Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1848-08-31
From the Troy Commercial "u'o'''''''
Slavery in Territories t,l
Gov. WRIGHT AND GEN, CAS5.

wv w
n Tho ,o.;,;on taken by the democracy Of the
,;o, n. we understand ii, In reference 10 slavery
Now Mexico and California, Is, that tho CUES.
n bs lef, 10 people settle as they shall deem
b,er. The right to elfgovernmen, was the
"a Of the American Revolution. II was main
ned by the British Goyernmen, tina, they could
|ern tho American Colonies better than they
hld govern themselves. The people of,he Col
les resisted The idea. They did not condescend
ten 10 argue the poin, whether the british Gov
hment could or could not, manage the affairs
Y our forefa,herH better than they could manage
pm for themselves. They planted themselves
Y on the principle that they possessed the inner
right TO self government; and that position
by inAexibly maintained.
Now the true question is, whether the right to
f-government is inherent or whether it is accl-
hlal If il is inherent, the inhabitants OF Terri.
les possess the right. If il is accidental, they
or may not possess the right. So far as we
70 examined the Constitution, we find nothing
ich deprives the people Of territories of this in.
ent right. It may be said, to be sure, that
re may be different constructions of the Con-
uiOn. This is true But we prefer radical
struc,ion Of that instrument. We prefer a
struclion in harmony with the principles of
institutions. We prefer a construction in
mony with Individual rights, If there be
sible doubt, we incline 10 that which confers
h n every portion the people claiming the protec.
Of the government of the United States, the
to govern themselves.
" pom this very question, we should prefer tina,
people Of New Mexico and California as Of
4 y other spot on the EARTH should forever re.
late slavery, as we from the bottom of our
"a, repuda,e it. Yet because we hold these
ions, it does not at all follow tina, we possess
Fright TO say TO other Of our felIow.men what
shall or shall not do, in the premises. 1t
not follow. according to the principles of our
'n'ions, that because majority Of the Anne
People think it wis to attend church upon
Sabbath, that tina, majority should compel the
,dance Of the balance upon the sanctuary
e. Calhoun and his followers maintain that
ery is a good institution. Yet we would
with uncompromisng hostility, any a,temp,
N ,eir par, TO provide that slavery SHOULD exis,
ebraska or Oregon, if they had the numerical
ri,y in Congress. We would answer, that
was Il question which belonged of right 10
people of Oregon ro settle for themselves.
ese thoughts were suggested by the follow
enimens of the late SILAs WRIGHT, and
Jews of Gen. CAss, on this subject. The
Of Gov. Wright here given, were drawn up
20 Hon. R. II. Gille,, and approved by Gov.
u, on the 18th of August, ls47. nine days
e his death. The opinions of Gov. Cass,
given in letter addressed to o. A. p.
bison, Of Tennessee, in December, ISL
submit, them both TO the reader, tina, he may
for himself how closely they coincide:
Ov. WRIGHT. GEN. CAsS.
hould the United "Brehy then, | am
acquire new terri opposed 10 the exercise
ought ia this re- of any jurisdiction by
to remain IN the Congress over this mat
ton in which It ma y ter; and am in favor Of
hen SO acquitted aad leaving the people of any
eople thereof left to territory which may be
selcise Of their own hereafter acquired, the
q and Judgments on right 10 regulate it for
Inject, when admit themselves under the
to the Union as general principles of the
under the Consi- Constitution