Democratic banner. (Bowling Green, Pike County, Mo.) 1845-1852, 1850-04-01

hew or when California shall be admitted
as "a State-whether her boundary should
ae limited or not. The details we are not
concerned about; but Congress must not
undertake despotic authority over that re-
gion. The people there have rights which
they will assert, whether recognised by
Congress or not. They mvst be respected,
or California is virtually abandoned, to
come into the Union or not as she pleases.
Now we have right to make an appeal
to the old democratic party, which we can
not urge upon wings. Come up democrats,
North aad South, and examine where you
stand.
We all used to preach that extending the
area Of freedom would not weaken, but on
the contrary, strengthen the Union. On
this ground we annexed Texas; on this
ground we extended our possessions to the
Pacific and planted the stars and stripes on
both sides of the continent. Did we preach
false doctrine? Shall we allow a failure?
Much more, shall we aid in producing it?
Shall not this question be settled and fairly
settled? This territory was required under
the glorious administration of James X. Polk
fully sanctioned bo the democratic party.
Shall all this glory be converted into shame
and we be compelled to confecs that We
made an irredeemable blunder, and all this
result brought about by negroes and aboli-
tionists? Are you ready to acknowledge the
disgrace, and fonfess that the wings, always
wrong, for once we're right-tbat now we
have got the country we can't manage it
without qusrrelling amongst ourselves, or
without vastly increasing the power Of the
federal government?
II is not our business to propose plans Of
settle menti that is for order and wiser
heads. Bat il is to be considered whether
We shall take California now, without sui
table boundaries as State, or lose her
The latter is not to be thought of.
In adjusting the rest, shun the exercise
of power over people not represented in
congress any further, then they may see it
needful. We believe the rights of the
States are involved 10 the rights Of the peo-
lpls of the territories. The sooner Con-
lgress can let them go to manage their
own affairs the hctthe. Should the people
Of . territory raise the standard OF rebellion
sgsinss an offensive act, they will have the
same plea, the people Of State would have,
with only this difference, that the rights Of
the States are written down and defined,
whilst the right Of the territories are eq2-
ally we'll understood, and equally well foun-
ded in the principles Of our government,
only not written down 10 book. The
body that would play the tyrant in the lat
ter case, would not bh troubled with scru.
pies in the former; and when grown to col
ossal magnitude, it would be hard to resisss.
We know there are sectional claims in
this matter not to be sacrificed, but we can
not be persuaded that they must be, in ord
or to settle the matter. We canno, believe
the majority are lost to . sense Of justice
ond msgnsnimity, and we trust the minority
will require nothing unreasonable.
If this Congress can do nothing, let them
resign end 60 home to their constituents
The people will settle this matter fairly and
honerably. Demagogues will now be
frightened of the field.