Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-03-18
The Badger Amendment.

As the Enquirer is so fierce in its denunciations OF
the Badger amendment, we feel disposed, as lar rs
we cam to relieve II OF any troublesome apprehensions
may yet entertain in respect to the object and le-
gal effect Of that amendment. We know its solicit
tude for the rights Of the South and would therefore,
gladly dspel all its fears arising from that source
II was plain, though, believe to every body else
but the Enquirer that the sole and simple object Of
that free heterritores from the
and operation Of any and oil laws bearing, directly
orndircctly, upon slavery. 1t was an emphatic as
serton of the Southern doctrine of non-nerferenee
and an equally emphatic dsavowal and rebukc OF the
Northern idea that Congress has the right legsate
upon the subject Of slavery lin the territories Its
manifest purpose was and its legal effect is to leave
the people themselves entirely free to form and regu-
late their domestic institutions according to their own
Will and in their own manner without being hamper
cd by any restrictions, one way or the other. LOOK
ing to the spirit the intention, the plain letter OF the
amendment, it will be clearly seen that the au.
thoriy Of Congress to lcgisate upon the subject OF
slavery at all in the territories is expressly and Gun.
phaticay rcpudiatcd. In the language ofthc amend
ment it is declared in positive terms that nothing in
the shall be construed to reviye or put in force
any law, either protecting, establishing, prohibit
ting or ah,.ishing slavery" Ii surrenders the
whole question into the hands of the people them
selves Nneu they come to form State Constitution
witt restriction of any sort upon them except such
the Constitution itself imposes. That that is sound
doctrine and true Southern doctrine in the bargain,
even the capous and fault-findng spirit Of the En-
quirer ought readily to Acknowledges.
But to put the cavilings and apprchensions Of the
Enquirer completely at rest upon the subject, far
as it can be done by summoning to our aid undspu-
ted Democratic authority, wequotc passage from the
late speech of Senator Douglass bearing directly upon
the point in question. Aner ssJ ti'S 'iia'
pie embodied in his rcport-of the right of the peo-
pie to adopt such institutions as they pleased aud to
regulate their domestic affairs after their fashion
vas strictly conformcd to in the Nebraska bill, he
said-and ask the attention of the Enquirer to his
remarks:
"When doubts raised whether the bill did fully
out the principle laid down the report amendments
made, from time to time in order avoid all mis-.
construction, and make the intent Of the
pci The last OF these amendments adopted yester
day, the motion of the distinguished from North
Carolina (Mr. BADGER in regard 10 the revival OF
laws regulations which may have existed prior to 1870
That amendment not intended TO change the legal
effect OF the bill Its object TO repel the SANDER
which had been propagated by the enemies of the
the rorth that the southern supporters Of the bill desired
to egsllte slavery into these Territories The south
denies the right OF Congress either 10 egste slavery in
to any Territory State, out of any Territory State
Territories is the doctrine of the BILL and all the amend
mcns which have been agreed have been made with the
view OF removing all doubt and cav the
ing aud object Of the measure.