Year: 1860

the people of ALI the territories including Kanss
ami Nebraska, acting through the legally and fairl,
expressed will OF majority of actual residents anC
whenever the number of their inhabitants iustifes
to form constitution, with without domestic slavery
and be admitted into the Union upon terms of perfec
equality with the other Statesi


So we all say. When aTerrtory seeks admission int,
the Union then the people shall have the power say
IN and by their constitution, whether they will hav
slavery and II they say Maryland does then the
shall have it. lfthey say California said, no" ther


let their will be fulfilled There is the Cincinnati Mat


form Where squatter sovereignty to be found there
But you find there intervention | am for non inter
vention know no Southern man who is opposed tt
and some of his Southern friends say that non nteryen
ton IN the Cincinnati platform means one thing which
wl explain directly-we say it means another First
they say 1t means Just what it says that when Terri
tory has sufficient population and seeks admission into
the Unon it shall then have the privilege of deciding the
slavery question for ITSELF just Maryland had as Cali
forna had as Oregon had and every other State
has been admitted into the galaxy of the confederacy


But what does Mr. douglas say is the meaning of non


intervention? That Congress has not the power to estab


ish or prohibit slavery in Territoryso say we that
Congress must not interfere to that end-so say we
then he goes further and also further though in
different direction Mr. Douglas insists that people
OF Territory, when they shall received their Terri
toria Government at the hands OF Congress- may then
and before the time has arrived their admission into
the Union as State regulate the question of slavery
themselves We say they cannot do until they come
to form their Constitution and ask admission into the
confederacy of coequa States for these reasons
the Supreme Court has decided that the
Government can exercise mo power the person
property of citizen but what the citizens the United
States have granted that the Constitution recognizes
the right of property of the master in the slave
no distinction between that description and other property
owned by citzen;' that 'no tribunal acting under the
authority of the United States whether il be Legislative
Executive or Judicial has right draw such distinction
or to deny it the benefit of the provisions and
which have been provided for the protection of private
property against the entertainments of the


and that mo word can be found in the Constitution
which gives Congress greater power slave proper
ty or which entities property of that kind less proec
tion than property of any other description The only
power conferred is the coupled with the duty
guarding and protecting the in his rights" Thus


e Court denies the power to Congress- and to tribu
nal which is the of the Federal Government
Now the people of Territory whilst yet in territorial
condition. cannot lawfully prevent the Southern emigan
from going into the territory with his slaves and being
there respected in all his rights of property unless they
hold that of exclusion either iRhereny or hy
Congressional grant General Cass inclined the
opinion that they possessed Inherent sovereignty
leve His conclusions were then consistent with his
premises But he has long since repudiaed that
How can they be sovereign? What sovereignty? Is each
man sovereign. or part OF sovereignty? Then how
many men would constitute sovereignty, fifty, five
hundred fifty thousand Ifthe sovereignty inherent
then who will fix the number necessary to its institution?


This doctrine, understand is repudiated by Mr..
Douglas himself He dates the commencement Of this
sovereignty from the time that Congress may pass the
organic act for the establishment of the territorial gov
ernment. But is not this absolutely felO de If the
sovereignty comes from the organic act it from
Congress- and if Congress is powerless to establish
clude slavery how can it confer that power upon
ritoria government created by itself? Sovereignty is
lodged in body polite not aggregation of in
dviduas 1t is the supreme power of the people, that
Is, the State, and therefore the sovereignty of Delaware
is equal to that of New York the sovereignty of the
smallest kingdom is equal to that of Russia. The differ
is that other nations recognise sovereignty exist
in those who, in fact but its administrators whereas
here maintain the true theory that people, organ
sed into an independent body polite in other words,
the State is sovereign. There but two other cond
submission to higher authority anarchy


Now the territories are not sovereign because from the
beginning of this government it has been uniformly
ceded that they at all times subject to Congress-
until prepared constitutionally to enter the Union
States Their forms of government have differed most
m we ap0V bp
Governors and Councils; Others by the authorities
joining districts territories; Others by organizations
such that of Kansas, Nebraska and New Mexico
all, all deriving their whole power and authority from
the Federal Government the Supreme Court expressly
says, and as the history of the country proves. Who
will deny that Congress has the Constitutional poUer
all times to resume grant it make by act
organizing territory whether such resumption would
be wise or not would depend upon circumstances. The
denominations of Utah might day afford such An in.
stance If Congress has the undsputed power to do So
how socalled territorial popular sovereigny' CO.
exist with such a power?


They say that we want Congressional slave code l
reply that such has been asked for What we want
now is simply the establishment of sound constitutional
principle and that the mind and heart of the whole
try be brought back to the great landmarks of States
Rights Democracy from which the public sentiment has
been silently drifting away in the healthier portions
of the Northern community. We want to maintain the
resolutions which were adopted platform, and
which are essentially the same those passed by the
United States Senate. What else do they proclaim than
most simple and manifest truths old the resolutions
of '9S:


'1st RESOLVED, That the government of territory or
ganzed by an act of Congress- is provisional and
poray and during its existence all citizens of the United
States have an equal right TO settle with their property in
the territory without their rights either of person
property being destroyed impaired by Congressional
or Territorial legislation


2d Resolred That is the duty of the Federal Gov
eminent in all its departments to protect when
ry the rights of persons and property in the Territories
and wherever else its constitutional authority extends y


Are not these resolutions within the principles decided
by the Supreme Court? But told that the Cincn
natl platform and certain public men, Democratic
party generally have heretofore recognized this popular
Now for practical results The Wilmo provso excludes
the South from the Territories by direct Congressional
intervention squater sovereignty hands that bust
to the tender mecies of Massachusetts Emigrant
Aid Societies (Appause)


No sooner had the Kansas Nebraska act been passed
than Massachusetts, formed her Emgant Aid Society and
with Beecher's rifles In the hand and Beechers
in the other, they filled that territory with popu-
committed acts that convused this nation to its very
centre; and when their conduct had brought re
sistance from the border counties of Missouri whose
slaves they were constantly running off by the under
ground rairoad-just as John Brown who Kansas
hero attempted TO do Harpers Ferry say that when
they by their acts had drawn that state of things
they charged it on the Missouri border rufans" And,
srs long Northern fanacism gold from


its willing dupes, and put arms in the hands of desperate
men, let the doctrine OF squater sovereignty but prevail
and where will be the territory into which the peaceful
STAKEHOLDER can go with his property.


planter in Prince Georges county in Charles county
in St Mary's county in Virginia. or elsewhere moves
off territory with his slave property- Here the report
Of pistol in the crowd caused rush and the speaker
stopped for a minute two Resuming, the Governor
said-A planter moves off with his slave property a
territory The principle is established have said =
thdt as, # the Democratic party had consented 10 ats
eStdJlishmen-that the squatters the public lands
when organized by organic act of Congress- have the
power to regulate slavery What chance has the slave
holder from the South? one man against the fifty who
will be into this territory by such organizations as
the Massachusets Emgrant Ald society There is not a
man here who does not perceive that it will be utterly
impossible in the natural order of things for the slave
holder to compete WITH resist the aggressons of such
powerful organizations Northern aboonism is bring
bear against him The result would be, that
Shareholders of the South would be excluded from the
territory of the nation, obtained as it always
has been, with the blood and treasure the


Where Is the difference between Wilmot provso and
squatter sovereignty which excludes slavery by the
of Emigrant Aid SOceties2 tAppause) Then you want
slave code! Congressional interference establish
slavery What misapplication of terms! We want the
territorial people to understand their Constitutional du


ties and obligations laid down by the Supreme Court
and if they attempt to violate them then say it is duty
of Congress to its Constitutional authority in the
that may appear best when the emergency arises
though become necessary to govern the Territory in
the days of Washingon, Adams, Jefferson Madison Mon
by the direct authority of the Federal Government
administered through its officers Territory which
would violate Constitutional duties would be rebeous
and could rot complain of so extreme measure
which, admit could only be last The Senate
resolutions, which substantially the same as the
Charleston majority report upon which Breckenridge
stands platform were voted for by thirty FIVE lido you
hear? want the ends of the crowd to hear) thirty
States, and the gallant Joe Lane of them (great
cheerng) and Stephen A Douglas with Senator Pugh
Ohio, stood alone in opposition to them


They say, down with the Administration" l am not
here to say up with it. here to discuss Drinc1-
PIES not men, but say this that it is remarkabl coin
cdence that by the sde not in advance Of the
heads Of but by the side Of the thirty five Democratic
Senator's stood the venerable President the United
States, who four years received your sufrages,
backed by the eight members of his Cabinet three of
them from the free States and overwhelming majority
of the Democratic members of the House of Representa-
tves and the great body Of the Southern people, almost


unit this question, and the sound conservative
of the North And against all these expounders of De-
mocracy stood Douglas and Pugh ] say that it was an
extraordinary spectacle in the Democratic party like
of which cannot be found in its history! Is it
deru that Douglas is right whilst Democratic Presi-
dent Cabinet Senate and the almost united people
teen Southern States, who interested in this
great issue, are all wrong2 Laughter and applause
Gentlemen it might be because truth does not depend
(hank God for ihat upon human concession infali-
bity. God alone is TRUTH everlasting and unerring
truth, and we all fra mortas therefore it might be
that Judge Douglas right and the Democratic party
wrong (Laughter.)


Sir, they may call me dsunionist but Heaven forbid
in the sentiment of eloquent Webster that shall
live to that sacred veil rent like the veil of the
temple of jerusalem from the top to the bottom under
the of divine wrath awakened by national
dissolution opened to the weeping eyes of ruined
natonl Yet, when the Constitution is the ground work
which stand by the decision of the supreme Court
if are to go down into common grave, will go
down with the Constitution for coffin and the flag of
the Union torn, it may be, for shroud and shall
rest with my kith and kin of the great South. Jap
pause) The responsibility of that dire calamity will not
be Yes sir proclaim it, and let it go forth upon
the wings of the wind to the South and North that
one, repudate unconstitutional compromises for
more, more (Applause.)


l. for one desire to stand where the fathers of the
voution stood, who would not permit half cent tax
upon tea, cent stamp upon paper, because it
corruption of the fountain OF national liberty And


say that the people who, little by ttle degree by
gree time and again. compromise and fritter away first
right and then another. in short time will have
rights 10 lose Therefore, gentlemen, / am in favor of
m nn nd haar IN fret