Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-06-27


s,.,s 3'8 I. ,7oiss sqirnpne6r .aaIRONT
fers,and it is easily seen that Few acts.
objectionable to him, are likely to ~.
ceive the legislative sanction. y 2 r =,
Z Then, sir, every act Of tho legI stature
has pass tho ,orlcal Of tho judiciary,
and must depend (or. its cxecu ution,. in
part at least, not only upon tho govern.
or, but upon the SET retary, the district
attorney; nnrl the marshal. Now, sir,
inihis bill. tho advocates Of which pro.
fess so much respect for the doctrine Of
self'g ovcrnmeni, one would naturally
expect to find these officers male eIcc.
live by the people, But does the bill in
fact contain any such provision? Not
at all. The President is 10 appoint the
governor, who is to exercise the veto
power; the Presiden! is to appoint the
judges. who determine the constitution.
ality or uncons,itutionality Of all legis.
lative acts; the President is to appoint
the secretary, he district attorney, and
the marshal, whomus necessarily cxer.
else so important ali influence upon the
territorial destinies., Not only is the
President to appoint all these officers,
but he may remove them oil, or either
OF them, whenever he pleascs. The
whole action Of tho territorial govern.
ment is thus completely subjected to ex.
ecutive control. The whole achieve.
ment Of the bill is 10 substitute presiden.
tial intervention for Congressional in.
tcrvcnlion. Ii we are to have either,
prefer that Of Cong: :ess, to be exercised
by the representatives Of the States and
Of the people, rather than that of Pres.
ident, too likely, unIer existing circum.
stances, 10 welI the immense patronage
Of his Office for the extension and p,r.
petuation ofslavey.
The substitution Of Presidential for
Congressional regulation of the ,erritor.
les will have one result which deserves
attention. The question of freedom or
slavery in the territories, in the absence
of a Congressional Prohibition. must be
determined by the results Of Presidential
elections. Henceforward, this great
question must enter conspicuously into
the conflicts Of party. If the people de.
sire to secure the territories for freedom,
they must have President who will not
hesitate to exercise his influence on the
side OF freedom. The present admins.
tralion, indeed. will make the first ap.
po,n,men,s, but, the officers thus ap.
pointed are removable at pleasure, and
the people, by changing the President,
can change also the whole character Of
the official nauencc over the territories.
The late distinguished Senator from
Massachusetts once sail, in substance,
that the constitutions Of States formed
out Of territories were made in Washing.
ton. do not fully accept this state.
ment. But no body can doubt that the
powers conferred on the President by
this bill will enable him to mould the
territorial institutions according to his
pleasure, unless he is met by the firm
and determined opposition Of the people
themselves. -.
Sir, am opposed to this Presidential
Intervention. 1t is an abuse of language
TO call bill whick authorizes it, a non.
Intervention bill. 1t is absolutely the
reverse. |, sir, who am denounced for
my determined resistance TO the repeal
OF tho Missouri prohibition--,hat sim.
pie guarantee Of inalienable rights
proposed en-. amendment which would
have secured to'the people of the terri.
tories the absolute control Of their own
affairs, without congressional OF presi.
Dental Intervention. That amendment
proposed tha, the action Of the President
in the organization Of the territories,
should be restricted to the simple ap.
poinIment of commissioners, who should
divide the country into convenient elec-
zion precincts; notify an election of go
vernon, judges, secretary, and members
Of the legislature, TO be held on GER
tain day; receive and count the votes,
and announce the result, and appoint a
place and time for the meeting of the le.
gislature AMI the organization Of ,he go.
vernment. | do not see how it is pos.
sible that simpler palmer, or more
certain plan Of giving effect 10 tho doc.
trine Of self. government in the territor
les, could be devised. do not see no W
i, was possible for the professel friends
of that doctrine 10 vote against it, with.
out the most manifest Inconsistency. But
they did vote against it, and it was re-
jectad, and presidential Intervention was
established. Under these circumstances,
regarding the BILL as the violation of a
solemn compact; as an abrogaton Of a
great security for personal freedom and
individual liberty; as no bill Of non-in-
terveniion, but as a bill which substi.
tutes for the control Of the people, thro'
their chosen representatives, the control
ofthe Ptosident, through his official
patronage; Lean never give it the sane.
ton Of my vote. ,s,il as,,4 =
I stand here, Mr.. President, as an in
dependent Senator. The Sen ator from
Tennessee, (Mr. Bell in the course oI
his. remarks, referred to my position as
a Democrat. II heintended to identity
me, or if he supposss that i desire to i.
identity myself, with that party which
styles itself the National Democracy,
land whose creed is Contained in the
Baltimofe. platform Of 1852; and whose
administration IS nov nrsing the repeal
Of the Missouri prohibition, he is greatly
\ mistak an. There are two parties in this