The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-07-23

$ territory slave state, against the wis
es of majority of the people thereof
that redress of this grievance, throug
5 the instrumentality of the judiciary i
> for reasons assigned, impraoticable, an
; that the President and Territorial Gov
ernor, appointed by him, desiring to pre-
mote the policy of the Missouri invaders
refused to extend to the actual resident
of the territory the protection, in rs
spect to the exercise of the right of SUI
frage, to which they we're entitled unde
the organic Law.
I do not think it necessary, in the vie'
I have taken of the subject, to enter int
a discussion Of the truth ofthese charges
Congress doubtless possesses the consti
tutional power to dispense with the pre-
liminary STEPS which have usually beer
required for the admission Of a state in
to the Union. But considerate mer
will, think, admit that, even assuming
these charges to be in the main well
founded, Congress ought net to be asked
to act in so summary way, and upon sc
grave q matter, except as last resort
ard after every attempt to secure to
the territory peaceble and regular
state organization have been exhausted.
The case before US has not yet, 1 think,
arrived at that condition, and this brings
me to the consideration of the fourth
proposition, viz the carrying out of the
Kansas Nebraska act.
1 am free to confess that I have for
some time past regarded this act with
more favor than L did when it was first
presented to my consideration as the
instrument by which the Missouri Com
promise was ovcrthrown. This may have
arisen from the fact that have felt my
self compelled to regard it as the only
attainable mode by which the country
can hope to be relieved from the injuri-
Gus and demoralfzing effects of slavery
agitation; or it may have been produced
by the great unanimity with which its
principals have been adopted, in all parts
of the country, by political party in
which have been reared, and upon the
maintainance of which, in its wonted pu-
rity, I conscienciously believe the future
welfare of the country will depend. l be-
liore also thattbe people Of the free state,
when the resentment justly excited
by the repeal of the Missouri Compro-
mise has subsided, and more especially
when they shall have witnessed fair and
pcaceable execution OF the provisions
of that act, will generally regard it as
mode for the settlement ofalavery ques-
tious, by which they will stand better
chance to haze their feelings and opin-
ioEs upon the subject respected, and one
ess exposed to extraneous and improper
influences, than has been the case with
specific Congressional legislntion.
nave not the leisure, if l deemed it nec-
,ssary, to assign the reasons which have
my mind to this conclusion.
The points in regard to the measure it.
elf can he stated in few words.
The authority of Congress to transfer
o the people of the territories all the
,ower it possesses under the Gonstitp-
ion to legislate for the territories has,
s far as know, never been questioned.
t has been exercised from the COM
of the government, in respect
o all the proper subjects of legislation,
rom the highest to the lewest. Not
laving copy of the Nebraska Kansas
ct, I take its provisions in regard to the
uthority it processes to confer from Mr..
3ucnanan's admirable letter OF accept
nee, where the subject is, l doubt not
airly presented. He thus describes it
" This legislation is founded upon
rirciples as ancient as the government
self, and in accordance with them, has
imply declared that the people of a
like those of state, shall de-
de for themselves whether slavery
lall or shall not exist within her lin
s: declaring it to be the
ue intent and meaning of this act not ,
, lcgislate slavery into any territory,
or to exclude it therefrom, but to leave
,e people thereof perfectly free to form :
ID regulate their domestic institutions
their own way, subject only to the
onstitution of the United States"
From these terms it is too clear to
Init of dispute or cavil, that it was
C intention Of Congress to cloth the
ople of the territories with ample pow :
to exclude slavery from within their =
spectiye limits, as we'll while they
ntinued territories as in making pro ;,
sions for its exclusion from the state :.
len that transition shall take place.
lie only question that can be raised up T
the aet in this regard must relate to :
e effect Of the grant-that is, whether :,
e Constitution authorizes Congress to 70
9TH the people of the territories with
power to exclude slavery therefrom :.
Iile they remain territories.
1 have not the slightest doubt of the y
wer of Congress to give this authority
the people of the territories. But it r
I think, quite certain that if the OBJ