Washington sentinel., 1856-07-29
THE LOUISVILLE JOURNAL-CAsT
OUT THE BEAM

We feel much gratifed by the hatering com
pliment to our Ingenuity" from the Editor of
the Louisville Journal, even though his admi-
ration is somewhat qualified by the declaration
that our reasoning is "inexpressbly ridiculous"
For one who has shown such power over the
ridiculous, as is displayed in the leader of the
Journal, Of the 18th instant, to.pronounce such
judgment is peculiarly trying. But we must
even be content to take the compliment Of the
Jorraal with such qualifications as it may
choose to append, and to leave to candid
public the task of deciding which Of US twain
exerts the greatest control over the realm of
the ridiculous. Such task we opine will be
an easy one.
Some weeks ago we published an article on
the subject Of squatter sovereignty, designed
to explain Mr. BUcHASAS's position on that
vital question, and TO reconcile the alleged ncon.
sistency existing between hisletter ofacceptance
and the principles Of the Cincinnati platform
Subsequently, within few days past, we con.
tnued our argument on this subject, and
showed conclusivey, as we believe, that, ac.
cording to every fair rule Of construction, Mr..
BUCHASAN's views we're such as should com.
mend him TO the support and confidence Of
every Southern Democrat. To this conclusion
the Louisville Journal has thought proper to
object, and our argument il has thought proper
to ridicule.
In order to sustain its position, the Journal
has "ingeniously" 1--WE return the compliment)
garbled our article, and made us assert "that
the platform which Mr.. BUCHANAN accepted
does not affirm the doctrine OF squatter soyer
eighty, and that, therefore, Mr. BUCHANAN
could not possibly have intended to affirm il.
and certainly does not, however explicitly his
language may appear to do So Such an at
tempt, the Journal argues, would be like
explaining away the vile heresies of Sumner
and Giddings by showing that the Constitu-
tion, which they have sworn to support, does
not sustain them, and so it would. But is it
not strange that the ingenuity which suggested
this admirable illustration, did not warn the
fated Journal from falling into the very nit
which its fancy had dug for US For what
says that consistent journal? 1t commences
with Mr.. BUcHASAS's letter, argues from its
language that he is in favor of souatter sover-
eighty, and from that premise deduces tho
conclusion that the platform which Mr.. Brcu
ANAS endorses, also recognizes tha, princin,o
We would not misquote the Journal. Let us
hear him speak:
Il might be doubted whether souaiter so.
yerelgnty or State sovereignty was the doctrine
affirmed by the terms Of the platform. but Mr.
buchanan, IN mounting that political scaffold.
mas taken occasion, by springing this particu.
iar plank, to render clear what before was
doubtful And he has done il in so unmistak
ao'e manner as 70 leave no further doubt be
nnnu: n ne real character Of this plank in the
Gincan ,: p'auorn y now as palpable and
glaring as the sun at noonday. II i sono,,ar
sovereignty to the core
Now such is the language Of the Journal
and thanking it for the Sumner and Cidd;,,,
illustrations, we ask, in all candor. who,ha-
the inference drawn in the above extrac, !. -,
about as absurd, nay "ridiculous," as to infer
that the Constitution sustains the heresies q,
abolition, because il is endorsed by men who
sustain them and that the bible teaches the
monstrous precepts Of Parker and Beecher, be.
cause Parker and Beecher believe in the Bible.
50 much for the Journals mode Of argument
But we never used the language imputed to
us by the Louisville Journal. We contended
that the principles Of the platform on this sub.
Ject was unequivocal, and indisputable. That
by ITS very language, the platform repudiated