The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-12-04
From the Lancaster CPa.) IntclIisenesr
MR.. BUoHANAN's OPINIONS.

".
Several of contemporaries are very much exercised
about Mr. Buchanans views and intentions with regard to
the question of slavery and whether not will endeayor
shape the OF things in Kansas for against sa
very We had supposed that the line of policy laid down
in his letter of acceptance and which he will doubtless ad
here to- sufficiently expcittha the doctrine OF nom
intervention by Congress- and the right OF the people In
States and Territories to manage their domestic affairs In
their own way was plainly set forth that one but
do or crazed enthusiast could possibly mistake his po
son This however, appears not to be the case and by
way of easing the minds of these doubers recommend
them read the following extracts from letters written by
Thomas Jefferson in reference the missouri Compromise
measures of 1920 Under date of April 49, 1920, find
the following in a letter to Mr.. Short:
Although had laid down law to myself never to
write talk think OF politics. to know nothing of
public affairs and therefore had ceased to read the
papers, yet The Missouri question aroused and fled oi
alarm The old schsm of federal and republican threat
ened nothing because ersted IN epey State But the
incidence of marked principle moral and polaiea with
geographical line conceived feared would more
be obhterated from the mind that it would be recurring
every OCCASION and renewing itation, until it would
nde such mutual and mortal hatred to render sepad
ton preferable 10 eternal discord have been among the
most sangune in believing that our Union would be OF
long duration. now doubt IL much and The epent
great distance and the direct consequence Of his question:
Also in letter to Mr.. Holiness under date of April o.
1920 he says:
"This momentous question: like fre-JeA IN The night
a,oakened and filled with | considered it al
once as the KNELL OF THE UNION"
And further on in the same letter is the following pas
sage:
An abstinence too from this act of power fl e. the
Missouri Compromise then under consideration would
the Jealousy excited by the undertaking of Con-
gress to regulate the condition Of composing State
This certainly is the exclusive right Of eyery State tohich
nothing in the constitution has taken from them and given
the general government"
And this is the position of Mr.. Buchanan and of the
democratic party at the present time Holding Jeer-
sons construction of the constitution "hat every State
stands in the relation Of foreign each other far
regards their domestic institutions and affairs" Mr. Buchan
advocates the exclusive right OF every Territory when
it has the requisite number of bona de inhabitants
make State to form constitution icih or sohom sla-
very majority of its citizens may honestly and fairly
determine
Should the admission of Kansas remain an open ques-
ton until his accession to power Mr. Buchanan will doubt
less adhere in letter and spirit the doctrines of nou-n
terventon and popular sovereignty strongly and
phacay expressed in the subonod extract copied from
his letter accepting the nomination of the Cincinnati Con-
vention
aThe recent legislation of Congress respecting domestic
slavery derived has BEEN from the original and pure
fountain Of legitimate political power the will of the
jory, promises ere long to aay the dangerous excite
Gent free government ITSELF and in accordance with
them, has simply declared that the people of Terri
tory like those OF State, shall decide for themselves
whether slavery SHALL shall not exist within their
limits The Nebraska Kansas act does than give
the force of law to this elementary principle Of
ment declaring it be the intent and meaning of this
egsate slavery into any Territory State
TO exclude il hererom, but to leave the people thereof
fecy free TO form and regulate their domestic inst-
tuons in their way, subject only the constitution
OF the United States This principle will surely not be
controverted by individual Of any party protesting de-
voon 10 popular government Besides how vain and il
lusory would any other principle prove in practice in
gard TO the Territories This apparent from the fact ad-
mted by ALL that after Territory shall have entered the
Union, and become State constitutional power would
then exist which could prevent il from either aboishing
establishing slavery, the may be- according its
sovereign will and pleasure"