tie United States
! W here does 1t even get sovereign power
IN reference TO the District of Columbia?
/ II has no such power The Congress of
the United states may exercise exclu siye
and limited power. lis authority is linli.
ted, it Is defined, and deny the assume.
ton that the Federal Government has
sovereign pow or in reierer ce to the Terri.
tories of the United States.
But suppose, by way OF testing the sin.
cefity OF the Republican party, we pro.
ceed on the idea that the power of Con.
c5Ffss; NJeAYsrejs7.jIs rnCrr1saV ,s ,h,,s2, ,,,,
| tho qualifications OF the citizens who shall
! become an inhabitaut or resident of the
/ Territories. Bear in mind their other
doctrine that all men are created equal
and let us try to ascertain, if we can, their
Consistency on Lnis subject. The 7, :rito-
ries arc hillng up. Let me ask the Re
publican party, proceeding upon these
two iIeas that all men are created equal,
aud that the power Of Congress is SUyer-
I eign in the Territories, what will YOU do
with the black population when IT goes
into the Territories Now, We will test
the practical operations Of 20. Il doctrines
Let me ask them, anil call upon them
to answer me before the country, will
you let the free colored population that
emigra'es into the Territories stand on
an equal footing with the white popua-
/ tion? Let US reduce your theory 10 prac-
tiCe, and see how 1t will operate. You
say that all men are created equal and
that the power of the Federal Govern
ment is sovereign in the Territories. 49,
4 VIII you, when the free cjlored popula-
tiou goes into the Territories, make them
equal in all respects with the white pop
ulation?
If you will not, why clamor so much
about sovereignty over Territory; why
clamor so much about all men being Gre
ated equal? Here is the touchstone' Let
us see what you will do. Inform Us wheth-
er, in filing up the Territories and max
ing laws for the qualification and protect
ion of their citizens, you will place the
African on an equality with the white
population? Come up and tell US. 1t is
fair to put it to you. You have presented
a theory? Now let us know what your
practice will be. viii you take that
ground? Will you place the African Top-
ulation, or their descendants, or a mixed
cOlorei population OF the African race, on
an equality with the white man in the
Territories over which you claim sover.
egn power ? balleAe the Senators con-
stltuents in Illinois agree with me in the
construction that have given to the Dec
aration of independence and the Const =
tuition of the u. s., in reference to the coll
ored population. think the hemse,v s
have interpreted this Declslation and,
if they have interpreted it wrongly, |
want to work in that quarter, and reduce
his doctrines 10 practice. When we turn
TO the declaration of independence Of IL
linois, if may so call u, what do we find ?
In the constitution Of Illinois it is declar-
ed
THAT the general great, and essential
principle of liberty and free government
may be recognized and unalterably estab-
lished, we declare:
THAT all men are born equally free and
Independent, and have certain inherent
and indeteasible rights among which are
those of enjoying and defending life and
liberty, and of acquiring, possessing, and
protecting property and reputation, aud
of pursuing their own happiness"
This IS the declaration Of Illinois. Do
the people of Illinois understand persons
of color to be equal with white men? II
they do, they have not combined, in the
shape of constitution or declaration OF
Independence, their views and sentiments
on the subject and if the Senator enter
tains the views that he presented here the
tlar Hav | wnnl,I 4 N i'm the prO-