The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1854-08-04
JUDGE POLLOCK AND THE
WEgEG$.

WHHGS.
To- The letter of Judge PoLLocK TO certain gem
tlemen in Sullivan County has been apty termed ''a
legal and political curiosity" Its legal doctrines
ard its political bearing certainly present difficult
problem. 1t contains variety of distinct and dog
maticai assertions, which, unfortunately for the
thor, are not consistent with each other.
For instance, he assumes that an act of Congress,
passed in 1890 fixing the Missouri line, should and
has the power to determine the local policy OF the
territories so far as relates slavery, regardless of
the will Of the people or The power OF the local gov
eInment. III this he clearly recognizes the right Of
Congress to egslate on the subject; and wish the
reader TO bear this important fact in mind.
In another part of his letter he says, Congress has
no power establish, directly indirectly, by posi-
tive act, by permission, under the plea OF non-n-
terventon, slavery in any free territory in the Uni
ted States" This is simply denying 10 Congress
any power legslate the subject, and is in direct
conflict with the preceding position. We agree,
that Congress has power TO 'establsh by positive
act slavery in free territory" But we do not "a
gree that Congress has got The power TO do any
thing on the subject-to adopt the principle OF non-
intervention. We do not agree that Congress can
not permit the people Of territory to do as they
please on the question. The only way, therefore,
that Congress could carry Mr.. P's doctrine would
be 10 preserve the territories wilderness 10 keep
the people oil them. But what is still singu-
lar Mr.. p, in The paragraph, alleges that
other act OF Congress- similar 10 that of 1920. the
elnstated, would unnecessarily exclude sla-
very from those territories, and the unconditional
manumission of all slaves then there could not be
regarded legal moral wrong to any party
Here he claims for Congress the highest degree of
legislative authority, and avows doctrine antagon-
istlc to the teachings of the preceding paragraph
We can see no possible way of TeconcIling these po-
sitions with each other. Surely Judge PoLLock will
not contend that the power to create and TO destroy
the institution not identcal-that the power 10
create may proceed from source and that 10 des
troy from another That Congress could establish
and not abolish the institution, OF, rise rerse.
But he says that Congress cannot permit slavery
ssunder the plea OF non-ntervention. Henry Clay
and Daniel Webster thought otherwise, for they both
voted for the laws organizing the territories OF Utah
and New Mexico, containing precisely this principle
of non-interyentlon in reference 10 slavery.
Again he says, ''saYery can have no legal exis-
tence in those territories either by act of Congress
under the false pretence OF popular sovereignty
The inquiry is at suggested 10 the mind, then
why all the clamor against the Nebraska bill If
slavery have no legal existence those terrtor-
les, under the laws as they now stand, OF it
will not go there. But the VI hgs and Abolitonists
say it can and will 60 there The Wing Press say
that Congress has egisated slavery into those
tories. Mr.. Pollock says Congress has no such
power. Who is right, the Wings or Pollock He
says that if slavery those territories will
in Uiolation OF all law.'' The Wings and Abolition
lists generally that the law of Congress has
authorized II go into these territories. II is clear
that some body belogged. But, in all candor, we
would enquire, what does Mr.. Pollock by as
Stunning that popular Sovereignty may be false pre-
Surely he does not mean 10 say that the will
OF the people OF territory or State expressed III
reference the institutions under which they live
is false pretension-that it is an assumption o
power which they do not possess. We unwil-
ling attribute him such unjust sentiment, and
yet his language will bear no other construction. II
the power TO establish slavery, abolish it, is not
III the people and the local government, it have
existence the face of the earth, and all cIamoI
on the subject should cease. Mr. P denies the pow
oil Congress ard the pretensions of the peoples and
thus settles the whole question that slavery cannot
extend into the territories of Kansas and Nebraska
Hereafter, therefore, when the Wings give vent to
their virtuous Indignation this subject, we shall
promptly nteIpose the doctrine of their own candi-
date against their rawlings. They will not thank Mr.
Pollock for thus spkins their only gun.
But we think Mr.. p. peculiarly unfortunate
in assuming that popular SOL ereignty might be ga
false pretence." 1t that power which abolished
slavery il Pennsylvania, and yet the authority has
been disputed. If it should decide in Oc-
tober that some other than himself should be
Governor he would not contend that the pretence
not real. II it should demand prohbtory IL
quor Law, will he say it is false pretence. Popu-
Tar sovereignty never be false pretence IL is
just that absolute sovereignty which can make
or unmake local institutions--can accept one public
and reject another. 1t is the legitimate source
OF all governmental power, simply the principle OF
selfgoverament, the basis of all our republican in
stitutions. There was a time when British States
men and American Tories regarded this doctrine as
ga false pretence,' bnt had hardly supposed,
that at this time in history, any man could be
found hardy enough to declare such sentiment.
But we have done with this rich letter for the pre-
sent. 1t is one of two three we have seen from
the same source, and think they Indicate too
clearly that Mr. p is willing ''stoop conquer
and contain some evidence that he is s.KNOW
NOTHING" on some subjects.
10 Gov. BraIER visited Schesburg on Tuesday
last, and spent few hours very pleasantly in con-
veIsing with the citizens of that place. He was
eourteously called upon by gentlemen of both par
tes Mr.. FRAzER served up dinner the occa-