The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-10-18
THE DAILY EMPIRE.
II. n. ROBINSON,
PUBLISHER AND PROPRIETOR.
Review Of Gen. Buffers Speech
in Ohio.

ent political campaign III this State,
carefully prepared report of which, as
made at Toledo on the 2d Of October, IL
published In the Cincinnati CoHipercfdl Of
the Sd inst.
The evident care bestowed by YOU upon
the preparation Of that speech, The preei-
sion with which its positions are presented,
and the ability by which they are maintain
ed, taken In connection With your repnta-
tation rs public man, bespeak Tor you the
the attention of the people. What | shall
say am sure will be less needed; but
have a common right, with all other citl-
Eens, to appeal to the tribunal of public
opinion. and when questions are presented
which involve the liberties Of the people
and the perpetuity Of the Constitution of
my country, am willing to put In contrast,
even with your distinction, the humble OBJ
seurity Of my name, u can thereby con-
tribute, however little, TO preserve the
former, and protect the latter from mutlla-
tion.
speech you say truthfnlly that ain 1862
whatever differences Of opinion there had
been before. both the great parties Of the
country, the Democratic aud Whig parties,
agreed In their platforms substantially up
ON the question of slaveryr-that II was
| protected In the States and TeTritorles un-
der the Constitution OF the United States
''IllaL lllS akrttnlenJ DrOuRnt INTO eXAL-
ence the Republican party, which was or
ganized upon the single issue OF whether
slavery was protected in the Territories"
This single issue Of course implied opposl-
tion to slavery itself-that opposition meant
Its ultimate extinction. The Republican
party as an organization, when Il agreed
that slavery was protected by the COnstl-
tuition IN the States, but that the compact
was against natural right. sustaining Ma
| 81 apn nl ~ hu tl,a frto
construction, was the partially developed
organism through which the Radlcal-abo-
litiOn idea was finding expression. Such
was the veneration and love Of the people
OF the United States for their fundamental
law, that no party could reasonably hope
| 20 attain political power except by pro-
| Tossing. nj least obedience to the compacts
of tho Constitution. Hence, the Republl-
eau organization. whilst 1t was In fact, but
the instrument of Radical Abolitionism, al
ways prOfcssed adherence and fidelity to
tho Constitution of the United States--eVen
up to the breaking out of the war, when Il
passed the Crlttenden Resolutions.
But the next paragraph of your speech
in which you speak OF "ANoTnKR PARTY"
| is the most significant and suggestive ut
terance yet put forth to the people ia this
| important discussion.
You said that this party held, that III
the Constitution I'D protect slavery, either
Ia the States or Territories, il tods q COM,
pact iohich 0ir Jdthers had no right 10 make,
and that we had no rig6t % sustain, and
that, under the higher law-under the
teachings of the liospcl---Mc had no COM
promise and no league with sin" ry
"This party you continue, was the der
| splsed Abolition party, TIN IDEAS or wHIcH
THE HAND OF GOD HAS SINCE CAUsED TO M
THE LAW or THE LAND, AND THE INsrRlu-
uoN OF EVERY GOOD MAN"
II Is not difficult TO see the precise meals
Ing OF this remarkable paragraph. 1t means
that William Lloyd Garrison was right
when he said the Constitution of the limited
States was league with death and cove
nant with hell II means that the trainers
of the Constitution sinned when they adopt
| ed that Instrument. and that the people
sinned so long as they maintained It's pro-
visions In reference TO slavery. 1t means
that the contest through which we have
passed was to repudAtc and annul the
compact which our fathers had no righf 70
make, and which we, II Is said, had no right
TO sustain and that such has been Its result,
you teach us that the Southern people
were right when they thought the ascen-
dency of Abolition ideas IN the North
meant the population of the compact OF
the Federal Constitution!
But the question of the cause of the war
| Is one that the lapse oftime has left for the
v
are its effects, Is that which aow most con-
Germs the people and Is the question you
chiefly discuss. You appeal 10 your hearers
ITO listen moment" while You discuss ''the
precise and exact legal status of the States
which were Ia the rebellion; of the in
habtants of those States, and OF the Ter
ritory of the United States comprised with
In their borders. Also. of the duties rights
and obligations 10 them OF the Government
of the United States" accept this state-
ment of the question IL Is clear aud precise.
!. Ii Involves the status OF the States.
.. That of the inhaL itants.
3. That of the territory of the United
States comprised within their borders.
4. The duties, rights and obligations to
them of the Government of the United
States.
Before determining upon the ''status of
the States, IL Unnecessary TO define precise
ly what state Is. You say "a State u q
political orgdEisdtioH Cj certain Communities
under one Constitution aud form Of GOVeya-
meAt, and part Of che gOUerHlH0 pOt0sr Of The
UniOR." II Is almost impossible TO give a
perfect definition of thing so complicated
| In Its nature and character as a State--for
perfect definition shonld embrace every
characteristic Of the thing defined. YOur
definition is good enough so Ear as Il goea,
but II will not answer the purposes Of this
discussion. shall therefore, take the lib
erty ofattempting more precise aud elab-
orate definition.
A State OF the American Union Is com
posed of three constituent elements;
l. Territory,
2. 4 body OF laws.
3. Population.
The first Is simply the extent Of country
with defined aud acknowlegd limita, which
the population occupy, aud over which is
extended the Jurisdiction OF the body OF
laws. The body OF laws consists: 'i
l. OF written fundamental law, called
Constitution, That part OF the fnndament-
al law of the Ssate which Is limited In its
jurisdiction 10 its own population, Is called
Its State Constitution. That part of It's
fundamental law which concerns its gem
eral interests, Ia common with the other
States, Is called It's Federal Constitution
being also n Constitution aud prescribed
form of government for the United States
2. Statute law, which, In order 10 DO
valid, must be In accordance with the fln-
damental law,
g. Common law, being the decisions of
the State Courts and established custom.
The third constituent element OF one OF
our States Is POPULATION. The population
Is perpetually changing element. Ia
possesses no permanent fndipidaaI Identity.
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