Year: 1860

THE DOUGLAS MOVEMENT IN MASSACHU-


SETTS-SPEECH OF THE HON. REVERDY


JOHNSON, IN FANEUIL HALL.


In Boston, on Thursday evening last, there was a
large gathering of the Democracy of that city and
its vicinity who favor the nomination of Stephen
A. Douglas for the Presidency. Samuel Wells,
Esq, presided. series of resolutions approving
the course of Mr.. Douglas was presented and read,
alter which the Hon. Reverdy johnson, of this city,
was introduced and delivered a Speech which
commenced as follows:


Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of Massachusetts !:
The sensiblity with which | feel this cordial recep-
ton, want words to express. Ill that can do
Is to say that most sincerely thank vou and that
shall ever gratefully remember it. The place too
where 1t is given, mpartS to it, il that were posi-
bic, an additional value. Fdneuii Hall :! What
thoughts rush to the memory at its very name :?
How lost the soul that within its sacred pre-
cincts fail to be inspired by the impulse of pure
patriotism, and an undying love of his whole
country What names rise in their M majesty before
us What times, and issues, and struggles The
very ground we stand upon is holy. Here was
Freedoms Temple. Here did the voices ring that
called nation to arms, echOlng and re-echOing
through the entire extent of our land, made their
way across the deep, carrying glad tidings to the
oppressed of the world, and dismay and alarm to
the oppressOrs. Then no degrading sectional pre-
JUDGES threatened disaster. Then no thought was
entertained Of interfering with our respective social
institutions. Each and all were patriotic They knew
but one country that which included all the States
They knew but one freedom, that which was compre-
hensive of our whole land. They fought and bIed
for it, and achieved it, not for one but for ALL and
believed as trust in Heaven the result will prove
they justly believed, that by all, and or ever, it
would be enjoyed under one Union, against which
to plot would be esteemed, the world over the
tOulest treason ever harbered in human bosom. !
trust that shall bear in mind the eevating inlu-
ences of this hall, in all am about to submit to
you. if | was capable of wishing to forget them
| feel that | could not in such place as this-could


be so lost anywhere to patriotic duty, as to wish
to arouse sectional animOSity to 'endeavor to eX-
cite belief that there is real dilleren ce of local
interests and views" should be awed into silence
dumb from very shame in this place sacred to
liberty and to union. Not forgetting, therefore,
where am. but guided hope, by the spirit of the
place, proceed to discuss the topics which now
especially belong to the occasion thai has convened
the meeting.


Mr.. johnson then assigned his reasons for join
ing the Democratic party-the Wing issues were
all extinct, and the Democratic party was the only
national one, and the only one which possessed
Constitutional views on the subject of slavery
Slavery question of vast Importance to the
South. The Northern press and the Northern pull
pit have assaied it, until bitter hostility has been
engendered between the sections. There is social
separation to great extent now and there is great





speaker said:


These direful results, it seems to me could be
best averted by the policy in regard to it avOwed
by the Democratic party-announced especially in
the compromises of 50 and of '54, and in the prin-
clSes promulgated by the Cincinnati Convention
OF 56, and recognized in the acceptance of Presi-
dent Buchanan of his nomination by that Conven-
ton to the high office he fills. That policy,
declared to the country in terms admitting of no
possible doubt, was nOn-intervention by Congress
tod ~ IL
non-interventiOn upon the Introduction of slavery
into any organized Territory and its protection and
continuance when there, none was expressed or
entertained As to the obligation growing out of
these compromises, far as the Democratic party
was concerned at all times and under all circum-
stances in good faith, to resist any and every kind
OF Congressional Intervention. The subject was to
be forever excluded from the halls of Congress.


Mr.. johnson then made strong argument against
agitation; and alluded to the compromise measures
and the continued strife, which, he contended,
should be settled by the decision of the Supreme
Court After discussing the doctrine of the Kansas
Nebraska bill, he criticised severely the late speech
of Senator Ben amin, who, he said, advocated the
bill on its passage, and now attacks its author
He went into long argument in support of
the doctrine of referring the question of slavery
or freedom in the territories to the inhabi
tants. He alluded feelngly to the threats of Sc
cession-the secession, from conventions and the
threatened secession of States. The result of such
an act would be the concentrated curses of all men.
He predicted the direst anarchy and confusion if
the Republican party should come into power. He
made an appeal to the people to unite upon Doug
las, who worthy of the confidence of all Demo-
Gratis, and alluded to the persecution that has been
heaped upon Mr.. Douglas, both at home and through
out the country and predicted that through the storm
he would come out victorious. Mr.. Douglas he
said, advised and mainly effected the repeal of the
Missouri restrictions, odious to Southern senti
ment. lie was for this, accomplished under the
certainty OF a storm of Northern Indignation
warmly, gratefully applauded by the South. No
words OF eulogy were too strong, then with which
to praise him. No words of gratitude were too
exaggerated with which to thank him. The furv
of the North he boldly met, and it succumbed be-
fore him. In a word, on this sectional and agita-
ting subject he has proved himself a statesman of
unsurpassed ability, of unfinching courage, and
willing at all times of his career to hazard his
political existence in his own section, in order to
preserve and maintain what he believed to be the
Constitutional rights of the South. What but
prejudice question the assurance of his justice
to the South furnished by such course? Can anv
fair and honorable Southern citizen, with this ca
before him, say in his heart that he doubts
Douglas on any single question which can arise
touching the Southern right of slavery, in States
or Territories? 1t is said that he believes, that
possessing, under the Kansas act the right to
manage their own institutions in their own way,
territorial people may, practically, exclude the
institution by failing to pass laws necessary to its
safety. Is not this true? Assuming that such
laws are necessary, and that the power to enact
them Is with the territorial legislature,
does it not necessarily follow that that
power may not be used? :? The very authority to
legisae includes the power not to legislate. Policy
and justice may demand its exercise but, if re-
fused, or omitted, there power to enforce it.
No, H.
ed to with that end. The power is in that regard
omnipotent and exclusive. The only responsibility
it is under is to the constituent body selecting it.
and public opinion. But the view imputed to
Judge Douglas wrong and unjust to the South
is not peculiar to him. 1t has been taken BY
Southern statesmen of great ability and now and
ever high in the confidence of their section. have
but time to refer to two. Mr.. Orr, of South Caro-
lina in speech in the House of Representatives on
the llth December, '56, referring to what was
called squatter sovereignty, sad:-"Although l
deny that squatter sovereignty exists in the Terri
tories of Kansas and Nebraska by virtue of this
bill, it is matter practically of little consequence
whether it does or not; and think shall be able
to satisfy the gentleman of that. The gentleman
knows that in every slaveholding community of
this Union we have local legislation and local po-
lice regulations appertaining to that institution,
without which the institution would not only be
valueess, but curse to the community; without
them the stakeholder could not enforce his rights
when invaded by others; and if you had no To-





tion, the institution would be of no value ] can
appeal to every gentleman upon. this floor who rep
resents slaveholding constituency to attest the
truth of what have said.


"Now, the legislative authority of a Territory is
invested with discretion to vote for or against
laws. We think they ought to pass laws in every
Territory when the Territory is open to settlement
and shareholders go there, to protect slave proper
tv. But, il they decline to pass such laws what is
the remedy? None, sir. If majority of the
people are opposed to the institution and if they
do not desire it engrafted upon their territory, all
they haye to do is simply to decline pass laws in
the Territorial Legislature to pI ohibit it. Now,
ask the gentleman what is the practical import
ance to result from the agitation and discussion OF
this question as to whether squatter sovereignty
does or does not exist? Practically, it is matter
| of little moment"


| Col Jefferson Davis, so long an ornament of the
Senate of the United States, in speech at Portland
| Maine, in the fall or summer of 1885, now before
me as revised By himself and published in Bati
| more in 1859, meets the charge against the South
J as to "The aggressions of the slave power in ex
tending Slavery into the Territories in this way
! sThe Territory being the common property of th,
States, equals in the Union, and bound by the Con
stituton which recognizes property in slaves, it il


an abuse Of terms to call aggression the migration