The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-02-22
IGNORING THE SLAVERY QUESTION
prom the Augusta Chrouiele.)

(From the Augusta Chroniele)
We observe not without surprise, that the
Nashville "a Banner" aud Gazette, have
both counseIed the American Party OF Ten
nessce, to ignore the slavery question: or IA
other words. to rcpudiate the twelfth section
of the platform adopted at Philadelphia, by
tho National Convention of the American
Party. This, in our opinion, is not only I'M
v;so but very bad counsel; and if pursued,
will ,asult. as it ought, in the utter defeat and
,ros,ration of the party IL that State.
The twelfth section seeks only to secure
the constitutional rights of the South, and to
maintain the existing laws for the mainten-
ance of those rights; aud any class of men, in
any section of the Union, who will not vindi-
cate aud sustain the principles of that section,
are wholly unworthy of the confidence OF
Southern men, or Of any political utilization
with. Repudiate that section, and the party
will be at once controlled and directed bv
freesoicrs, and the constitutional rights OF
the South be placed al their mercy. Retain
it, and We may rear upon its base, Il sound,
conservative, constitutional, national party,
which will leave the vcXed question where
the fathers of the Republic placed it, and
there keep it till fanaticism shall rule the
hour, which the good sense of the people will
certainly avert.
To show that we do not over. estimate the
value Of this section, we append it, for the
careful study of every reader:
XII.-The American party having arisen
upon the ruins and in spite eff the opposition
OF the Wing and Democratic parties, cannot
be in any manner responsible for the obn0x-
ious acts or violated pledges Of either. And
the systematic agitation Of the slavery qurs-
aieE by those parties having elevated section
al Hostility into positive clement of political
power, and brought our Institutions into peril,
1t has therefore become the imperative duty
OF the American party to intcrpOse for the
purpose Of giving peace to the Country and
perpeiuIty to the Uniun. And rs experience
has shown il impossible TO reconcile opinions
so extreme MS those which separate the dis.
putants, and as there can be no dlshonOr in
submitting to the laws, the National Council
has deemed it the best guarantee of common
justice and Of future peace, TO abide by and
maintain the existing laws upon the subject
of slavery,a as final aud conclusive settlement
Of that subject, in spirit and in substance.
And regarding it the highest duty 10 avow
their opinions upon subject so important, in
distinct and uncquivocal terms, it is hereby
declared MS the sense Of this National Council
that Congress possesses no power, undrr the
Constitution, to legislate upon the subject of
Slavery in the States where it does or may
exist, or to exclude any State from admission
into the Union, because its Constitution does
or does not recognize the institution of
Slavery s part of its social system; and en-
prrssly pretermitting any expression of
opinion upon the power OF Congress TO es.
tabiish or prohibit Slavery in any Territory,
it is the sense of the National Council that
Congress ought not TO lcgislatc upon the
subject of Slavery within the Territory of the
United States, aud that any interference by
Congress with Slavery as it exists in the Dis
trict of Columbia, would be II violation of the
spirit ana intention of the compact by which
the State of Maryland ceded the District to
The United States, and II breach Of the Ma
tional faith.
Although this section does not fully ex.
press our sentiments; for we have always
maintained that Congress could only legislate
upon the subject of slavery in the Territories
TO protect it, while in Territorial states yet,
we would never consent to see it repudiated,
and will never net with any purity that refuses
TO acknowledge its sound, constitutional
principles, us far as it goes. We hold that
Congress has no right to establish or pro-
hbt slavery in the Territories, and that it can
only intervene to protect it. The power to
establish or prohibit il rests alone with the
people of the Territory, when they organize
II State Government. Till then, even the
Territorial legislature has no power over the
subject, other than such rs may be exercised
by Congress, viz: its protection. This is the
true, and the 0uty true national and constltu
tiona doctrine. II gives to the people of the
sovereign State the power to regulate their
own internal domestic relations, and nstltu-
tons, and to them alone il belongs, and can
of right be exercised. Any othe: doctrine is
autirepubican and violative Of the spirit of
the Constitution aud the rights of the people
of the State Let the American party of the
South, then, beware how they heed such
counsel as that given by the Nashville jour.
nails; it is but another Trojan horse, and, if
countenanced, will overwhclm them ut once
and forever, and it ought to do it.