True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-10-07
"0UT OF HIS OWN MOUTH DOTH
HE STAND CONVICTED"

President Buchanan, in his racent
letters 10 Professor SIlliman and others,
makes the following remarkable decIara,
lion:
Slavery existed at that period 1854
and still eriSts in Kansas, UNDER
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE
UNITED STATES, This point had at
last been decided by the highest tribunal
known to our laws. HOW IT COULD
EVER HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY
DOUBTED is A MYSTERY
If slavery exists in Kansas under the
Constitution of the United Stales,' it of
course exists in alf the other territories by
virtue Of The same instruments the Com
stitution cannot have one construction
when applied to Kansas, and another
when applied to Minnesota or Oregon
Mr.. Buchanan therefore plainly means
that slavery has constitutional and right.
full existence in all the territories Of the
Union, and that o! course Congress has
no authority to displace il. How this
could have been seriously doubled says
Mr.. Buchanan is mystery Our
purpose is to show That both by word and
deed, Mr.. Buchanan 'doubteF and even
denied it, in the most emphatic manner.
We shall DO so very briefly.
The joint resolutions for the admission
of Texas into the Union as Il State, pass
ed The Senate on The 9th of. February,
is45-among the provisions thereof was
The following:
New States OF convenient size, not ex.
ceeding four in number, in addition to said
Stale Of Texas. and having sufficient pop
ulation may hereafter, by the consent Of
said State, he formed out of the territory
thereof, which shall be entitled 10 admis-
sion under ,he provisions Of the Federal
constitution. And such States as may be
formed out Of that portion of said territory
lying south Of thirty six degrees thirty
minutes north latitude, commonly known
as the Missouri Compromise line, shall
be admitted into the Union with or with.
out slavery, as the people Of each State
may desire. And in such State or
States as shall be formed out Of Territory
north Of said Missouri Compromise line,
slavery or involuntary servtude except
for crimes) shall be prohibited"
This clause il will be seen not only
recognizes the power Of Congress to PRO-
hib. slavery in the Territory but also
in New States subsequently to be organ
lied and admitted
Mr.. Buchanan YVES at that time a Sena
tor Of the United States from Pennsylva.
MIA, and on the day Of the passage of the
resolutions containing the above clause
moi only voted for them, but made use o
the following strong and emphatic Ian
guage in support Of his position:
Believing, as he most conscientiousl
did believe. that the Constitution woul.
not be violated in the least by the adopt
ion Of the pending resolution, he herr
entered his solemn protest against lh'
solemn protests which had been made OF
the other side, and which went almost th
length of implying that he and the advo
Gates of,hese resolutions, were knowingly
and Of design violating The Constitution
and their oaths, to secure favorte polit
icsl measure"
We deem it entirely needless to max
any comments on this display Of glarin
inconsistency. We leave it to his owl
peculiar supporters to reconcile the posi-
ton of Senator Buchanan in 4845, wit
the position of President Buchanan 9
l657,-Pittsburg1 Gazette.