Year: 1860




for the kind sentiments you have Just eX-
pressed, and the cordial welcome you
have extended to me. Saratoga is com
mon ground where ,he citizens of every
portion of the Union comes for health
and recreation. | trust that no act or
word ofminc will mar the pleasure of the
social circle by the introduction Of parti-
san politics. You have been so kind as
to recognize me as the regular Democrat
ic candidate Tor the Presidency, and to
speak in terms of eulogy of my public
course; for all of which you will accept
my sincere thanks. While | will never
conceal an opinion on public questions,
and on all proper occasions freely avow
and boldly maintain my opinion, | shall
endeavor to so express myself as to be en-
tirely respectful to those who may differ
with me on many points. ! believe in
the equality of the States, and in the equal
] rights of the citizens of all the States in
/ the Territories Of the United States.--
| Whatever rights the citizens of any State
may enjoy in the Territories pertain alike
| to the citizens OF all the States; and on
whatever terms the citizens of any State
may move into the Territories with his
property, the citizen of every other State
may go and carry his property, and enjoy
the same under the protection of the law.
But, it must be borne in mind that all
property in the Territories is subject to,
and dependent on the local law for protec-
ton. Congress never yet passed law
for the protection of property oiany kind
in any organized Territory. Congress
never passed criminal code for the Ter
ritories. Persons and property of every
description are dependent upon the local
law for protection. No exception to this
general rule exists either in regard to per-
sons or property. Black or white, free
or slave, all persons are under the protcc-
ton of the local law, an not the acts OF
Congress for protection. Nor is there
any exception in respect to the different
kinds of property. The Northern man
with his horses his cattle and his mer-
chandise, and the Southern man, with his
slaves, go into the Territories on terms
of perfect equality, and in like manner
depend upon the local law for protection.
Hence, the pretences of which we hear so
much in these modern days, that it is the
duty of the Federal government in all its
departments to protect property of every
description in the Territories, is founded
in ignorance of the principles and practise
of our political system. Any political
creed must be necessarily wrong which
cannot be proclaimed in the same terms
in the North and the South, wherever the
American flag floats over American soil
so long as we live under constitution
which is common to all the States ant
Territories, political parties should main
tain the same doctrines in every portion
of the confederacy. | hold no political
opinions which cannot be defended by
the same arguments and expressed in the
same language in every State in the I'm
ion The federal government is limited
in its power, and must be confined within
the narrow limits prescribed in the con
stitution. 1t has nothing but delegated
powers, which are specified and cnumer
' ated in the constitution. These delegate'


powers are all federal-not local-il
their character. They all pertain TO tn


general welfare of the republic, withou
' interfering with the domestic relations o


the people in the States or Territories
The right to control the domestic relation


has never been delegated to Congress and
$ trust, will never be usurped by the fed
eral government. The relations OF hus


band and wife, parent and child, guardla


and ward and master and servant, are a


domestic, and not federal, and hence al


dependent upon the local law, and nc


upon the action of the federal government
i The great principle Of local sef-goverl
n ment underlies our entire political system
Il 1t was in defence of this principle tn
l. the battles of the Revolution were tough
, Our fathers did not deny the right Of Il


British Parliament to make all Law
: which were imperial and not colonial
their cha, acter. They conceded the rig


of Parliament to do everything which a
n, fected the general welfare Of the empir


without interfering with the internal po


icy and domestic concerns Of the peop
al Of the colonies. Our fathers claimed Il
We inherent and inalienable right to MAJ


their own local laws and regulate the