The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-08-29

Below will be found letter from General Cass defining
fully and clearly his views upon know-nongsm and the
power Of Congress over the Territories:
DErHor, Aug %, 1855.
TO The Editor Of The Detroit Free Press;
sm; The public journals contain a letter dated July
gath written by General Houston which has just met my
eye and in which he he perceve by the papers Of
the day that General Cass has approved the platform Of
senton at Philadelphia had observed the statements
TO which General Houston audes and had let them pass
unnotced for il would be hopeless task TO endeayor
10 all the misapprebensions and msrepresena
lions to which it is my LOT, well that Of all other
public be exposed in these days of party strife
And, indeed, could not suppose that such assertions
would deceive any who had heard had read my
marks in the Senate of the United States the 9th OF
February last upon the presentation of the resolutions OF
the legislature Of Michigan instructng the senators Of
that State TO vote for Of Congress prohibiting tbe
introduction of slavery into the Territories Of the United
States Upon that OCCASION while declining to comply With
those Instructions took the opportunity express my
timens in relation TO the political movement which
sought acquire and exercise power by combina
tons bound together by the sanction OF oath, which, II
said made The duty OF its members 10 surrender their
individual convictions 10 The expressed wiii OF majority
Of their associates then observed "trange doctrines
are abroad, and strange organizations are employed to
promugate and enforce them Our political history
tns such chapter in the progress OF our country as
that which opening The questions of constitutions
policy which been long the battle-cry of
parties contempuously rejected and intolerance reli
gous and POLITICAL finds jealous and may be they viii
prove successful advocates in this middle of the nineteenth
ligence aud in this free country founded upon immgra-
ton and grown prosperous and powerful by toleratons
We want no new parties no new platforms,
nosnew Organizations and the these dangerous
abandoned, the better viii il be for and for
those who are to follow US in this heritage of freedom
might well suppose after the expression Of these views
upon the floor of the Senate and under circumstances Of
peculiar responsibility that any further action my part
would be unnecessary to prove my consistency as DIS
eipe Of the school of Washington and Jefferson and Mad
and Jackson in the rejection OF dangerous innoya
ton inconsistent with all the principles those patriots
taught and which in effect aims to transfer the great POI
cal duty American citizen from the light OF day
where ii should be exercised in this land of Freedom TO
conclayes unirendly to calm investigation rs to
wise and patriotic decision. But the from the let
of Gen. Houston has shown that these reports have
received credit than had believed and this consd
Grafton has induced thus publicly TO notice and ocon
tradic them My opinions, indeed, upon any subject are
but of little consequence except to myself but il they are
worth referring 10, they worth the trouble of making
the reference a true
have sympathy with this plan Of political organiza
tionnone whatever; neither with the employs
the objects it seeks to attain Its secrecy, its oath
bound obligations its control the baotbox lis system
prescription striking both Mt political rights and re
gous duties and its inevitable tendency to array por
ton Of the community against another and to carry dead
ly euds into every OF the land of which have
just had terrible proof written in characters of blood
aud doomed to have many more, If this movement
goes onor this is but the first nsament Of DEATH and
how many others to follow and to what extent and
when the last is to be paid and after what laneD table VI
cissudes is known only to Him who foresees and
can control them-bese characteristics mark as the
dangerous scheme which has ever been introduced
into country to regulate its public action its social
condition. It the Oydngeis of bet
in principle than its monarcical prototype-of re-
public whose freedom and equality justify little as they
invite the introduction of machinery whose operation
is concealed from public observation, but whose conse-
| Quences clear they alarming
Gen. Houston gives credence to The report that approve
he platform Of the American order proclaimed to the
world by the convention at Philadelphia am aware
that changes have been made both In the and in
of the principles of this organization But these
changes do not remove my objections to it, lis spirit of
exclusion and intolerance remains and with it, its evils
and its dangers 1t is book which be recon-
ciled whatever edition, whether the the old
one is offered TO There is indeed principle laid
down in that convention which meets concprrcnceand
that s tho declaration that Congress ought not to egis
late upon the subject OF slavery within the territory OF the
United States regret however. that the body which
thus against the exercise Of the did not
also pronounce against its existence but carefully prefer
zaittedto its wordsthe expression of any opn
ion upon that point Still, approve its action upon the
subject far it goes Its step in the right direction
and should rejoice TO it followed by every political
party in country II step too towards the secn
rity Of political rghtshs opposition to the legislation OF
Congress the Internal affairs of the people of the Ter
tores and among Others the relation of master and
servant that of husband and wife, parent and child
for these matters of domestic policy subjects which
should be left 10 the territorial communities and to dves
them of the power to regulate them is act Of unmga
ted despotism The negaon OF all power OF interference
by Congress in The internal OF the Territories
is the constitutional doctrine aud the only safe and
practicable one, and rejooed that after years Of oppo
sitionoG cbIoquy indeedit is fast establishing itself
on impregnable grounds
The Misrepresentation which has prevailed upon this
grave subject among the most extraordinary political
of my time One would naturally suppose that in
this country The dogma of internal government by an ir
responsible iegisiate o5er distant community unrepre
scented in the ruling body would lind but little favor and
that the establish and put In operation govern
ineut might well be defended, while the power to control
all the concerns of human life would be left without m
advocate The difference is broad and practical, and
should he the dearer us, the very considera
ton urged by revolutionary fathers in their contest
with the mother country, which began by argument but
ended by IT asserted carly MS lI1i when
The Continental Congress declared that the English colo
nsts are entitled free and power OF iegsla
ton in their several proyinrih legislatures gheIe their
right of representation alone be preserved in all cases
of taxation and internal poy, &c In that great struggle
tho patriots WHO conducted IL conceded to the British Par
Lament the authority to organize colonial governments
but denied their right to touch the internal oay Of the
people And for the support Of that great principle de-
MED and derided rs it is now, they went to war
observe that highly respectable and intelligent gen
tleman Governor Hunt Of New York. in letter just pub
shed speaks Of the Nebraska bill Chased the absurd
theory Of territorial sovereignty i heard
support that approve for such reason Gov
Hunt has misske foe snfees p its enemies for the views
of lis friends The Nebraska bill uppn auoL teo-
ryupon no theory all but upon the stable foundation
Of the federal constitution and of the natural rights OF
man. III
know of no who claims sovereignty for the Terri
tories All concede their dependence upon the United
States But within this relation there are mutual rights
and duties, ard the auestions-what power may Com
gess lawfully exercise ana The people of the Terri-
tories Invested of all rights must bo deefniDed not
mol arising the