Year: 1860




er States" If there be squatter sover-
Ell gnty in this resolution, / have never
been able to perceive it. If there be any
reference in it to Territorial Legislature,
it has entirely escaped my notice. 10 pre-
sents the clear principle that at the time
the people form their Constitution they
shall then decide whether they will have
slavery or not. And yet it has been sta
ted over and over again that, in accepting
the nomination under that platform, en-
dorsed the doctrine of squatter sovereign.
ty. | suppose you have all heard this re.
peated thousand times.


A Voice-"We all knew it was lie!',


Well am glad you did.


How beautifully this plain principle of
constitutional law corresponds with the
best interests of the people Under it,
emigrants from the North and South,
from the East and the West, proceed to
the Territories, They carry with them
that property which they suppose will
best promote their material interests
they live together in peace and harmony.
The question of slavery will become a fore
gore conclusion before they have iuhabi-
tants enough to enter the Union as n
State. There will then be no bleeding
Kansas" in the Territories they will all
live together in peace and harmony, pro-
noting the prosperity OF the Territory and
their own prosperity, until the time shall
arrive when it becomes necessary to frame
Constitution. Then the whole question
will be decided to the general satisfact-
ion. But upon the opposite principle,
what will you find in the Territories ?
Why, there will be o strife and conten-
tion all the time. One Territorial legisla-
ture may establish slavery and another
Territoria. legislature may abolish it,and so
the struggle will be continued throughout
the Territorial existence. The people, in-
stead of deyoting their energies and in.
dustry promote their own prosperity, will
| be in state of constant strife and turmoil
Just as we have witnessed in Kansas
Therefore, there is no possible principle
that can be so injurious TO the best inter-
est Of Territory as what has Iecn called
squatter sovereignty.


Now let me place the subject before you
in another point Of view. The people OF
| the Southern States can never abandon
this great principle of State equality in the
Union without self.degredation. Never
Never without an acknowledgements that
they are inferior in this respect to their
sister States. Whist it is vital to them to
preserve their equality, the Northern
States surrender nothing by admitting
this principle. In doing this they only
yield obedience to the Constitution oi
their country rs eXpounded by the Su-
preme Court of the United States. While
for the North it is comparatively a mere
abstraction with the South it is ques-
ton of co-equal State sovereignty in the
| Union.


Ifthe decrees of the high tribunal estab-
lished by the Constitution for the very
purpose are to set at naught and be
disregarded, it will tend to render all
property of every description insecure
What, then, have the North to do?-
Merely to say that as good citizens, they
will yield obedience to the decision OF the
Supreme Court, and admit the right of a
Southern man to take his property into
the Territories, and hold it there, just rs q
Northern man may do and it is to me
the most extraordinary thing in the world
that this country should now be distracted
and divided because certain persons at the
North will not agree that their brethren
at the South shall have the same rights in
the Territories which they enjoy. What
would /, as a PennsylvfAian, say OF do,
supposing anybody was to contend that
the Legislature Of any Territory could
outlaw iron or coal within the Territory


Laughter and applause. The principle
is precisely. the same. The Supreme
Court of the United Stutes have decided
what was known to us all to have beer
the existing state ofaffairs for fifty years
that slaves are property. Admit that fact
and you admit everything. Then that
property in the Territories must be IRE.
cisely in the same manner with any other
property. If it be not so protected in
the Territories, the holders oft are degra'
ded before the world.


We have been told that non-interven'
ton on the part of Congress with slavery
in the Territories is the true policy. Very
we'll. / most cheerfully admit that Con
gress has no right to pass any lew to es
tablish, impair or abolish slavery in the
Territories. Let this principle Of non-in.
tervention be extended to the Territorial
legstures, and let it be declared that they
in like manner have no power to establish
impair, or destroy slavery, and then tn,
controversy is in effect ended. This is al
that is required at present, and verify
believe all that will ever be required
Hands off by Congress and hands off by
J the Territorial legislature. Loud ap
} plause. With the Supreme Court of tn
, United States | hold that neither Con
gress nor the Territorial legislature ha
any power to establish, impair, or abolish
} slavery in the Territories. But if in tn
face Of .his positive prohibition, the Terri
: torial legislature should exercise the pow
er of intervening, then this would be
: mere transfer the Wilmotprovisoa and tn
. Buffalo platform from Congress, to be car
ried into execution in the Territories t.
: the destruction ofail property ir slaves
, Renewed applause.


, An attempt of this kind, if made il
Congress would be resisted by able men Of
, the floor of both houses, and probably de
, feated. Not so in remote Territory. t
, every new Territory there will be rus