The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1857-10-22
Buchanan vs.. Clay-B0fh Fro
fOuRdHy kStGnissEcCl!

Mr.. Buchanan, in his late letter to Ger
tain citizens of New England, uttered
the following memorable doctrine;
Slavery existed at that period, and still
exists. in Kansas, under the constitution Of The
United States. This point has been at last
finally settled by the highest tribunal known
to our laws. Hor it couid ercr hare been Sc
riouSly doubfcd is a mystery. II confedera-
ton ofsoyereign states acquire q new territory
at the expense of their common blood and
treasure. surely one set of p0rtneg. can have
no right to exclude the other from lis enjoy
ment by prohibiting them from taking iAto it
whatever is recognized to be property by the
common constitution. But when the peable
the bona fdc residents Of such serritory-
proceed to frame q state constitution, then il
is their right to decide the important question
for themselves, whether they viii continue,
modify or abolish slavery. To them, and to
them alone, does this question belong free from
all foreign Interference.
Mr.. Clay, on the 22d of July, 1880, a
period Of great political darkness, tits true,
delivered himself as follows:
Mr. Clay. X am aware that the are gem
tlemen who maintain that. IN rirtle ot' tdr con-
stt1,tion the right to carry slaves south of that
line (36030D already exists, and that, Of course,
those who maintain that opinion, want no 9TH
security for The transportation of their slaves
south of that line than the constitution. Il
had not heard that opjnion dr0mei, ShouH h0us
regarded as one Of the most cctrdordnSyJ Gsslaa-
ptionS and the most indt feHible position that lras
cccr t4keR JY man. The conStaiion neither
created nor does it continue slavery. :; 4
If the constitution possess the paramount au-
thority attributed to it, the laws of even the
free states of the Union would Yield TO that
paramount authority, If, therefore, il be true
that. under the laws now in force in Calfore
MIA, New Mexico, and Utah, slavery cannot be
introdHced-if such is the ter lOci the conSti-
tuition of tie United States is as passive aud
neutral upon the subject, as the constitution
or government of any other country upon
earth. ( In my opinion, therefore the sup
position that the constitution of the tuited
States carries slavery into California, suppos-
ing her not to be state, is an assumption to-
tally unwarranted by the constitution Con.
GLOBE, col %. part 2.
The authority of Mr. Clay was former
ly very great with the cold line wings" ;"
Of late the black democracy have been
in the habit of referring to him as a CON
vert to their "nationoP platform. Per-
haps the quotation above given may throw
some light on the matter. Mr.. Buchan-
an was profoundly astonished that any
one should doubt that the constitution of
the United States carried slavery into all
the territories. Mr.. Clay, on the other
hand, regarded such doctrine as the
most extraordinary assumption he had ey-
er heard-the mast ipdefensihle position
ever taken by man. We haye some GU
riosity to hear Vindication by James B
Clay, in the next Congress, of the sound
ness of Mr.. Buchanan's recent deolara,
ton of faith.-N- T. Eue Post,