The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1857-01-24

last session oil Congress il became apparent
that there was diversity as to the ol,jcct and
tffett IF that htt. As the session progressed
that diversity grew wider. Those same
words were carried into the Democratic plat
form: they were carried into THE discussions
before the people; and now desire to ask. in
the face of gentlemen, how far there Is any
conformity Of views between the two wings
Of the Democratic party aver at the out
set that they are as widely divided as is the
Republican patty from the Democratic party,
and upon exactly the same question Of COLI
stitutionel power that rests at the bottom Of
the words Of the kunsas Nebraska act.
There Gail I've no CONTROVERSY. prc:iitnc
among gentlemen here as to this great fact,
that The language of the Kansas n ehraska
act cunFrrs by grant, as the gentleman from
Georgia Mr.. STEptENsl So accurately dcs-
cribc1 it this morning. upon the people of the
Territories nil the legislative powers that
Congress can confer: and as the Constitution
says that AL legislative power hc,cin grant
I'd is vested in the Congress, which shall coli
sist OF Senate and House of Representa-
tiv.s, it is plain That. unless the doctrine Of
squatt,r sovereignty as expoundcd by tlr
gentleman from ucorgiB be accurate, then
this Congress has conferred all the power
upon the people Of the Territories which can
exist under the Constitution, aud that they
have, and can have, no power from any Other
source. Now the pinch arises. One set o.
gentlemen say, "Oh. that bill does not au.
thorize the people of the Territories to exclude
slavery" Another set of gentlemen say,
"Oh. that bill does authorize the people to
exclude slavery" Then we have cxllana-
tions from the southern wing of the party
that it authorizes them to exclude it only
when they come TO form their State consttu.
ton, No" say Democratic gentlemen from
the Suith, "lllr language is universal; it
authorizes the people of the Territories to
exel else all legislative power consistent with
the Constitution, and VIC say that they can
exercise it nor, IN her territorial condition.
As a mere question Of legal Interpretation,
there can be no dispute as to the meaning of
the words. There may arise question
whether Congress- have power to confer tn at
authority: but if Congress have it, then un.
qucs,ionably ii has Leon conferred.
There is, therefore, difftrnce between the
two wings Of the Democratic party. 1t is
not, MIR. Speaker, incrc difference interpre-
tatlon. 1t Is not "a mere dispute about the
legal meaning Of Tie words they have us,d.-
1t is not mere accident of legislation which
n scratch Of the pen could change. 1t is not
som, thing which has been sprung upon them
hy accident, of which they had no notice
before its arrival. But upon that mos! deli
cate of all questions that one on which the
minority boast themscscsr the special d,ftn.
dcrs of the South. and in reference TO which
they say their northern brethren are more
faithful than other gentlemen at the North
on that question, and not upon the inter-
probation Of the language Of the Kansas Nc
b:aska bill there |. radical, inherent. pro-
found difference, splitting them from top to
bo,tcm, as irrcconcilahle as any other diver
Sity of party views that can he exhibited in
the history Of the Republic. 1t cannot be
pushed aside as q mere diversity Of opinion on
the kansas-NcbraSka act, because it is car
ricd back to the very foundation of the Consti-
tuition. And then we can understand, what,
otherwise, perhaps, we might not 50 we'll be
ern gentlemen Of the Democratic party have
supported the principles Of the Kansas-Ncb-
aSka act, and have united in the election Of q
President. Why, Mr.. Speaker, the propri.
ETY. of that act was not submitted to the pco-
pie now at this election. That question was
pass, d upon in the election of this Congress:
and this side Of the House gives the answer Of
the whole North to whether it ought or ought
not to have been passed. No one proposed
its repeal. and the restoration of the compro-
mise, but Mr.. DUNN, and that was made a
ground of attack by northern Democrats on
Republicans. The qcslion ut the North was
one ofrcprisnl and retaliation, revenge and
conquest -not defense and rcstoration: and
Democrats and republicans only argued the
question. which of the two best represented
the North in that contest for the Territories.
But then another question arose, whether
there could not be such all Interpretation put
upon that act as would enable gentlemen at
the North still to stand with the Democratic
party, and cast their votes for the same man,
although differing in principle and pursuing
a policy not merely different from, but hostile
to the purpose of the southern Democrats
Therefore it is, that while at the South VIC
have heard universal Interpretation that
that act does not confer upon-that there is
no power in the people of a Territory to ex-
clude slavery and speak now in the face
of great majority Of southern gentlemen
who were active in the canvass, ard who can
correct inc if wrong-I say there was un-
animous Interpretation by Democratic gentle
men throughout the South as to the purpose.
meaning, and effect of the Kansas Nebraska
active can understand how it WAS that, while
throughout the whole South that law was
claimed as a great southern triumph, not
merely in point of principle, but in point of
policy and fact, as opening hitherto barred
territory to slavery, and giving chance for
another slave State to restore the disturbed
equilibrium of the Union-as something to
bind the South to the Democratic party for
ever for the great boon conferred upon them.
the Democrats Of the North could say, 1--WE
will accept with them that measure, not
that we would have dared to have voted for
it-not that we would have dared to have
advocated it; but now that the thing is done
and cannot be undonc, prcftrring the Dem
cratic party, to any other party, and seeing
their strength at the South, we are willing
to aid that party at the South, and are will
ing to adopt the principles Of the Kansas
Nebraska act nth a gloss. yielding none of
our principles, not admitting, for single
instant, that Congress has not the power to
lcgislatc upon tho subject Of slavery in the
, Territories breathing such suggestion,
yet We are willing to abide by the p,inci-
pies Of the Kansas-Nebraska act as rs shall
interpret it." How interpret it! at is the
best measure for freedom: it breaks down
all the compromises; it leaves the question
open; it confsrs legislative power upon the
people Of the Territory. We will agree that
the people of Territory have power over