M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-08-07
The Principal Question.

So long and increasingly have the Black
Republicans howled about Kansas and the
" Border Ruffians " that many we'll meaning
men have been misled in regard to the prin-
cipe involved in the present contest. We
were astonished not long since to meet
with Just such case. A well meaning
and, on most subjects, an intelligent old
line Wing had become impressed with the
continued howl of the Abolitionists and de-
clared to us his belief that the South had
aggressed upon Kansas, and that the Dem
ocrats upheld such aggression instead of al
lowing the actual residents of the terrific.
ry to settle the question Of slavery for them.
selves " We explained as well as we
were able the position of the Democracy
upon the question. He was astonished at
our view of he matter aud confessed that It
was about right. No doubt there are thou
sands Of men in the North who shout for
Fremont and Dayton and yet really believe
that the people in the territories should de.
eide their'o own matters in their own way
If the Democracy can once get this class of
persons to fully understand the position of
parties and candidates, we hazard nothing
in saying that they will vote unanimously
for Buchanan, and act heartily with the
Democratic party.
We were glad, therefore, to hear Mr. BING'
HAM, in his speech before the buchanan
Club on the 26th inst, devote a consideru.
BILE portion of his time to the principle
involved in this contest.
Mr.. Bingham, in the course of his speech
referred to the Ordinance of 1887, by which
slavery was excluded from the territory
northwest of the Ohio River. The act of
Virginia ceding this territory to the Feder-
al Government, and the Ordinance prohib-
iting slavery in the territory were both
passed before the present Constitution was
adopted. Mr.. B. said this ordinance, It was
claimed, was contract between the Gener.
al Government, the State of Virginia and
the people of the territories, when 1t was
well known that the latter were no parties
to the act, and that it had never been ratified
oy ther" = hut. on the contrary, they had pro-
tested against such usurpuuon by Con-
gress. Mr.. B. further said that the Ordi-
nance had been declared unconstitutiona
by the U. s. Supreme Court.
Mr.. B. explained the principle involved
declaring it was the same for which W.
contended during the Revolutionary war
the right ofself-government. Our fore-fath
ers complained that Great Britain taxed u
but refused us representation. We wer
made to aid in sustaining a government il
which we were deprived the right of partic
ipating. We were commanded to obe
laws but were refused hand in maxim
them--in short, we were deprived ofthe righ
of regulating our own affairs, by fOreig
and centralized government.
The Black Republicans propose to di.
franchise the people of the territories. The
declare that Congress and not the peop
thereof has sovereign power over the ten
i tories, and in accordance with this declart
tien, contend that Congress should pass a
laws for the territories until they shaii huy
been admitted into the Union as States
t The position of the Democracy is not II
fuenced by their opinions Of slavery in Ii
abstract They merely leave the mats
in the hands of the people, where they b
lieve it has been placed by the Constitution
and where, for the peace of the Union,
undoubtedly ought to remain. tbs not
, be supposed for moment, that the Dem
cratic party, which has so long contendt
for a strict construction Of the Constitution
D would at this late day favor principle di
: metrically opposed to all their ideas ofju
tice and sound policy.