The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-10-18
somethsng for the COnsem piation or
Bob InGers11l.

lineage 1tUes, III Te2aru 10 Nr. ODcrIy
Jacksonville speech:
JACKSONVILLE, ILL.,, Oct. l5.-fIon
John II. Obcrly, OF Cairo, address, ,
large and enthusiastic Democratic meet
ing here Yesterday. His speech hat
greater effect than any other yet of tn,
canvass. While he was speaking on,
hundred guns were fired in honor of the
victory in the October states. lie re
viewed at some length llie charges made
against the Democratic party by Colone
Robert q. ingersoll, and created by ,li.
portion of his spcUh decided scnsa
| ton. He asserted that Col. Ingersoll',
statement that the arocious black law o
Illinois WAS Il stain upon the Democrat,
record that could notbe wa shed out was
| an Indirect attack OH Scn3tor John 4.
Logan, whose scat in'he senate the Col
| wishes to obtain. Sora' or Logan was q
| member OF the Legislature that enacted
the law, was its mot iociblc champion
if not it, author, and WIS responsible iUf
its passage. All OF In2crsoil's
abuse WAS dcuunqatiou 1T li,
rival, senator L'gau. Passing
from tlli. subject the speaker quoted
from one Of Ingcr.ol's speeches, in
which the assertion is nidc thu, the iugi
tive slave law would haze Jouc honor 10
hell IN hell, palmicst dys; that 1t Wa1e
blood hounds Ut the poole OF the north
that the Democratic paiy was response.
BILE for tho law and that IL Incn who voted
and apologized for II wrc rascals aud
scoundrcls. In maxim. this assertion
MIR. Oberly declared tha Col. Ingcrsoll
was attacking the Dcngy Of Mr.. Lin
cola, who not only ap'l0gizcd for the
law, had supported its ,cnstitutionality,
had protested against the Republican
platform Of Ohio, adopted by
that party in 1859, denoucing the
law az atrocious and had pre-.
vented the introduction into the National
Republican convention OF 1850 Of any res
olution in opposition to that law. In
proof Of his assertion MIR. Oberly read the
following letters, written by Mr.. Lincoln
in 1859. Neither Of these letters has eyer
before this been printed, and this was the
first OCCASION on which they were read in
the hearing OF public audience. Mr..
Oberly has the original letters in his DOS.
session, and their geauineness cannot be
questioned by any one familiar with Mr..
Lincoln's handwriting. The following
lS the first letter read by Mr.. Cherry:
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, June 8. 1889.
To Hon. =. l.. Chase
DEAR SIR--Piease pardon the liberty
take in addressing you as now do. 1t
appears by the papers that he late Re-
publican state convention ofChio adopted
q platform, OF which the following is one
plank "A repeal Of the a,rocious fugi-
tive slave law" This is already damag-
ing u. here. have no doubt that if that
plank be even introduced into the
next Republican national convention
Ii will explode IL. Once introduced,
its supporters aud opponents will quar-
rel irreconcilably. The latter believe
the United States constitution declares
that fugitive slave 'shall be delivered
up and they look upon tle above plank
as dictated by the spirit which declares
fugitive slave"shall not be delivered up"
| enter upon no argument one way or
the other, but assure you the cause of
Republicanism Ia hopeless in Illinois II 1t
be in any way made responsible tor that
plank. hope you can and Will con-
tribute something to relieve us from ii.
Your obedient servant. \. LINCOLN.
To this letter Mr.. Chas replied that
power had not been delegated to con.
gresk to enforce tho fugitive slave law
in the labor clause Of the constitution,
and asking Nr. Lincoln his opinion of
the law. Mr. Lincoln replied as follows:
SPRINGFIELD, H., June 20, 1887
HoN. 5. Z. CHAsE-Ny Dear Sir:
Yours Of the 18th inst. is received. You
say you would be glad to have my views.
Although think congress hes constitu.
Iional authority 10 enact fugitive slave
law, | have nevcnelaboratcd an opinion
on the subject. My view las been and
Is simply this: The United States cOnsti.
tuition says the fugitive SLAVE shall be de-
|ivcred up, but 1t does not expressly say
who shall deliver him up. The consti.
tuition says il shall be done )ut has omit
ted to say who shall do it. The govern
ineht established by the contribution cr VI
ternIiai is vested with the power Of doing,
and congress is by the constitution eX-
pressly empowered to nuke I'LL laws
which. shall be necessary and proper
Tor carry.n. into execution all
powers vested by th eonstitu.
ton in the governtns,t OF the
United State. This would be nv
view OH simple reading of the con.
stitutiOn, and it is greatly strengthened
by the historical tact that the constitution
was adopted IN great part in order to yet
4 government which could execute its
own behcs. IN contradistinc,ion to that
under the ar .iclcs OF confederation which
depends in many respects upon the states
for its execution, and the oth,r fact that
one OF the earliest conGIesse. under the
did enact fugitive slave law,
but | did not write you on this subject
with any view OF discussing the constitu.
lional question. Ny only OBJECT was to
impress YOU with what beltve Is true.
that the Introduction OF q proposition for
The repeal OF the fugitive slKe law into
the next Republican natiopal convention
will explode the convention and the
party. Having turned youratteution to
lhe point. wish TO do no mre. Yours
very truly, A.LINCoLN.
After comments upon these letters thai
we're interrupted by frcquelt APPLAUSE,
Mr.. Oberly passed 10 discussion of other
His remarks we're Interrupted
by applause.
NaeuSallsael~a.
Those who are entitled to become nat
irallzed had better 60 before Judge
Bross at the court house while he Il