The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-09-11

NOOAAD 1As NN1AN SnAAANCbI
IS A MYSTERY. ~
b b b b b b b
The above, taken from tho most re-
markablc and heterogeneous letter Of Pres
idcnt Buchanan, published in our columns
to-day, will not fail to arrestthe attention
of the American people, as the enuncia-
ton of doctrines which strike out of cx-
istence, at one blow, the fundamental
idea of liberty upon which the American
people have supposed their government is
based. We have placed it in capitals.
not only to draw attention to il, but also
to show, as well as type can do so, our
adherence of a doctrine, which il al
lowed to become general, and put in
practice in the administration of the fed
eral government, consigns over to irremed-
liable slavery, all the territories of the
United States. The doctrine is bold and
startling. In ls47, when it was first in
troduced into the Senate Of the United
States by Mr.. Calhoun, it was denounced
by tho national Democracy, as hcrcsy'
as it is, Of the most damnable nature
Now this doctrine, secuted and derided
as the vagary Of the arch nulli6cr, Cal
houn, and believed in only by the fire.
eaters of the South, has, in ten years, be
come the corner stone, on which the
creed Of the national democracy rests,
and the President Of the Republic, for
getting his past anteccdents, and scarce
ly obseryant of the proprietos Of his po-
sition, with the addcnda, Of -hc,r Il could
hare erer been seriously doubted is mys-
terry" insultingly promulgates it before
the American people. The miserable
sophisteries, and disingenuous statements,
by which the President attempts to sus-
tain the conduct Of the government to-
wards the hunted people of Kansas, and
the measures of sending the hircling
troops of the government in Kansas, to
prevent them from obtaining their rights
at the ballot box, censurablc as they are,
are nothing but the most trivial matters
in the world, in comparison with the obi
Gus doctrine here preached. What is the
nature and extent ofthis doctrine /! Why,
simply, that all over the territories of the
United States, slavery exists; and that,
that instrument made by the patriots, who
declared that all men are born free and
equal, and who made the constitution ITO
secure the blessings of liberty to them
and their posterity," by its own inherent
force and rigor, spreads slavery over these
territories. The assertion Of the princi-
pie is an accusation against the founders
Of the government a libel on their fair
fame, and an insult to their memories -
it is declaration that the government,
which was administered for more than
sixty years on the principle that freedom
was national, and slavery sectional, was
conducted on an erroneous idea, and
that the men OF the revolution in stop
ping the slave traffic, in dcnominating its
piracy, in prohibiting tho extension of
slavery, and looking at it as local insti-
tuition, not to be interfered with where it
existed, but properly and legitimately to
be inhibited in the free territories knew
not what their constitution which they
ramed, taught. "How could 1t erer be
eriousiy dOubtedis mystery" says the
President. Well may it be said ITO what
'ile uses" men may come; how tho nc
;ursed influence of slavery, withes and
the sensi,ilities of public men,
low false and forgetfal it makes them 10
heir former con victions, and how ready
makes them to make their inconsistent
y patent before the world. Is it posi-
lie that this is the same Mr.. Buchanan
Tho, no longer ago thar 1850, seven
hort years, urged upon his friends in
congress the extension of the Missouri
compromise line to the Pacific, expressly
roh'titing slarery north Of the line, de-
l'.ipg that the power of Congress to do
o vas ample. Isit possible that this is
he same Mr.. Buchanan who has, time
md again, recognized the power Of Con-
:ress over the territor ics, who now says,
IS an addition to his atrocious doctrine,
if a confederation Of sovereign States,
Icquirc new territory at the expense OF
heir common blood and treasure, surely
me set Of parties can have no right to
exclude the other from its enjoyment by
prohibiting them taking into it whatso-
,ver is recognized to be property by a
common constitution" and in making this
assertion Substantially enunciating the idea,
hat the States have no right to declare
BY their local laws that man cannot hold
property in man, and as necessary de-