Year: 1861

! shareholders for the re-capture of fugitive
slaves from service In all the slave States
there is a restiveness resulting from the re-
| sistance which has been SO determinedly Y
made within the last few years, in the free
States, to the extension of slavery in the
common territories of the United States
The Republican party, which cast its votes
for the successful Presidential candidate on
the ground of that policy, has been allowed,
| practically, no representation, no utterance
/ by speech or through the press, in the slave
States; while its policy, principles and SEN
| timents, and even its temper, have been so
misrepresented as to excite apprehensions
that it denies important constitutional obli-
! cations, and aims even at interference
with slavery and its overthrow by
| State authorities or Intervention of
the Federal Government. Considerable
masses even in the free States, in
terested in the success of these misrepresenta-
tiOns as means of party strategy, have
lent their sympathy to the party claiming
to be aggreved. While the result of the
election brings the Republican party neces-
sarily into the foreground in resisting dis
union, the prejudices against them which
have described have deprived them of the
cooperation of many good and patriotic
citizens. On a complex issue between the
Republican party and the disunionists, al
though it involves the direst national
calamities, the result might be doubtful
for the Republican party is weak in large
part of the Union. But on direct issue,
with all who cherish the Union on one side,
and all who desire its dissolution by force
on the other, the verdict would be prompt
and almost unanimous. I desire thus to
simplify the ISSUE and for that purpose to
Ill
and relieve it of all partisan passions and
prejudices.


] consider the idea of the withdrawal of
the Gulf States, and their permanent reor-
ganization with or without others in dis
tinct Confederacy as means ct advantage
to themselves, so certainly unwise and so
obviously impossible of execution, when
the purpose is understood, that dismiss it
with the discussion have already incident
ally bestowed upon it.


The case is different however in regard to
the other subjects which have brought in
this connection before the Senate.


Beyond doubt Union is vitally impor-
tant to the Republican citizens of The United
States bat it is just as important to the
whole people. Republicanism and Union are,
therefore, not convertible terms. Repub-
licanism is subordinate to Union, as every
thing else is and ought to be-Republican-
ism, Democracy, every other political name
and thing all are subordipate-and they
ought to disappear in the presence of the
great question of Union. So far as am
concerned, it shall be so it should be so if
the question were to be tried as it ought
only to be determined, by the peaceful
ordeal of the ballot. 1t shall be so all the
more since there is on one side preparedness
10 To fha viii Of ~,
l have such faith in this Republican system
of ours, that there is no political good
which desire that am not content to seek
through its peaceful forms of administra-
ton without invoking revolutionary action.
If others shall invoke that form of action
to oppose and overthrow the Government,
they shall Lot, so far as it depends on me,
have the excuse that | obstinately left my
self to be misunderstood. In such a case |
can afford to meet prejudice with concila-
ton, exaction with concession which sur
renders no principle, and violence with the
right hand of peace. Therefore, sir, so far
as the abstract question, whether by the
Constitution of the United States, the bonds
man, who is made such by the laws of
State, is still a man or only property, I
answer that, within that State, its laws on
that subject are supreme that when he has
escaped from that State into another, the
Constitution regards him as a bondsman,
who may not, by any law or regulation of
that State, be discharged from bis service,
but shall be delivered up on claim, to the
party to whom his service Is due While
prudence and justice would combine in per-
suading you to modifs the acts of Congress
on that subject, SO as not to oblige private
persons to assist in their execution and to
protect freetnen from being, by abuse of the
laws, carried into slavery, | agree that all
laws of the States, whether free States or
slave States which relate to this class of
persons, or any others recently coming from
or resident in other States and which laws
cOntravene the Constitution of the United
States, or any law of Congress passed in
conformity thereto, ought to be repealed.
Secondly. Experience in public affairs
has confirmed my opinion, that domestic
slavery, existing in any State, is wisely left
by the Constitution of the United States ex-
clusively to the care, management, and dis
| position of that State; and if it were in my
power, 1 would not alter the Constitution
in that respect. If misapprehension of my
! position needs so strong remedy, | am will
| ing to vote for an amendment of the Consti-
tuition, declaring that it shall not, by any
future amendment be so altered as to con-
fer on Congress power to abolish or inter-
fere with slavery in any State.


Thirdly, While l think that Congress
has exclusive and sovereign authority to
| legislate on all subjects whatever, in the
common Territories of the United States :;
and while / certainly shall never, directly
or indirectly, give my vote to establish or
sanction slavery in such Territories, or any


where else in the world, yet the question


what constitutional laws shall at any time


be passed in regard to the Territories, is,


like every other question, to be determined


on practical grounds. voted for enabling


acts in the cases of Oregon, Minnesota, and


Kansas, without being able to secure in


them such provisions as would have pre-


ferred and yet voted wisely. So now, l


am well satisfied that under existing circum-


stances, happy and satisfactory solution of


the difficulties in the remaining Territories


would be obtained by similar laws, provid-


ing for their organization, if such organiza-


ton were otherwise practicable. If there


fore, Kansas were admitted as State, un-


der the Wyandotte constitution, as l think
| CHI OuObf fn no nd L. &