The weekly independent. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss) 1848-1853, 1849-08-04


crat, iii was i'll possession of ordinary men,
tai faculties, was bound to know that its
insinuatons against us were unfouuded,
SO much for that charge. The Demo-
crat next asserts that 1--WE have put on
record our entire willingness to recede all
the rights we acquired in the soil of Next
co by treaty, rather than meet the opposi-
ton of fanaticism''-" that the south ought
as matter of policy, toyield its just claims
to that territory, in order to avoid the re-
sentiment of the North" a few words
will prove this assertion also TO be an I'M
worthy piece of misrepres sntaton and gar
bling. A similar ms-statement was made
i'll our absence by Senator Foote in this
City in October last and was exposed by us
before the people, the Editor of the Demo-
crat being prescnp and also in the hide
pendent of Nov. 4th The Democrat
rakeS up the miserable SANDER, and parades
it as fitting and delicate article for its
own especial wear. We have never advo-
Gated the recession of Mexican territory,
in order to avoid the opposition of lanati-
clSm or the resentment of the north We
have however said, (and we refer to the
Independent of Aug 10, Sept 10, and Nov.
4. that if all other measures failed, rather
than on the one hand, the Wilmot proviso
should become the law of the land, and the
South be deprived of its just rights in that
territory, or, on the other, our glorious I'M
ion should be endangered land filled
with fraternal teuds, AMI torn with dssen-
sions and Strife--that rather than either of
these extremes, l. If all other measures fail
ed, and as a last resort, &" we should then
be in favor Of throwing back the acquired
territory.
We do not believe that that territory.
valuable as it is-even were it ten times
more enriched with gold and studded with
jewels-should be purchased, either by the
sacrifice Of the rights of the south, or by
the dissolution of the Union. Now if we
err in this yiew-if we place both southern
rights aud the Union far above mere terri
torial acqusiion-we err with some of the
truesl friends of the South and some of her
brightest sons
But let US ask the Democrat. since it
seemingly invites the query-would you ac-
quire territory by yielding up of the right
OF the south in her property? Ifyou would,
you place far less estimate on the latter
than we do Would you prefer the territory
recently acquired to the Union of the States.
if the former could only be retained by the
dissolution Of the latter If You would
not, we stand Oh the same ground. We
dare the Democrat TO take different posi-
ton from ourselves in this matter. We
dare ii to say that ii advocates dissolution
of the Union So much for this second
piece OF MEASUREMENT and garblng.
Since the Democrat has seen fit wilfully
10 mis-repreScnt us upon the subject of
Congressional Legislation upon slavery, we
will briefly express our sentiments on this
matter. Not that we feel called upon 10
answer every query that may be put to us
relative to our views; for sometimes thew
are designed as a trap, sometimes but the
impairment ebulitions of angry mortiica-
ton. We have sometimes declined answer
ing questions. when we thought that inn
prorer motives induced them. But at
present, that the attention of the public
may not be distracted by the efforts of the
Democrat, we shall lay down our individu-
al "platform and invite that paper to
stand upon it.
With Chief Justice Marshall, Mr.. Cal-Nl
houn, and whole host of Democrats and
Wings, we believe that Congress has the
sole and exclusive power of governing the
territories That this is, howercr, a limited
power. That U. S. territory belongs to the
United States in common That the Cen
eral Government is but trustee for the
States and that it cannot therefore appro-
pirate or legislaie for the territories, or ann
part Of them to the sole use of one portion
of the Union and the exclusion of another.
That slaves are property. That the SlGrchoi-
der IS entitled to full protection by Congress
in the enjoyme nj Of all his rights Of person
and property in the territories Of the u s.
That while Congress can neither create nor
abolish slavery in the territories, ii, is
bound to recognise and protect such prop
erty as it finds existing there, in conformi-
ty with the principles and provisions of the
constitution, u
That all the citizens of all the States
have right to 20 upon the territory of the
United States with their families and their
property. That Congress is bound to
guaranty 10 them the security Of such prop
erty against all interference while within
the limits of the territories . and that for
his purpose it hould actively erert ii, at
hor'tN and pass all lars necessary 10 pro-
teet them in the u1listwbcd tenure Of their
property
Now this is and has been our creed
Upon the question of southern rights,-the
unconstiutlouality and iniquty of the Will
mot proviso-thc duty of Congress TO le-
gisaie wherever necessary, for the pro-
lection OF the property of every citizen in
the terltories-slave as well as other prop
erty-we goas far rs he who goes furthest
We are decidedly in advance upon