Year: 1859

(cheers and laughter) Applied in gov


erument as he seeks to apply it, and it j.


this-if, in a new territory into which 9


few people are beginning TO enter for the


purpose of making their homes, they choose


to either exclude slavery from their limits


or establish it there, however one or the


other may affect the persons to be enslav-


ed, or the infinitely-greater number of per-


sons who are afterwards to inhabit that


territory, or the other members of the fam


lilies or communities, or which they are but


an incipient member, OF the general head


of the family OF States as parent of all


however their action may affect one or the


other of these, there is no power or right


to interfere. That is Douglas Popular


Sovereignty applied.


DOUGLAS HIsToRIAL ARGUMENT.


His proposition is to establish that the


leading men of the revolution were for this


great principle Of non-intervention by the


government in the question of slavery in


the Territories; while history shows that


they decided in the cases actually brought


before them, in exactly the contrary way


to that which be now tries to prove to you


they would have decided, and be knows it.


Not only did they SO decide it at that time,


but they stuck 10 it during sixty odd years,
through thick and thin, as long as there


was one of the revolutionary heroes upon


the stage Of political action. Through their


whole course, from first TO last, they clung


to freedom. And now he asks the commu-


nifty to believe that the men of the Revolu-


tion were in favor of bis great principle,


when We have the naked history that they
themselves dealt with this very subject
matter of his principle, acting upon pre-
cisely contrary ground. 1t is as impudent
and as absurd as if prosecuting attorney
should stand up before a jury, and ask
them to convict A. the murderer of B.
while he was walking live before them.
[Cheers and laughter.


Isay again, ifJudge Douglas asserts that
the meu of the Revolution acted upon prin-
ciples, by which 10 be consistent with them
selves, they ought to. have adopted his pop
ular sovereignty, then, upon a considera-
-tioa Of bis own argument he had right
10 make you believe that they understood
the principles of government, but. misap-
piled them. And he be has arisen to en-
tighten the world as to the just application
of this principle. He has right to try to
pursuade you that he understands their
principles better than they did, and there
fore he will apply them now, not as they
did, but as they ought to have done. He
has right to go before the community,
and try to convince them Of this; but he
has no right to attempt to impose upon
any one the belief that these men them
selves approved of his great principle
There are two ways of establishing propo-
sition. One is, by trying to demonstrate
it upon reason; and the other is, to show |
that great men in former times have |
thought SO and so, and thus to pass it, by |
the weight of pure authority. Now, if |
Judge Douglas will demonstrate somehow
that this popular sovereignty-the right of
one man TO make a slave of another, with
out any right in that other, or any one else.
to otject-demoustrate il as Euclid dem
propositions-then let him do
so, there is no objection. But when be
comes forward, seeing to carry a principle
by bringing to it the authority of men who
themselves utterly repudiated that princi-
pie, l ask that he shall not be permitted to
10 it Applause]


see, in the Judges speech here, short
sentence in these words, "Our fathers,
when they formed this government under
which we live, understood this question
ust as well, and even better than we do
low." Tha: is true, l stick to that
Great cheers and laughter Twill stand
~ Judge Douglas in that to the very bit
.er end. [Renewed laughter.] And now,
Judge Douglas, come aud stand by me,
and truthfalIy show how they acted, un-
lerstanding it better than We do. All
lsk of you, Judge Douglas, is to stick to
he proposition that the men of the Revo-
utiou understood this subject better than
We do now, snd with that better understand
ng they acted better than you are trying
o act now! Applause and laughter.


THF DRED SCOTT DECISION.


What is that Dred Scott decision -
Judge Douglas labors to show that it is
me thing, while think it is altogether diff
erent. 1t is q long opinion, bat it is all
mbodied in this short statement: "The
Constitution of the Uhited States forbids
Congress to deprive man of bis property,
Without due process of law; the right of
property in slaves is distinctly and express
y affirmed in that Constitution; therefore,
f Congress shall undertake that mans
lave is no longer bis slave, when be crosses
certain line into a territory, that is de-
irving him Of bis property without due
process of law, and is unconstitutional"


There is the whole Dred Scott decision.
They add that as Congress cannot do SO
tself, Congress cannot confer any power to
10 so. and hence any effort by the terrific
ial legislation to do either of these things,
5 already decided against. 1t is fore
zone conclusion by that court.


Now, as to this indirect mode by "un-
riendly legislation" all lawyers here will
eadily understand that such a proposition
annot be tolerated for moment, because
legislature cannot indirectly do that
Which it cannot accomplish directly. Then


say ary Legislation to control this proper
y, for its benefit as property, would be
lailed by this bred Scott Supreme Court,