Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-09-24
Douglas Denounced as Traitor at the

What have we seen2 The territorial legisla-
ture Of Kansas pass laws, admitting and protecting
slavery, and, therefore, obnoxious to abolition
ism. And what is the course of Mr.. Douglas,
and other democratic leaders in Congress- Six
years ago, when, under the same principle of
popular sovereignty" abolitionism in California
excluded the South from that magnificent do
main. and she protected against it, the leaders OF
the democratic party sustained the principle, and
sanctioned our seclusion.
What, we repeat is their course, when the
people Of Kansas, acting under the same doc
trine, pass laws protecting slaverya Mr.. Doug
las comes forward with his Specification bilf'-
o bill which, in the teeth Of popular sovereign
ty," in the teeth Of the Nebraska bill itself-re-
pealed whole statues of the territorial legislature
And this measure, so fragrant in its violation OF
the just uttered pledges of the democratic party
vention," and repeating the laws Of a pro-say-
cry territorial legislature passes the
United States Senate by the vote Of the demo-
cratic party and of Southern Senators!
! There is still lower deep, with an effrontcry
beyond conception. Mr.. Douglas, in his late
speech, even vaunts that the democratic senators
were willing to repeal the obnoxious laws. s.whie
the free-soilers resisted it for political effect
Mr. Hunter, of Virginia. adopts the same views.
And Mr.. Orr, of South Carolina, ''out-Herods'
all, by invoking Executive intervention,to stran-
gle siudge and jury" for the escape of Abolition
malefactors in Kansas!
Can betrayal of principle go further What
is this doctrine of popular sovereignty, that to.
{ day repudiates Congressional Intervention, and
tomorrow invites it-that makes the courts OF
the United States the sole arbter, yet calls upon
an abolitionized Congress and the President to
trample upon them? Popular sovereignty for
California, and popular sovereignty for Kansas,
are very different things. 1t is to be lauded and
upheld when it excludes slavery, but to be re-
pudiated when it admits slavery. Congression-
al intervention, on the other hand, is to be re-
pudated when invoked to protect slavery in
California, but to be fostered when invoked to
crush it in Kansas! The compromise Of 1S50is
to be kept when it defrauds the South, but to
be violated when it benefits her. Such is the
last warning specimen of national democratic
faith.
And is it expected of the people Of this State,
that they will shout hosannas at the heels OF q
party which stands ready so to insult and tram
pie on thema Shall we cringe and fawn about
party which, by its recent acts, assures US IN
what contemplate esteem it holds its own prin-
ciples and our rights2 Shall we, despite the
experience OF CallIornla anu those ue'aons"a
tions, still praise the glorious doctrine of"squat-
ter sovereignty" and look to the democratic
party to enforce it faithfully One thing is GER
tain. The democratic party in Washington are
ready to abandon it. Northern democrats quail
before the pressure of an overwhelming senti-
ment at bonneville Southern democrats, as
before, are found ready to sacrifice principle
sacrifice the South-that abolition may be APP
peased, and spois-dispensing party be led to
triumph.-From the Charlsston Mercury, Sep
] teanher IL ..-