Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-08-30
For the Tribune.

ocrat observe, has at last distinctly defined his
position upor the Nebraska question, or. as think
it would be fair to style it, the question of Slavery
Restriction from out the precincts of the National
domain. He approves fully of the bill passed a;
the session Of Congress just closed, which makes
null all such restriction far the territories OF
Kansas and Nebraska concerned. His doc
trne is that of the Slavery propagandists proper,
that the right to hold slaves goes into the terri
tories, and upon the high seas, :" common with
whatsoever other legal rights citizens Of the sew
eral States may have under their respective laws,
alike honored and protected beneath the National
flag
1t is the ostensible ground of the Bill repeating
the Slavery restricting clause of the act Of 1920,
and it is the ground chosen by the Democrat upon
which TO rest its approval of that bill, that the
principle of popular sovereignty calls for the with
holding of all legislative nterposition on the part
Of Congress, in the matter of this feature OF the
civil poity of the regions unGer its control. But
this plea is only specious one, held up to de-
ceive, and avert the peoples scorn 1t is shame
facedly unstatesmanlike, Gas abundantly
shown by Thos. II Benton in his mastery speech,
which you recently gave in your columns,) and
is SO badly contradictory TO the precedents which
the history of our government furnishes, and, as
a principle 10 be acted on, saps so efectualy all
legislation touching public morals everywhere,
that. all know, coming from the source it does.
it not be anything else than pretence.
The true GROUND upon which the Repeal Meas
ure of Senator Douglas proceeded and which is
patent to every eye is that the restrictive clause
of the act of 1920 made an invidious distinction
among the citizens of the several States, to the
dshonor and prejudice of the Slave holding States.
" Slavery, like freedom in business pursuit. mar
rage other like feature of civil polity in the
States, goes with the f1ag-aike honored.h Such
the sentiment. 1t was deemed that proper
feeling of comfy toward southern brethren
demanded of us from the north, that, in the legs-
lation Of Congress, equal respect should be paid
to their property laws to the property laws
at the North 1t evidently not regard for
popular sovereignty that prompted Mr.. Douglas
and his friends foT they, in their bill in several
noticeable particulars, distinctly ignored and tram
Piled upon popular sovereignty. 1t was regard
for that principle that punctiiio rather let it be
ereignty 1t was that in the action of the General
Government. relative to its domain, discourtesy
should be shown to the laws of any of the States,
they being held TO be equal partners 1t in their
pacity of separate sorereignties.
Now it is at this point precisely that we feel it
to be right to take issue. We hold that the public
domain is not the joint property of the States
distinct sOuereigDtes but the property rather of the
whole people of the United States as one body
The action of Congress and of the Executive II,
their legitimate field is not the action of the States
distinct soyereignties in any sense. They have
occasion to consult with the States. nor are
they responsible IN the least to the States in their
capacity of distinct sovereignties 1t is not, we,
South Carolina, Virginia, Massachusetts,, &C." II
is, We the People of the United States the better
to promote union and establish justice-form this
Constitution" The General Government in its
organization, and in all its workings, has life
thoriry is made to proceed from the whole mass
of the people dwelling in the several States
They, the ,choe people, what it is instituted to
represent. To them accordingly it is made re-
sponsible.
How now ought its legislation to be marked
By regard evidently for the welfare OF the largest
number of the whole people. And whose notions
OF right and wrong should it conform to AS
evidently, those of the majority of the whole peo-
pie. And, now we come to the point of practical
nterest-whose notions to the right and wrong
of Slave holding should il conform to- Does
your neighbor, of the Democrat, answer or does
he nots-those of the majority of the whole peo-
ple2 And does any fair minded man. does the
Editor of the Democrat doubt that it is the senti-
ment of the mass of the voters in these States
that Slave-holcing is wrong-that it is social
blight, 10 be averted, and its extension hemmed
in by all legal means9 He has honorably de-
clared that these his opinions, and does he
believe that The mass of the people, the country
round, less humane than himself? How IS it
that he is in favor of course of legislation, as
party man, which is not IN accordance with his
views an independent voter
In saying, that he is opposed to the extension
OF Slavery" while yet he is in favor of enlarging
the domain of our flag, he confesses the point in
dispute: he allows that in his mind there is good
reason why the local institution of Slavery should
not go with the flag, should not be countenanced
by the General Government elsewhere than with
in its present State limits. Hencelorth we hope
to see the Democrat staunch on this point, now
that before all it has put its foot flat upon it
II il is not, shall be forced to the conclusion,
that it holds to one set of opinions before its con-
science, and to quite another partisan print.
REPUBLICAN,
II The State Teachers Association at Madi-
son, last week, passed resolutions of coincidence
with the family of the late Dr. Ladd; resolved
that he educational interests of this State demand
the immediate establishment of an Educational