Year: 1860

CT of the territories, to exclude slavery theretrom by untriendly legislation?'

 In answer to this 1 have to say, that do not Nor do think any national dem- ocrat could entertain such opinion. Nei- ther dc think national party could be built up with such plank in it's platform. It. would by it's bare insertion, become sec t1nal. It would be acting in concert with the great sectional parties of the North, that have from time to time, and under different names made such terrible assaults upon the South and the constitu- tion of our country. It would be aiding and assisting that mighty array of northern fanaticism which is gathering its strength, and marshalling its forces for another great conflict with the democratic party, which party stands to-day as the only barrier be- tween subiugated South ora dismembered Republic!

 The second question is as follows:

 "Second. Do you believe that Congress has the power to protect slavery in the territories, if they should attempt by un- friendly legislation to exclude 1t there from?'

 To this, l answer, that, / do so 5elieye. ooiiof0 ONhS icHo hdS tue poUer ana De- lieve it to be bound in duty so to do It has no power itself to intetere with slarery or other property belonging to the people ora territory. It is but sentinel, whose duty It IS to guard and protect it from in- teJerence. It cannot carry slavery into a territory. It cannot drive it away. It being powerless to do this, it cannot clothe an agent with power to carry it there, or drive 1t therefrom.

 l know that the doctrine of congressional protection Tn the cases referred to, at the same time that 1t Is conceded to be consti- tutional by many, is regarded by them as dangerous. 1 know that, that same North which so often brands us as llnaves and towards, Suspends over us the Mreot, that in the event the South should claim pro- lection to slave property in the territories from the ''unfriendly legislation of those northern Goths GJ Vandalls that "Eme- grant Aid Societies" may choose to send there, that they will ask congress to pro- hibH slavery therein, and claim its protec- ton as precedent. And will the South be awed by this? Will southern men who know and feel that congress can and should render such protection, shrink from asking It? Will southern men, or constitutional ( men, or conservative men, if you please, so fear and tremble at the lofty threats of fa- naticism, that they dare not ask rigt for fear black republicanism will ask wronq2 and has it come to this that we are to cringe and cover like whipped spaniels, and not breathe our rights for fear the lordly men of the North will assert grievous wrongs? That the arms of government are to be paralyzed by the threats and denunciations of infuriated mobs, and hired assas.ins? That we are afraid to 't walk the pilgrim age of the constitution" for fear northern fanaticism may go beyond? That we shall not hold up our heads like independent fre9men and look the whole length of our rights for fear the traitorous legions of the North will insist upon that which is wrong? That we shall not sustain the constitution and live under 1t, for fear fanaticism will violate it? And shall we feel a clear con- sciousness that the broad territories that lie stretched out before us, are the common treasure of our country-that we have rights there, but it is dangerous 10 ask them, to be submitted to as a recompense there lOl, hllhIl HOlbHcGu ldlldIlClSin cOHll1luo to consider our devotion to the Union and our consequent fear of it's dissolution, a want of resentment, and a guarantee that we will submit to other and further wrongs, rather than ask our rights? For one, say neverl We have compromised long enough. We ought to be convinced of its uselessness, if the past is any index to the future Our opponents, who only numbered about seyen . housand, when the first great wrong was perpetrated against the South and the con stitution, by the passage of the Wilmot proviso, now number near one million and c half, who exercise the right of suffrage! and so much have they misconstrued the patri- otism of the South and so bold have they become, that the plains of Virginia have recently been soiled with the blood of her unohending citizens who fell at the hands of their rapacious and infuriated invaders l am for no more surrenders to northern ta- naticism. am for throwing no more con- sessions into the blaze of human passion that burns so fiercely around the pillars of our government, they are but adding fuel to the fire and all the past shows 1t. Let us then stand by the constitutiOn-up it if we can-fall with 1t five mustl

 Men are wide of the mark when they de- clare that there is no "prdctjcal impOytance" in this question. have heard that so often and the South has been so often deluded by it, that 1 almost detest the phrase! If our government is to stand for years (which is surely the prayer of every pa triot) the question becomes one. of great moment look on the map of our coun- try, and see spread out before me, and ly- ing west of the slave states, an immense area of territory, sufficient in extent, capability and locality to make one of the grandest confederacies on earth, and from all that territory the South is to be excluded by ''unfrendly legislation!''

 And further in the future, 1 behold still west and southwest of the slave states, an immense country-diversifed with noun tains, plains and valleys-traversed by broad majestic rivers, rich in mineral and agricultural resources, and well adapted in the main, to slave labor That country is now torn and distracted by contesting fac ! tons, and is powerless to extricate itself: But few years, and the Sierra Nevada and Popocatepete will greet the stars and stripes of our Great Republic, as they throw their ~frotectlng folds about them, ana arrest those scenes of disorder, and stay the tide of blood that so fearfully drenched that ill-fated Republic And from all that territory the South may be excluded by untriendly legislation! and yet congressional protection is an issue of no practical importanceh'

 East aud southeast of these behold beautiful island seated amid the waves of the great southern seas, and looking out on the broad Atlantic loaded with the treasures of commerce. Its soil and productions ren- der it superior in wealth to the largest and richest mining regions on earth. This is- land forming the key'to our southern com merce, will soon see its image snatched rom the bosom of the waves, and made to glow amid the brightest stars of our nation al galaxy! From this too we may be ex- cuded by unfriendly legislation am astonished that any person should be so