Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 September 1858 — JOHN L. MILLER, ESQ. [ARTICLE]

JOHN L. MILLER, ESQ.

John L. Miller, of Lafayette, spoke at the, C ourt House last Monday evening, in reply , to the remarks of Lieutenant Goveror Ham-] mond in the afternoon. We give below : some of his remarks in a. condensed form. I Mr. Miller was willing to admit, with,Mr Hammond, that the two parties were alike! on the slavery question—each vied in being 1 I most opposed to slavery. Every Northern State, except lowa, instructed’ Representatives in Congress t<* go for the Wiluot proviso. Up to 1850, there was no | between parties on the slavery question, and the only party that has taken issue with them is th.' DemoCratic party of the present day; a party Democratic only in name. Where did Democrats and Whigs stand in 1848, and in 1850! You stood where the Republicans stand now.. .Where did Fitch stand then! He was more ultra than we, are now. We are opposed t<<the extension of slavery—all admit that it is a curse to the country—no man can be Ln favor of the admission of slave States and be opposed to the extension of slavery. He cannot be both, and must be one, if he joins issue with us, and he says that slavery is the only isi sue. I heard n Democratic orator say in 1851, that slavery could not go into Territories without positive law; but now they have changed their tune—lt)re.d Scott-car-carries slavery wherever the Constitution goes. We say that slave labor is calculated [ |to degrade free labor. We love the white man better than the black—let the block j i take care of himself—we do not wish to, | make him our' equal. No Republican ever

contended for such docrine. The Governor speaks of Violation Of the compromise of 1850. Whp violated it! Did the Republican party Violate it! Who repealed the Missouri Compromise, which was made a porton of the Compromise of 1850! The Democrats trampled it under foot, and now the Governor turns round and charges Republicans with violating the Compromise made by Cljay, Cass, and other statesmen. The Republicans only wish to use legal means to prevent the further extension of slavery. If the Democratic and Whig parties in 1858, passed resolutions on slavery as strong as the Renublicahs, those who are not Republicans now hav charged. You all know wh it squatter sovereignty is now; it has completely squatted. (Applause.) Only’ twenty-twb Democratic members in /the House of Representatives sustained it, and finally the number was reduced to - twelve. Dojglas says that Territories, before they became States, can exclude slavery. Tire Oil-Liners say that this cannot be done until they form their State Constitution. I say- to you this evening, that I never before heart! that fraud, known and admitted fraud, was binding on the people. The Governor admitted that four-fifths of the people of Kansas were opposed to Lecompton, yet he ccntends that it is binding. ■ Because; they ilid not vote against it, they must submit to it. Would you vote in the manI nor prescribe!ll, when you cmild vote for it> but not against it. And they say that the Republicans are to blame for it. We have forced slavery from the soil of Kansas—it is' now as safely devoted as any other State; but the Democrats have d me their best to make it'a slave State. Every vote on thd-subject demonstrates it, and now they come forward ami claim freedom in Kansas as a Democra ic victory —settled by the English bill. Look at the history of h t Governors. Walter went there under the flattering au.-q ices, tin 1 ivith promises of'being sustained by Buchanan; yet when he did justice by’ the people, he was deserted by’ the Administration. Now they say they' are in. favor of allowing the people to do as lhey please-. Very liberal! Can tin y hinder them from doing as- they please! Now, for th ■ State politics. The Goveror .says the R 'publicans refused to vote for revenue laws. Wily did he not g > bac k to the session <bf two years previous! That Legislature re'used to pass a law apportioning the State. 'l'llo House (Republican) passed it, and when it went to the Senate, Governor Wila-ird put it. in. his pocket, and it has nrva been seen from that day to this. That same .Oh-Line Sefrn te a Iso ref used on c-veTy occasion to go into an election of the United States Senator.- Wh-> was the first m tn who refused to g> into an election and gave the casting vote! Jesse 1). Bright. The Old Lino- party’ inaugurated this system. You muff excuse me for this rambling manner. I lur e not had time to con over my speech, am am not in the habitof going all over the State making the same one. (Applause.) i Mr. Miller tl en went on to show up the glowing inconsistencies of the Democracy' through the entire session. While t'wentvtliretr Democratic, members of the Senate, went out without adjourning, to elect *a United States Senator, the remaining twen-ty-five Repub leans and two Americans, 1 turned out Leroiy Woods from his sea't in the I Senate, to which he was Constitutionally’ in- ; eligible. The*Constitution prohibits a man holding two oil ces of trust and profit under it. Woods, while holding his seat as Senator, was Chapii-in to the Penitentiary, for which he received SGOO a year. TKe Republicans had endeavored to. come to a vote on the subject before, but the Demofli’ats would not. The next case was the contested election case of Miller tnd Schryock, from Fulton. Miller was elec.ed, but held the oflice of Judge ol Common Pleas at the same time. The Constitution says that no person elected to a judicial office ijhall hold any "other office of trust or profit under it, except a judicial office, for tl e time for which he shall have been elected. The Democrats refused to come to a vote on this case, and the Republicans said t ley would settle this question first, before attending to any other business. It seem;; that the Democrats were determined that Miller should draw his pay as Senator, although ho was not entitled to it. Mr. Miller alse said that Mr. Hammond would sit in his seat for days at a time, leisurely reading the papers, paying no attention to what was going on in the Senate, and refusing to put any motioii, because the Clerk did not call the name of Woods. gov ei:x o r 11A tn ji on r> Fallowed in a short speech or harrangue, and endeavored tb break the force of Mr. Miller’s remarks. It is our opinion this was a happier effort -than that of the afternoon, but it was nil a up hill bnstnes, ami he failed to make an impression on the remarks of his predecessor. The Lieutenant Governor is a tine stump speaker, and it is to be regretted that he is found advocating such odious principles. JUIIGE MILROY Followed Hammond, and made svieii a telling speech, pouring down upon his head such a scathing rebuke of his partisan course in presiding over the Senate, that the Lieutenant Governor cou d not sit still in his seat, but kept C'ontinuajliy interrupting the Judge;

but the Judge held the mirror up to facts so correctly, and painted his violation of official dignity so faithfully, calling him tostrict account for his stewardship, that the Governor keenly felt the rebuke, and spluttered and gesticulated at a furious rate. Although the Governor, as we say’ above, is a fine speaker, and Judge Milroy much his inferior in that line, yet his positions were so untenable that he could not stand before tlie words of fire that flowed from the lips of the Judge. In conclusion, the Judge said that the Dred Scott decision ought to make the blood tingle in his (Hammond's) face. .fe'"f<yrsAis part he would, like Hannibal, instruct his children to take the oath on the altar to eternally’ oppose the decision, which brought down the house with tremendous cheers. Should the Governor meet with - the same reception at other places as he did here, and be as plainly told of his faults, we think he would refrain from making more speeches during the campaign.