Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1848-06-07

Congress has no right tlo .interfers withihe
question of slavery in!the Sfates4or Terri.
tories, but that The people iuhabliing q Ter
ritory have the exclusive right osexclude
it ,herefrom. The majority fyour cons:
miltee have only adopted this principle as
far as applicable to the Slates,s and have
thus refused, in the avowal oflbe cardinal
principles, of The democracy, to- express
any opinion upon what is really The most
exciting and important politicalIopic now
before the country, leaving The peoples 10
find an exposition Of the views ofthe greai'
democratic party ofthe Union; and Of the
probable course Of the representatives in
Congress, in their avowed opinions of their
nominee for the office of President. .
This course we conceive to5be fuuda-
mentally wrong. 1t has ever been the
pride Of the democracy that itshas dealt
frankly and honestly with the people. II
has scorned to conceal it's political opin-
ions. 1t has made it point of:opposlion
TO the whig party, that it frequently goes
before the people with mark upon its
brow; and has appealed 10 The masses to
rebuke that party for course so offensive
to truth and so unfair TO them. Our coun-
uy's institutions must find giheir surest
support in an intelligent public opinion.
The public opinion cannot be sintelIigenlly
formed as to our views upon those -ins,itu-
tons, if VIC refuse 10 avow them, and dare
not advocate them.
1t is useless to deny that this question
does not press home upon US for decision.
Ten of the sovereign non.slave holding
States have already expressed decided
opinions upon it. This has been me, by
coun,eracting opinions iu the South, 6rs,
distinctly avowed by the State of Virgi-
MIA, and since followed up by nearly every
State in that section of the Unions
1t is idle to call The question an abstract
one. If abstract in any sense-itsis only.
so TO the section in which has originated
the avowals Of aggression upon the rights
of large portion Of the Union-to wit:
tho non slavoholding States. They own
not dollar Of property to be effected by
The ascendeucy of the principle al issue.
They have nol single poltical{rightto be
cur,aiIed by it. With Them, opposition to
the South on this point, is purelya ques>
lion Of moral and political ethics. Far
different is it with the South. They own
the property which the success oflhis prin-
ciPle will prevent them from carrying with
them 10 The territories. They have com
mon right in the territories, from which
they are to be excluded, unless they choose
10 20 there without this property: They
have heretofore been considered as polili:
cal equals ia the Union-Hihs the same
power Of expansion and of progress, which
have heretofore distinguished all classes in
The Union, aud which has giyensto us all
the distinctive appellation, Of The "parly
Of progress" They own, in common with
their brethren Of the North, iheseE eEtefrito-
ries, which are to be held yt6e Federal
Government, as a trustee for common
uses aud common purposes.
If; therefore, you-refuse: 10 meet the is-
sue made upon the slave,holdins, bya part
of the non .alayeholding, States, 3na permit
nominee 10 stand, implicitly al ihe; opin-
ions Of this convention, you pronounce, 10
substance, against The polticaltequalilye Of
the people-against the community of in.
terest in the territories, whichSi,sis conten-
.ded, exists in the people-ag gainsl The right
Of one half Of the people Of The Union1o
extend those institutions. which The fathers
Of the constitution recognzed,as fundamen-i
tai 10 the framing of the. articles of union
and upon which rests the great and lead.
ing principles upon which taxation and po-
lilical power is based. sSS
In order 10 obvialc such a construction
-in order to give assurance 70 the public
mind of our entire country, thai the demo.
cracy of the Uuion will preserve the COM
promises Of the constitution, not only in
The States, but in the erriories-lhat il re.
cosuizes entire political equality to exist
among The people, and their right to peo-
Pile, unmolested in their righstof property.
the vast territories which the Union holds
but as trust until sufficiently populated 10
be erected into Sates.-the undersigned
have agreed 10 present to this body, for
its adoption, The following resolution,
w. l.. YANCEY, Of Alabama.
JOHN c. M'GEHEE, OF Florida.
JIM. COMMANDER, offs. Carolina.
Resolved, That the doctrine of non.in-
reference with The rights Of property Of
any portion ofIhe people of. this Conieder-
alton. be il in the States or in:the Terrific
ries, by any other than the parties interest
ed in them, is the true republican doctrine
recognized by this body.
Mr., Yancey addressed The conyen,io
al length, in support of his amendment,
and conteuded that though The resolution
reported by The majority Of The committee
was true democratic doctrine 10 1874,
circumstances connected with the Mexi-
can war, had SO changed the position Of
things 10 render further aud clearer as.
scrlion Of The doctrine of non. interference.
as embraced in his resolution now admit
ted. necessary to The success Of The nomi.
nees of this convention. On no considera-
ton would Alabama stultify herself in re-
gard TO this matter, or, in other words, seat
her own principles"
Mr.. Yancey, al the conclusion of his re-
marks. moved the resolutionof the minor
ity OF the committee as addition to the res.
olulions reported by the majority Of the
committee. 49,