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 Copy 1 
 
 SPEECH 
 
 OF 
 
 GENEIUL AAEOI tlED, 
 
 OF 
 
 WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK, 
 
 AT A 
 
 DEMOCRATIC MEETING 
 
 r 
 
 HELD AT NEW ROCHELLE, 
 ^*X MARCH 27, 1858, 
 
 AT WHICH 
 
 IlICHARD LATHERS, Esq, Presided 
 
 PRINTED BY J. W. BELL, DAILY NEWS JOB OFFICE, 
 No. 38 Ann-street. 
 
 1858. 
 
^ J 
 
 wz^ 
 
SPEECH OF GEN. AARON WARD, 
 
 At a Democratic Meeting held at New Rocbdlo, March 27tli, 1858, in favor of the admission of 
 Kansas under the Lcconiptoa Constitution, at which RicnAKD Latuers, Esq., presided. 
 
 The Chairman, after concluding an interest- His late message on the all absorbing Kansas 
 ing address, introduced to the meeting their fel- question is one of the most able state papers of 
 low-citizen, General Aarox Ward, of AVest- the present day, and will compare favorably with 
 Chester County, who was received with much any similar document that has ever emanated 
 warmth by the meeting. On rising to respond to from the Executive chair of this nation. (Ap- 
 the call, the general returned his thanks for their piause.) His large experience as a statesman 
 kind reception of him, and remarked that the ju the halls of Congress— both as a member of 
 committee appointed l)y this meeting had called ^he House of Representatives and of the Senate 
 in person upon him at his residence, that mor- ^f tj^g United States— during the most trying 
 ning, and urged him to attend the meeting of period of our history, under the administration 
 the National Democratic party, which call was of General Jackson, which he sustained with 
 signed by a large number of your principal consummate ability, as also as Minister Plcnipo- 
 citizens, who were in favor of the immediate tentiary at the Court of St. Petersburgh, as 
 admission of Kansas under the Lecompton con- Secretary of State under the administration of 
 stitution, and he felt it to be his duty to comply President Polk, and finally as Minister at .the 
 with their request ; Imt he disclaimed any iuten- Qourt of St. James, have eminently qualified 
 tion on his part, to interfere with their local Jiim to discharge the high and important trust 
 nominations, but would confine himself to the reposed in him by the democracy of the country ; 
 great question which was now agitating the and his inflexible firmness gives assurance to the 
 public mind. true friends of our country that we have nothing 
 
 „,. , ,,-,., ^ Txr .1 • to apprehend in regard to the safety of the ship 
 
 Wc have assembled, said Gen. Ward, on this ^ A^ i^ i -i i ^^ t. • <- +i ^ i ,0.,, it^ 
 
 , , ,., ' , ,. ,, ' of State while such a pilot IS at the helm. He 
 
 occasion, to deliberate on public matters, at an , , -1 1 i.- <• 1 • 1 •„! „+„+;„„ r„;ti, 
 
 ... . , rn • m, entered upon the duties of his high station with 
 
 important cr.sis in our nationa affairs. The pre- ^ ^^^^ determination not to allow his name to be 
 
 sent Republican party has long been accus- „3ed as a candidate for re-election. He still, as 
 
 tomed, at stated periods, to create, through the ^ , . . ^, . ,-, . i,j. ;„„+;„„ tto 
 
 , ,. , , . .[ .. „ I understand, adheres to that determination. He 
 
 public press and otherwise, an excitement m the . ^ ., „ . ^ ,. ,,^ ,i;.^i,o,.„a nP 
 
 ^ , ,. . , . , . \, o ,, . ,1 . is not, therefore, influenced in the discharge ot 
 
 pubhc mmd, with a view ot furthering their po- ,. ., , ,. 1. t- a +-^^ ,•„ +i,«c.i;o-i,+ 
 
 f.,. , 1 ' „ ^ , . 1 • :• his responsible and important duties in the slight- 
 
 litical ends, and that party IS now engaged in stir- , ^ , , .^ 1 •i^„+;^„r. 
 
 ' , ,, ^ -^ ,. ° f , est degree by personal or selfish considerations. 
 
 ing one up on the Kansas question, and our demo- _,,.,,, • e ^ ^ ^.,f 
 
 °. ^.^ , . .• r.i , , ,1 But having received the reins of government 
 
 cratic friends in every section 01 the country should „ ,, 1 1 • 1 i 4.^ „;„ii +!,«»», 
 
 .,,,/.., ^ ,r ,. .„. from the people, he is resolved to yield them 
 
 be admonished to be vigilant. Meetings of this . , ,, , /.,• + +„„.^ „„;,.-„,n,-,.o,i 
 
 „ , ,? , „ ^ acrain, at the close of his present term, unimpaired. 
 
 character, in a Republic, where all power ema- » , , . ,- ,,• , 
 
 , » ' , , 1 114.^ Our political opponents and then- anti-alhes wlio 
 
 nates from the people can do no harm, but may ^^^ ^P^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^ unrighteous war against 
 
 be productive of much good. ^.^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^ .^^ ^^^.^. ^^^^ ^^ .^^ry 
 
 We have great reason to be thankful that wc have their point, by their unparalleled violence and 
 
 at our head a Chief Magistrate who is every way abuse against a faithful patriot and a devoted 
 
 fitted for the crisis. He is firm as the rock on friend to his country, they do not force the peo- 
 
 the sea shore, at whose base the billows pie to insist upon his giving up his own opinion 
 
 dash and roar in vain, and around whoso front and yield'nj to their wishes to run again for a 
 
 the gathering tempest bursts without injury, second term. (Cheers.) 
 
Our country, fellow-citizens, under democratic 
 rule, has prospered beyoiKl all former cxamjile of 
 human greatness ; within a period of less than 
 three quarters of a century, it has arisen from a 
 state of penury and want to its present high 
 and exalted station, ranking at this time among 
 the most powerful nations on the earth. Its 
 population in the beginning was less than[three 
 millions, but it now numbers upwards of thirty 
 millions of free men. Its sea coast on the At- 
 lantic and Pacific Oceans, is far greater in 
 extent than that of any other nation on earth, 
 and above all, its commerce is pouring the 
 wealth of the world into our lap, and thereby 
 enriching our people. And, I tliink, I can say, 
 that our people are now, through the kind in- 
 ' terposition of Divine Providence, every where 
 prosperous and happy. The blight in our finan- 
 cial affairs, which prostrated some of the best 
 spirits in our land, will, I trust, soon pass 
 away, and our country will be restored once 
 more to the condition acquired under demo- 
 cratic sway. (Applause.) 
 
 I have listened, fellow-citizens, to the reading 
 of the resolutions presented by your committee 
 in support of our distinguished Chief Magistrate, 
 James Buchanan, and I take great pleasure in 
 stating that I am cordially with you in the 
 views your committee have taken in support of 
 the measures of his administration. We have 
 long stood side by side laboring together, 
 in support of democratic principles, and that 
 too, at a much darker period than the pre- 
 sent, and while my life is spared, I will never 
 desert you, and you, my friends, will do me 
 the justice to say that I do not belong to 
 that class of our citizens whom our opponents 
 have designated as office Jioklers — and as being 
 the only supporters of the administration. That 
 charge is not only untrue in respect to myself, 
 but it is not true as regards the large assembly 
 of democrats who have come here to-day to 
 stand firmly by the administration ; and with res- 
 pect to myself, I can say with truth, that I have 
 never received a dollar from the Treasury of the 
 United States, for any purpose whatever, with 
 the exception of the pay I received for my serv- 
 ing as an officer in the army of the United States, 
 •while in actual service, and for the pay I received 
 for twelve years, as a member of Congress, (Ap- 
 
 plause.) And, for that last honor, I am entirely 
 indebted to you, my fellow-citizens, of this con- 
 gressional district. You stood by me during that 
 long period through good and evil report ; and I 
 take occasion to say, that I fully appreciate the 
 high favor you thus conferred upon me, and I 
 will strive to return the obligation, so' far as lies 
 in my power, by continuing to sustain those 
 principles which carried us safely through that 
 bitter war declared by our opponents against the 
 illustrious Jackson, while I had a seat in Con- 
 gress, by the Bank ol' the United States and its 
 supporters : the rccharter of which he had the 
 firmness to veto, notwithstanding the threatened 
 violence of our opponents ; and with the aid of 
 the people he triumphed over his foes, as will 
 our present Chief Magistrate on the present occa- 
 sion. (Applause.) 
 
 We have heard enough, fellow-citizens, of 
 bleeding Kansas. It is high time that the pub- 
 lic mind should have some repose. AYe have 
 matters of much more importance at home that 
 demand our attention ; but I think it is manifest 
 from what we can hear and see around and about 
 us, that our political opponents and their new 
 adherents arc desirous of keeping it alive, in or- 
 der to bring it into the next presidential contest. 
 I fear it is with that view that they are now op- 
 posed to the admission of Kansas, as a sovereign 
 state, into the Union, under the Lecompton 
 constitution ; for they know full well that the 
 moment it is admitted they will no longer have 
 a suljject which will enable them to keep up the 
 slavery and sectional agitation. They are well 
 informed on this subject, and they know that as 
 the Topeka party have the majority in that ter- 
 ritory in the proportion numerically, as they say 
 themselves, of three Topeka men to one demo- 
 crat, that the peaceable people of the territory 
 can and will, in spite of their violent and turbu- 
 lent rulers, soon after its admission as a state, 
 frame a new constitution, either with or without 
 slavery, as they may choose, which will effectu- 
 ally put a stop to any further agitation on that 
 exciting subject. (Applause.) It seems to me 
 that all who will examine this matter with can- 
 dor can not fail to come to the conclusion that 
 the present contest is, as I have stated, purely a 
 political contest for the presrdency. Presiden- 
 tial candidates are springing up daily in every 
 
section of our country. But, in my opinion, it 
 is now altogether too early to commence the 
 political campaign for 18G0 ; ami when the time 
 for another presidential contest shall draw near, 
 the weapons. now used against the present Chief 
 ilagistrate will be out of date ; and in the 
 ranks of our opponents tlu'rc may, and, I think, 
 there will be, such changes as to render their use 
 more dangerous to those who wield them than 
 to those against whom they are now directed. 
 ( Applause.) 
 
 The sensation which onr political assailants 
 are endeavoring to create in the public mind by 
 declaring that, if Kansas is admitted into the 
 Union under the Lccompton constitution, it 
 v.'ill involve the people of that 'territory in do- 
 mestic strife, aiid thereby ruin our country, and 
 other threatening language of like import, which 
 is now daily disseminated throughout the coun- 
 try in every direction, will fail to create any 
 alarm in your minds, felljw-citizons, or in with- 
 drawing any of our democratic friends from 
 their allegiance to their party. It is well known 
 that it is not their first attempt to alarm and 
 influence the public mind against democratic 
 measures. If you look back into the pages of 
 our early history, you will find that in 1803, 
 when that extensive and invaluable territory, 
 Louisiana, was ceded to our government 
 by France, by treaty stipulations entered into 
 oh tlie 30th of April, of that year, our politi- 
 cal opponents then predicted that if that terri- 
 tory should be admitted into the Union, by 
 Congress, with its slave population, our country 
 would be ruined. But that measure was ear- 
 nestly recommended to the consideration of Con- 
 gress by that great democratic leader, Thomas 
 Jefferson, then President of the United States; and 
 on the 30th of October, of that year. Congress 
 passed an act to enable the President to take 
 possession of it, and at the same time provided 
 for a temjjorary Government ; which act was 
 approved by the President, notvvithstanding the 
 bitter and violent opposition of our otjponents. 
 (Great Applause.) 
 
 And I would now ask, and I ask it emphati- 
 cally, whether there is a single true-hearted 
 whole-souled American to be found, who will 
 not say that it was one of the wisest measures 
 
 ever adopted by our government for the advance- 
 ment and prosperity of our whole country in its 
 onward march ? 
 
 AVould she not have been involved in a war 
 before this, for the acquisition of that territory, 
 in order to give to the North Western States 
 the free navigation of the Mississippi and its tri- 
 butaries for its immense and growing commerce, 
 if it had not been acquired by purchase and ces- 
 sion ? Tlicre is no other answer, it seems to me, 
 but an affirmative one, to be given to that ques- 
 tion. 
 
 It vrill, doubtless, be recollected by all whom 
 I have the honor to address, that our political 
 enemies also denounced, in no unmeasured terms, 
 and with equal violence, the proposition to annex 
 Florida to our country on account of the slavery 
 question, and they then predicted the breaking 
 up of the Union on the happening of such an 
 event; yet our then chivalric and distinguished 
 Chief Magistrate, James Madison, by whose 
 wisdom and foresight we were triumphantly car- 
 ried through the v»'ar of 1812, disregarding all 
 such threats, fearlessly seat his message to Con- 
 gress, recommending its admission, and on the 
 3d of March, 1819, an act was passed by Con- 
 gress, authorizing the President to take posses- 
 sion of East and West Florida, under the treaty 
 of cession, and also establishing a temporary 
 governmciit therein ; and we have great reason 
 to return thanks tii an All Wise and Merciful 
 Providence for having preserved our people 
 from so great a calamity as that predicted by 
 our political foes. (Applause.) 
 
 And again, fellow-citizens, who has forgotten, 
 or who can ever forget, the overwhelming defeat- 
 and overthrow of thousands upon thousands of 
 our democratic friends, who raised their voices 
 against the annexation of Tcxes in 1845, on ac- 
 count of the old worn-out and thread-bare 
 slavery question, and v/ho left the democratic 
 party upon Texas being admitted into the Union 
 as a sovereign state, a state which now forms 
 the fairest portion of our Union. It seems to me 
 that these and other defections from the demo- 
 cratic party, which might be named, can be 
 urged as reasons to deter our friends of the 
 present day from turning their backs upon that 
 
6 
 
 party which made thcra all that they are politi- joymcnt of such territory as might be acquired 
 cally, and all that they ever will be. (Applause.) by conquest or otherwise from Mexico. The 
 
 discussion of this question, at that time, was of 
 Our political opponents being in no way dis- an exceedingly exciting character, and well cal- 
 couraged in their endeavor to l)reak down the culatcd to engender a sectional feeling. And 
 Democratic party, notwithstanding their repeated what is more startling, it was still going on in 
 and signal defeats, finally conceived the idea of both branches of Congress, the Senate and House 
 changing their mode of attack, whereupon they of liepre.sentatives, when the glorious news of 
 commenced the organization of a sectional party, the defeat of the Mexicans at the battle of Bu- 
 by striving to unite the north against the south, ena Vista on the 22d Feb., 1847, was dissemna- 
 and this too at the very moment when our ted throughout the country, thereby relieving 
 country was involved in a war with Mexico, and the minds of our patriotic citizens from the deep 
 when our small army, not exceeding 4,000 men gloom and despondency which had penetrated 
 in all, then in the heart of that country, under their breasts by reason of the long delay of Con- 
 the command of the gallant and chivalric Zachary grcss in extending relief to our chivalric little 
 Taylor, were in want of re-inforccments and of army. (Cheers.) 
 munitions of war of every description, and 
 
 were threatened with an attack at the same This great and glorious victory was soon fol- 
 time by an army of upwards of 20,000 dis- lowed by others no less important, achieved by 
 ciplined troops, under the command of Santa the army under the illustrious commander Lieu- 
 Anna, then rapidly advancing by forced marhces tenant Ceneral Scott, thereby adding to our 
 against them ; and while the bill making pro- national fame, both at home and abroad, and 
 vision for additional forces, vdiich was intended forcing the enemy to conclude an honorable 
 for their relief, was pending in Congress, instead peace, which I trust will be a lasting one be- 
 of pressing its immediate passage, they threw tween the two Republics. (Applause.) 
 every obstacle in its way in order to postpone 
 
 action thereon, and thereby embarrass the By this treaty, which was concluded on the 
 government in its military operations. With that 2d Feb. ,1848, at Guadaloupe, New Mexico and 
 view they offered that memorable amendment, California were added to our country, which may 
 called the Wilmot Proviso, to the bill appro- justly be claimed as having been acquired 
 priating three millions of dollars to enable the through the foresight and wisdom of the Uemo- 
 President to conclude ])eacc with the Kepublic cratic party, in opposition to, and against the 
 of 'Mexico, which reads thus, " and Ije it further wishes of our political opponents, thereby adding 
 enacted, that there shall be neither slavery nor to our country one of its most valuable portions, 
 involuntary servitude in any territory on the and particularly that of California, which is ap- 
 Conlinent of America v>hich shall hereafter be propriatcly called the "Golden Region," and 
 acquired by, or annexed to, the United States, which has, within the few years that have elapsed 
 except for crimes whereof the party shall have since its cession, added more to. the wealth and 
 l)ecn duly convicted : Provided always that power of our whole country than that of any 
 any person escaping into such territory from other portion of it. And I beg to impress upon 
 whence labor or service is lawfully claimed in jour minds, fellow citizens, that our present 
 any one of th3 United States, such fugitive may Chief I\Iagistrate, James Buchanan, whose judg- 
 be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed out of said ment and sagacity on the Kansas question has 
 territory to the person claiming his or her ser- been so wantonly and bitterly assailed by our 
 vices." indefatigable opponents, was the Secretary of 
 
 State ;mu1 confidential adviser of President Polk, 
 The object of this amendment was to exclude during the war with Mexico, which has led to 
 our southern brethren, whose sous M-erc then en- such brilliant results, and which should assure 
 gaged in fighting, side by side, with those of our us that as we have profited by his advice in 
 citizens from other sections, the battles of our this and other important national questions rc- 
 counlry, from participating equally in the en- lating to our foreign and domestic concerns, 
 
there is no reason why xve should lose confiilcnco 
 in him at this time. ((Jrcat Apphiusc.) 
 
 The question of the admission of California 
 into the Union as a state, and that of providinjjf 
 for territorial g'overnments in New Mexico, had 
 'engendered, hy reason of the continued discus- 
 sion of the Wilmot proviso, iu connection there- 
 with, a very bad state of feeling. 'J'he excitement 
 iu the public mind had become painfully intense, 
 to allay whi(;h and to calm the troubled waters, 
 •our illustrious statesmen, Clay and Webster, now 
 'T!0 more, with Cass and other patriotic states- 
 snen, cordially united in their endeavour and 
 happily succeeded in effecting the memorable 
 compromise of 1850, which embi-aced the fol- 
 Jowing acts, first " the admission of California as 
 a free and sovereign state in the Union ; " 
 secondly, " the establishment of territorial 
 govL'rnments for Utah and New ]\Iexico, 
 M'ithout the Wilmot proviso ; " thirdly, " the 
 establishment of the western boundary of 
 Texas, and the exclusion -from her terri- 
 tory of all New Mexico, with a great part of 
 Texas for a pecuniary equivalent ; " fourthly, 
 ■" to amend, and supplementary to the act entit- 
 led, " an act resjjecting fugitive slaves from jus- 
 tice, and persons escaping from the service of 
 their master ; " and fifthly, " an act to suppress 
 the slave trade in the district of Columbia." 
 
 The acts organizing territorial governments 
 for Utah and New Mexico, contained the fol- 
 lowing important provision, i.e. " that when ad- 
 mitted as states into the Union, the said terri- 
 tories or any portion of them shall be received 
 into the Union with or without slavery, as the 
 constitution may prescribe at the time of the 
 admission. This provision cstaljHshed the doc- 
 trine of non-intervention, and I did hope that it 
 had settled finally and forever, that vexed ques- 
 tion. (Ai)plause.) 
 
 The act to surpress the slave trade in the Dis- 
 trict of Columbia, declares, " that it shall not 
 be lawful to bring into the District of Columbia 
 any slave whatever, for the purjiose of being- 
 sold, or for the purpo.se of being placed in depot 
 to be subsequently transferred to :iny other state 
 or place, to be sold as merchandi.sc; ; and if any 
 slave shall be brought into the said district by 
 
 its owner, or by the authority or consent of its 
 owner, contrary to the provisions of thi.g act, 
 such slave shall therefrom become liberated and 
 free." Prior to the passage of this act. slave deal- 
 ers had been in the practice of bringing their 
 slaves into the District of Columbia, which is 
 the common property of the people of the whole 
 Union, and offering them for sale at public auc- 
 tion, to the great annoyance of many of our 
 citizens, from non-slave holding states, whose 
 business call them often to the seat of govern- 
 ment. The passage of this bill with the other 
 compromise measures, was hailed with joy 
 throughout the country, and hopes were enter- 
 tained that our political opponents would not 
 have the temerity after so solemn an adjustment 
 of these measures to renew the agitation of the 
 slavery question again, and more especially, 
 since the south had cheerfully yielded their as- 
 sent thereto. (Applause.) 
 
 The act of 1854, establishing territorial 
 governments for Nebraska and Kansas, em- 
 braced the non-intervention clause, identical in 
 every respect with the one contained in the act 
 establishing a territorial government for New 
 Mexico, to which I have already called your at- 
 tention, with the following additional clause, viz : 
 " That the constitution and all the laws of the 
 United States, which are not locally inappli- 
 cable, shall have the same force and effect within 
 the said territories of Nebraska and Kansas as 
 elsewhere, within the United States, except the 
 8th section of the act preparatory to the admis- 
 sion of Missouri into the Union, approved March 
 Cth, 1820, which being inconsistent with the 
 principles of non-intervention by Congress with 
 slavery in the states and territories, as recog- 
 nized by the legislature of 1850, commonly 
 called the compromise measure, is hereby de- 
 clared inoperative and void, it being the true 
 intent and meaning of this act not to legislate 
 slavery into any territory or state, nor to exclude 
 it therefrom, but to leave the people thereof per- 
 fectly free to form and regulate their domestic 
 institutions in their own way, subject only to 
 the constitution of the United States. 
 
 Upon the passage of this act the discussion on 
 the Slavery question was renewed by our politi- 
 cal opponents in the halls of Congress, 'n Stale 
 
legislatures, and upon the slump iu every sec- the non-intervention doctrine which formed a. 
 tion of our wide spread country, and was con- prominent part in tlie Cinciimati platform, that 
 tinned through the- late presidential dectiou. is to say, that the people oF the territories shall 
 Their greatest cry was against the repeal of an exercise control of their domestic relations, all 
 unconstitutional law, and against the Supreme of these questions, fellow-citizens, vrere clearly 
 Court, for having declared it to be so in the Dred and fairly presented to the consideration of the 
 Scott case, and the people are now daily called electors at that time, and confirmed by their 
 upon by their orators to disregard it as any au- votes, thereby sustaining the application of de- 
 thority, thereby trampling upon the decision of mocratic principles in respect to the organization 
 the highest tribunal in our land. And yet, fellow- of new territories, and the admission of new 
 citizens, it is, I doubt not, within your recollcc- states, with or without slavery, as the people 
 tion, and all who are familiar with the history of may direct. 
 the times, that the South offered the Olive branch 
 
 to the North by asking the extension of the I'he question in respect to the admission of 
 Missouri line through to the Pacific, which Kansas as a sovereign state into the Union un- 
 just and reasonable proposition was rejected by der the Lecomplon constitution is now ei>gross- 
 our foes with -disdain, for the reason, no doubt, ing the attention of Congress almost to the ex- 
 that the greater part of New Mexico lies south elusion of all other business ; and it is alleged 
 of 36 deg. 30 min., and therefore quite as likely that the greater part of our political opponents 
 to become a free as a slave state, and much n\ore who now oppose its admission, are also opposed 
 so than that a slave state will hereafter be or- to the admission of any other slave state in the 
 ganized north of that line, for the laws of nature. Union. Some of the members in Congress, it 
 in respect to climate and the productions of the is true, have in so many words declared that 
 soil have a much greater influence upon the they will not vote for the admission of a slave 
 question in regard to free or slave labor, than state north of 36 30, notwithstanding the com- 
 any law which human wisdom can devise ; and promise measures of 1850 and the act of 1854. 
 when slave labor shal! be found to be unprofit- There are some few abolition members who 
 able in any or either of the states of this Union, have taken the bold ground that they are op- 
 the legislature of such state or states will, of posed to the admission of any other slave state ; 
 their own free will, pass laws manumitting their but, thank heaven, their numbers are very limi- 
 slaves; but it does not follow it can ever be ted, and they do not deserve any consideration 
 brough about by threats of violence by the abo- whatever. But, fellow-citizens, I entertain uo 
 litionists, for states are like individuals in that doubt that a large majority of the Democratic 
 respect, open to conviction by sound and logical party, as well as a majority of the national 
 arguments, showing the justice of a measure, and Know Nothing party, will adhere religiously to 
 when convinced, will yield their opinion to it, for that doctrine is designed to promote the 
 others, but will never be driven to adopt a mea- harmony of the Union, by removing from the 
 sure, however just it may be, by force of arms, federal councils the dangerous agitation of the 
 (Great Applause.) slavery question, and also of relieving the people 
 
 of the slaveholding states from the arbitrary 
 Tou have, no doubt, observed, fellow-citizens, power of hostile majorities, and it was upon that 
 that many of the questions which were fully and doctrine that the political contest of 1856 was 
 thoroughly discussed during the last presidential fought and gallantly won. (Applause.) The 
 canvass, in this state and elsewhere, are re-pro- admission of Kansas at this time is generally to 
 duced on the present occasion ; I refer particu- be desired, because it is calculated to i-estore 
 ]arly to the application for admission of Kan- peace and harmony to the people of the country 
 sas as a state under the Topeka constitution, generally, and quiet and prosperity and good 
 and its rejection by Congress ; " to the repeal of feeling to Kansas. The constitution framed at 
 the Missouri compromise and the decision of Lecompton was the result of a regular and legal 
 the Supreme Court, in the Dred Scott case, exercise of power in every respect, and as such 
 <leclai5"g it an unconstitutional act, aixl to is valid and binding, and should be so regarded 
 
9 
 
 by Congress. That defects and errors — if any 
 exist— can and will be removed by the people of 
 Kansas, in their sovereign state capacity, after 
 its admission into the Union. Frauds may be, 
 and doubtless were conuuittcd on both sides ; 
 but it is particularly the province of their legis- 
 lature, when in Senate and Assembly convened 
 to settle all election frauds. No other power, 
 according to parliamentary usage, can interfere 
 therewith. Congress possesses no power. The 
 constitution of the United States, and the re- 
 spective states, including the Lecompton con- 
 stitution; each contain a provision on that sub- 
 ject to this efifect — that is to say : " That each 
 house shall be the judge of the election returns 
 and qualifications of its own members," in such 
 cases. And as popular sovereignty is the great 
 question of popular rights, when the state is ad- 
 mitted, then its people will be enabled to exer- 
 cise those rights to their greatest extent, and 
 surely as the Topeka party claim to liave so 
 large a majority they will have no difficulty, if 
 their statement in that respect is true, in ar- 
 ranging matters to suit themselves. Let Con- 
 gress, therefore, adopt the wise and discreet 
 policy of the adminstratiou in respect to tliis 
 question, and we will be at once relieved from 
 all further trouble in relation to this whole 
 matter. (Applause.) 
 
 But it is said by our opponents that Kansas 
 ought not to be admitted as a state, because 
 there was no act of Congress authorizing the 
 people of that Territory to convene a conven- 
 tion for the purpose of forming a constitution, 
 and because a majority of the people did not 
 vote in favor of it at the election on the 21s^ 
 December last. How, I would ask, can they 
 consistently raise such an objection to its ad- 
 mission, when it is well known that they voted 
 for the admission of Kansas as a State under 
 the Topeka constitution, which received but 
 1*700 votes, all told, in its favor, and when it is 
 also well known that there was no act of Con- 
 gress or of their territorial legislature, which 
 authorized the people to convene a convention 
 to frame that constitution. It was not, therefore, 
 few that reason an organic act according to the 
 prescribed formulas of law ; it was, in fact, 
 partisan ; it was illegal ; it was disorganizing ; 
 it was revolutionary and tyranical, as much so 
 
 as was the celebrated constitution framed by 
 Dorr and his followers in Rhode Island, in 1843, 
 called the sufferage party ; that constitution 
 was the result altogether of a partisan and re- 
 volutionary movement ; the convention which 
 framed it convened without the authority of 
 an act of the legislaiure of that state ; and 
 Dorr, on undertaking to assume the reins of 
 government as the Governor elect, under it, was 
 indicted for treason, and was tried, found guilty, 
 and sentenced to the State Prison for life. 
 
 I will not undertake to reconcile the inconsist- 
 ent course of oar political opponents for having 
 voted for the 'I'opcka constitution, and for now 
 opposing the Lecompton constitution, nor for the 
 support of Topeka and their opposition to the 
 Dorr constitution ; political considerations alone, 
 doubtless governed them then as now, nor have 
 I any reproaches to cast against them therefor, 
 for every individual has, in this free land, an in. 
 alienable right to enjoy his own political senti- 
 ments in his own way. But I will say, under 
 these circumstances, that their objection to the 
 Lecompton convention, which was legally con- 
 vened under the act of the territorial legisla- 
 ture, and was faiily submitted to a vote of the 
 people, is not patriotic nor docs it show a dis- 
 position on their part to 'settle this unpleasant 
 controversy in peace. (Applause.) 
 
 In looking carefully into all the proceedings 
 had in that territory subsequently to the rejec- 
 tion of the Topeka constitution by Congress, 
 and the rejection of the bill which had passed the 
 Senate, authorizing the people of that territory 
 to convene a convention to frame a constitution 
 which was rejected by the votes of our political 
 opponents at the same session, and immediately 
 thereafter, they having a large majority in the 
 House, it will be seen that if they had allowed it 
 to pass at that time, all the difficulties would 
 have been ended ; but as it was rejected by them, 
 doubtless, to subserve their political ends, no- 
 thing was left for the peaceable citizens of that 
 territory but to elect a new territorial legislature 
 and to pass a law calling a convention, which 
 was done ; and had the Topeka men, instead of 
 aelhering to their constitution and their revolu- 
 tionary government, gone to the polls, as they 
 ought to haTC done, and voted for the members 
 
10 
 
 of the territorial legislature, they -would have 
 carried the legislature in their favor, if their 
 numerical strength in the territory, is as they 
 have represented it to be, and all the power 
 would then have been in their hands ; but as 
 they refused altogether to vote, for the reasons 
 stated, the Axult was their own, and they have no 
 cause to reproach any class of people, nor have 
 they a right to call upon Congress to correct 
 their own error. 
 
 The legislature, thus elected, assembled and 
 passed a law providing for taking the sense of 
 the people at the October election in 1850, upon 
 the expediency of calling a convention to frame 
 a state constitution. The Topeka men ought 
 then, if they had been opposed to that conven- 
 tion, to have cast their votes against it, but they 
 still obstinately refused so to do, and as the ma- 
 jority of the ])eoplc voted in favor of the con- 
 vention, the legislature on the 1 9th February, 
 1857, in pursuance of the popular will thus ex- 
 pressed, passed a law providing for an election 
 to be held on the 15th June, 1857, of delegates 
 to said convention. And I maintain that they 
 have not offered a satisfactory reason for not vot- 
 ing on that occasion for those delegates, and hav- 
 ing refused so to do, they have no right to com- 
 plain or to present their supposed grievances to 
 Congress and ask that body to delay doing justice 
 to the peaceable people of that territory. (Ap- 
 plause.) That convention formed a constitution 
 at Lecompton and authorized election to be 
 held and the sense of the people taken on the 
 all absorbing question of slavery, and I avow that 
 it was the duty of the Topeka people then to 
 have cast their votes against the slavery clause, 
 for it was in their power, if they had a majority, 
 to have stricken out the clause in respect to 
 slavery. This election was held on the 21st 
 December, 1857, but having again, by the dele- 
 gate from the territory, submitted the Topeka 
 constitution at the present session, as I am in- 
 formed, asking Congress to admit Kansas as a 
 state under that constitution, therein' still ad- 
 hearing to it ; they refused to participate in the 
 election, and the constitution was ratitied by the 
 people l)y a vote with slavery of G,226, against 
 a vote without slavery of 5C9 ; making an 
 aggregate vote of 6795, and an aggregate ma- 
 jority of 5G5C for the constitution, as now pre- 
 
 sented to Congress. It seems to me, fellow- 
 citizens, that the Topeka men, these revolution- 
 ists, have no right to ask a delay of the ad- 
 mission of Kansas as a sovereign state, since it 
 is their own fault altogether, by their having re- 
 fused with so much pertinacity to vote at cither 
 of the elections I have named, which if they had 
 done, they would have had the territory, the 
 legislature, the convention, and all in their 
 own hands, if this statement in regard to their 
 number had been true. (Applause.) 
 
 Our adversaries have brought into this dis- 
 cussion the frands which they allege were com- 
 mitted by neglecting to take the census in cer- 
 tain counties, whereby the electors, residing 
 within their limits, were precluded from exercis- 
 ing the elective franchise. — Is this not a 
 most remarkable objection to be urged, 
 for the very men who urge it, did, 
 by general agreement among themselves, 
 at public meetings and otherwise, detei-- 
 mine to withhold their votes altogether, and to 
 stand by the Topeka constitution, and they to- 
 tally refused, in every section of the territory, to 
 participate in any of the elections held in the 
 territory, either for members of the territorial 
 assembly, or members of the convention, or for 
 or against the ratification of the Lecompton con- 
 stitution. Has not Congress more important 
 matters which demand attention, than to stop all 
 legislation, of a public or private character, to 
 inquire into questions of this nature which be- 
 long more properly to the people within the ter- 
 ritory. But as to the truth of their statements 
 in respect to these alleged frauds, I would re- 
 mark that the fact has been clearly established 
 beyond a possibility of a doubt, that the officers 
 who were entrusted with the performance of this 
 duty, were threatened with death by the revolu- 
 tionary spirits, if they undertook to take the 
 census, and they were obliged to leave in conse- 
 quence of the threats, or their lives would, in all 
 probability, have been taken. And in certain 
 other cases where free soil men were chosen, they 
 refused totally to jierfonn that duty. Of the 
 19 counties spolcen of as not represented, the 
 census was not taken in four of these for the 
 roason stated, the other 15 were fir civil pur- 
 poses attached to other organized counties, and 
 the citizens had thereby an opportunity to vote 
 
11 
 
 in those counties, if it had been their pleasure to 
 do so, but which they absolutely refused to do. 
 
 Is it necessary, fellow citizens, to detain you 
 'ouger on this point, and is it not absurd that 
 this should be urged as a grave question, when 
 they allege that they have so large a majority, 
 and yet not vote. In a repuljlican form of 
 government all agree to be ruled by the decision 
 of the ballot box. The constitution under which 
 we live is a vested contract that the voters shall 
 control. It matters not whether few or many 
 vote ; the law is equally binding. These who 
 withhold their votes have agreed to be governed 
 ])y those who do vote. — Such we know to be the 
 doctrine here, aud such it is every where, and its 
 soundness has never before been questioned. 
 
 The objection which has been urged that the 
 constitution cannot be amended until after 1864, 
 owing to a provision of that character contained 
 therein, is without any weight and deserves no 
 further remark from me to citizens of our own 
 district, who know that the constitution of our 
 State, adopted in 1821, contained a provision in 
 respect to the future amendments far more strin- 
 gent than the one contained in this, and yet th^ 
 Legislature, by a majority vote, submitted to the 
 people of the State the question respecting con- 
 vening a convention for amending the same, 
 and in 1846 the new Constitution was framed, 
 under which we now live, and I had the honor 
 of serving at that time as a memlier of the con- 
 vention. The same remarks will apply to the 
 proceedings held in the State of Xcw Jerey and 
 Pennsylvania ; those states having addopted new 
 constitutions contrary to the provisions of their 
 old constitutions, similar in many respects to the 
 provisions contained in the Lecompton constitu- 
 tion, and that by a bare majority vote. There 
 caiuiot be a shadow of doubt, therefore, but that 
 the people of Kansas can, upon their admission 
 into the Uu'on, call a new constitntion by a ma- 
 jority vote, aud amend or frame an entire new 
 constitution ; the cases cited are alike upon 
 <luestion3 of power, and the one i« solved by the 
 decision of the other. 
 
 It has been further urged by our hostile op- 
 ponents, which argument they say is insurmount- 
 able, and that the constitution, as a whole- 
 
 was not submitted to the people for their raifi - 
 cation. If this were the first time that the ques- 
 tion had been brought to the consideration of our 
 people there might be some weight in it, but I 
 maintain that, until within a few years past, the 
 adoption of a constitution was never submitted 
 to a direct vote of the people. — Such was the 
 case with respect to the Constitution of the 
 United States. It was framed in ITS", in Phila- 
 delphia by a convention of delegates "from each 
 of the States in the Union, and afterwards rati- 
 fied by conventions held in each of the States, 
 and was never submttted to a vote of the people 
 for their approval ; such was the case iu all of 
 the original states of the Union, excepting only 
 the State of Massachusetts. The State of Penn- 
 sylvania has amended its constitution several 
 times, and the pcoj^le of that state are now living 
 under one so formed, and such is the case with 
 other states which might be named, but there is 
 no necessity of multiplying precedent upon this 
 point. I have already shown enough to prove 
 that this objection to the admission of Kansas 
 deserves no consideration whatever, while it was 
 not necessary, as we have seen, that the consti- 
 tution should have been submitted to the people 
 of Kansas for their ratification ; yet the all-ab. 
 absorbing question whether slavery Should be 
 admitted or excluded was submitted to a .direct 
 vote of the people of the territory as I 
 have already stated, and carried by a very 
 large majority, the Topeka, party, I re- 
 gret to say, still pertinaciously refusing to 
 vote upon that important question. The vote 
 which was taken in January, 1858, thereon, was 
 without legal effect and wholly irrelevant and 
 void. Mr. Buckelew, iu his report on this ques- 
 tion to the Pennsylvania Legislature, on the 
 24th December last, makes use of this strong 
 language on that subject, " No Legislature in 
 the country ever assumed jurisdiction over the 
 formation or ratification of a constitution, except 
 upon an express delegation of power for that 
 purpose, and the assumption of such power by 
 a representative body in the absence of express 
 grant, must be of necessity an usurpation 
 and its acts relating thereto wholly void. 
 
 The Lecompton constitution, gcntienicn, was 
 adopted in the regular usual way. It is repulv 
 iic;;n in its form ; and the number of the inliabit- 
 ants wiLhin the limits of the 'J'ei-ritory is suffi- 
 
12 
 
 cient to Justify an independent state organization. 
 These prerequisites are all the constitution of the 
 United States requires to be shown upon an ap- 
 plication for the admission of a state. It is not, 
 therefore, now necessary to inquire into the num- 
 ber of votes polled in favor of that constitution, 
 nor into the whole number of voters within the 
 territory. Still it may not be inappropriate to 
 state that the aggregate number of voters re- 
 gistered, in pursuance of an act of the terri- 
 torial legislature before the election, as appears 
 by the official return, were nine thousand two 
 hundred and fifty-one. Now, if there were three 
 thousand more voters residing in the districts 
 where the Topekites prevented, with force and 
 arms, the taking of the census, it vriU increase 
 the aggregate vote to 12,250. This estimate 
 can not be far from the truth, because at no time 
 prior to the 21st of December last, had there 
 ever been polled over 12,000 therein; hence it 
 will appear that the 6,226 polled for the consti- 
 tution is in fact a majority of the whole number 
 of voters residing in the territory. The votes 
 polled on the 4th of January, as I have already 
 stated, being irregular and void, have nothing 
 to do with the present question. Besides, as the 
 Topekaites have exhibited so great a thirst for 
 the blood of all who stand in their way, it is 
 very clear that they have no scruples of con- 
 science against making false returns to answer 
 their purposes. If Kansas is admitted as a 
 state, it must be conceded that it can not, nor 
 will not, add a single additional slave to the pre- 
 sent number in the Union. Such increase can 
 not take place until the slave trade is re-opened. 
 England and France may change their policy 
 in that respect if they choose. The latter na- 
 tion has, it is true, given some indication of 
 doing so, but I have no fear that the slave trade 
 will ever be re-opened in the United States, which 
 is now prohibited by the constitution, and there 
 is no prol)ability that it will ever be amended 
 ;S0 as to allow the happening of such an event. 
 And if we were now entirely certain that the 
 •citizens of Kansas would not, on her admission 
 .as a state, strike out the slavery clause, it would 
 lafford no good reason for rejecting the bill at this 
 time, for the good faith of the nation is solemnly 
 pledged to admit any state, either with or with- 
 out slavery ; and, although this j)lcdge has been 
 but recently renewed, yet let it be recollected 
 
 that our ancestors, who achieved through fire and 
 blood, and transmitted to us this fair heritage, 
 were theni.^elves slaveholders and slave import- 
 ers, and they did at an early period extend their 
 hands to their southern brethren, and pledged to 
 them their sacred honor that they should never 
 be disturbed in the enjoyment of their domestic 
 institutions ; and I would ask, can we assume to 
 ourselves that we are more patriotic, more virtu- 
 ous, or more enlightened than were that Ijand of 
 heroes and sages, and that for that reason we can 
 trample upon their pledge thus made ? I for ontj 
 am not willing to condemn them for that just and 
 righteous act. It is enough for us, fellow-citizens, 
 to know that under Democratic rule we have now 
 sixteen free states, where none existed before, and 
 that this number will soon be increased to nine- 
 teen, for Minnesota, Oregon, and AYashington 
 territories are now knocking at the door for ad- 
 mission. All of this has been accomplished 
 quietly and peaceably. No objection has been 
 made to it from any quarter. But the moment 
 an application for the admission of a slave state 
 is presented, then we hear the outcry against 
 slavery. I earnestly hope that we shall hear no 
 more of it after Kansas is admitted. Indeed, if 
 Professor Henry's opinion is entitled to consid- 
 eration, we must believe that the territory lying 
 Avest of Kansas, and extending to the Rocky 
 Mountains, is not susceptible of cultivation, and 
 no other state can be organized in that direction 
 which v.'ill give us any trouble on this slavery 
 question. I am glad to see you so much interest- 
 ed in this great question, for the present is a time 
 for the exercise of our highest patriotic duties. 
 The country is convulsed throughout its entire 
 borders, and I consider it to be the boundeudaty 
 of every democrat, and ind6cd of every citizen 
 who loves his country and her institutions, to ex- 
 press his sentiments fearlessly on questions like 
 the present. Every citizen has the power to con- 
 tribute to the support of sound national views, 
 and to promote the cause of good government. 
 And this can best be accomplished by a firm and 
 decided support of great public measures in 
 times of excitement and danger. (Applause.) 
 
 Before concluding my remarks, fellow-citizens, 
 T feel it to be my duty to bring to your notice 
 what has been for some time past, and v/hat is 
 still going ou in Kansas, and in several of the 
 
13 
 
 southern states respecting this unpleasant con- 
 troversy. It is a fact, and nnist 1)C within the 
 knowledge of all who make it a point to read the 
 newspaj^ers of the day, that the leaders and many 
 of the followers of the Topekaites have carried out 
 the instructions which they received from the so- 
 called " Emigrant Aid Society" of Massachusetts 
 and elsewhere, to the very letter. These socie- 
 ties, instead of supplying their settlers with agri- 
 cultural instruments and in encouraging them to 
 turn their attention to their agricultural and 
 other pursuits peaceably, actually provided them 
 with rifles and munitions of war, of erery des- 
 cription, and I have no doubt gave them instruc- 
 tions to carry on a civil war against the slave- 
 holders residing within the limits of that territory 
 Acts of violence are daily perpetrated by the nol o- 
 rious Latie and his followers upon the peaceable 
 citizens. He and his lawless band have kept the 
 inhabitants in a constant state of alarm ; they 
 have threatened to drive from the territory all 
 who in any way advocate or favor the Lecomp- 
 ton constitution. 
 
 Gov. Dorr, as I have already stated, was tried 
 and convicted of treason for the support he gave 
 to the suffrage j^arty constitution in Rhode 
 Island, notwithstanding that party had just cause 
 of complaint on account of the right of suffrage 
 being limited to freeholders to the exclusion of 
 all others, and notwithstanding their numerical 
 strength, far exceeded in proportion that of the 
 Topekaites, yet Dorr was sentenced for that of- 
 fence to the state prison for life, while Lane is 
 not only allowed to go at large, but is nov/ at 
 this very moment engaged in enrolling men to 
 carry out his nefarious threats ; and Congress is 
 gravely called upon, in the face of these facts, to 
 reject Kansas as a state, to trample upon the 
 rights of peaceable citizens, and thereby sanction 
 Lane in his blood-thirsty and revolutionary 
 movements. Such, fellow-citizens, is the course, 
 without the slightest coloring, now pursued by 
 these revolutionary spirits in Kansas. 
 
 I will now read a resolution adopted in the 
 Legislature of Alabama : 
 
 " "While the General Assembly will not assume 
 in advance to decide the course to be taken by the 
 
 state of Alabama in the event if Kansas should be 
 refused admission into the Union, they neverthe- 
 less feel constrained by a high sense of duty in 
 the firm conviction that she will redeem her 
 pledges, and take no step backward to provide 
 the means to determine their course of action : 
 Therefore, be it resolved by the Senate and 
 House of Representatives in general assembly 
 convened, that in the event Kansas should apply 
 at the present or any future session of Congress 
 for admission into the Union as a state, with and 
 under the constitution heretofore framed and 
 adopted by her, and commonly known as the 
 Lecompton constitution, and shall be by Con- 
 gress refused admission, the Governor of this 
 state is respectfully instructed, by proclamation, 
 to assemble the qualified voters of this state, at 
 the usual places of voting, in their respective 
 counties, to elect delegates to a state Conven- 
 tion, on a day to be by him appointed, within 
 ninety days from the 1 ime when he shall receive 
 satisfactory evidence of such action by Congress." 
 There are other States who no doubt sympathise 
 with Alabama on this all absorbing question ; 
 the resolution which I have read is calm and dig- 
 nified, but is clothed in language which will not 
 admit of a double meaning. I would ask, is 
 there a true-hearted or faithful patriot living, wil- 
 ling to jeopard the fraternal feeling which has so 
 long existed between the citizens of the north 
 and the citizens of the south. I will not allow 
 myself to believe that the Union is in danger of 
 a dissolution at this time. 
 
 But shall we, fellow-citizens, by our own indis- 
 creet acts, or that of our representatives, hazard 
 this threatened collision. Never I never I 
 
 Our Democratic friends in every section of the 
 country hailed with joy the passage of the bill 
 for the admission of Kansas, under the Lecomp- 
 ton constitution in the Senate, and the friends of 
 the measure in that enlightened body have nobly 
 discharged their whole duty to the country ; and 
 I must be permitted to hope, that the House of 
 Representatives will be no less patriotic, and that 
 we shall soon hear, through our telegraphic wires, 
 the glad tidings that the bill has finally passed 
 both Houses, and this exciting question happily 
 brought to a satisfactory close ; for the memor- 
 
14 
 
 able words of the illustrious Jackson still ring in 
 the ears of every patriot — ■" The Union, it must 
 and shall be preserved." This sentiment, enter- 
 tained from Washington to Buchanan, has been 
 happily expressed by our own poet, General 
 Morris, whose name and fame are dear to every 
 American, and particularly dear to us, not less 
 on account of his sound democracy, but because 
 he was the first to name James Buchanan for the 
 IjDfty honors he has since attained, and he will be 
 the last to leave him : — 
 
 What God In his wladom and mercy designed, 
 
 And armoil with his weapons of thunder, 
 Not all the earth's despots and factions combined, 
 
 Have the power to conquer or sunder ! 
 Then the union of lakes — the union of lands — 
 
 The union of states none can sever — 
 The union of hearts — the union of hands — 
 
 And the flag of the Union for ever 
 And ever I 
 
 The flag of our Union forever I 
 
 This speech was well received throughout, and 
 the speaker concluded amid the most tumultuous- 
 applause. 
 
LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 
 
 016 094 447 fl<