Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-10-11
Popular Sovereignty.---W it has
Done for Freedom.

AT the time Of the adoption of the Consti-
tuition of the United States, all the States OF
the Union, save one, were Slave States, since
which time popular sovereignty has made all
the States free that are now so. Not State,
or a slave, have been made free by the ac-
ton Of Congress, and had the subject of sla-
very been taken from the people of the sew
eral States, and beeir gisen 10 Congress, in all
probability, slavery thir DAY would exist in
all the States Of the Union. Fortunately,
however, the subject IF slavery, as well as
all other internal and domestic subjects, was
left to the people Of the several States. and
they. through their State Legislatures, have
made all tha.StatAs-ffFee that are now free
Congress did not make even the States of
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois free. Under the
Ordinance Of 1857, slaves were introduced
into the North West territory, and were held
as such, until the people Of the said States
passed laws making such slaves free. His
: tory aud experience, therefore, teach us
that the borders Of freedom have been ex-
tended by the action Of tie people at Aoa'e-in
their STATE and sorereiga capacity. While on
the other hand Congress has never made a
slave les.
Congress has DO power to say that a slave
shall be free in or out Of the United States.
The Constitution and laws Of the Federal
Government make a slave, as a ''fugitive
from labor" just as much a slave in Indiana,
as the laws Of Kentucky makes such fugitive
4 slave in Kentucky.
The Federal laws recognize slavery. and
the State laws do no more. There are no
statute laws in any Of the slave States making
negroes Slaves, but there are many laws reg
ulating and recognizing slavery. Slavery is
older than any Of the laws in The slave States,
it is also older than the Federal Constitution,
hence that instrument, like the State laws,
only recognizes it, as a State institution, and
as the property Of the citizens of the United
States.
The only legal and effective means ofkeep-
ing slavery out of State or Territory, is FOL
the people ofsuch State or Territory, to pass
laws excluding it. Congress cannot keep
slavery ont Of the territories, unless by the
passage Of a law making slaves free as soon
as their feet touch the soil of the territories
and it Is clear that the Constitution gives
Congress no authority 10 pass such law, be.
cause slaves are private property, and cannot
be taken from their owners by any law Of
Congress, for public use, without just com
pensation.
Abolitionists tell IA, that it is not safe Il
give to the people OF the territories the sam,
power over the subject Of slavery, that tn
people Of the States have, because the terri
tories are young and are as YET minors an,
that it IS lot to he expected that the peopl
that inhabit the territories have sense enough
to be entrusted with so important a subjec
In other words they seem to believe that tn
ace Of State or territory is the correct critic
ron tojudge of the intelligence of the pee
pie. Sucts an argument if worth anythin:
would prove that tho people Of Virginia.
that being an old State,-arc more intelliser
than the people Of the newer States of Ohi'
Ipdiana and Illinois, but such is not the cas-,
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