The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-16
WASHINGTON CITY, TIL TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER Is, 1853.

ton viii be deemed than sufficient If 1T shall dis
cover that Mr., Douglas re- adu's Die soa q ns S.przas
ta ia the Dred Scott case, In material end vital
point. IA arfsf fff .g.. ~, ~
Now, affirm that in his speech at Freeport herein
before adveod 10, Mr. Douglas clearly and unequiyocal
y expressed it his opcon that the people of Terri
tory, hie In terri fiai rb hten and anterior 10 the
formation Of State government may exclude slavefy by
law and we also affirm that, n the case OF bred Scott
the supreme Court decided nd it is the essence OF the
decision In respect of that as long as the
Territorial condition lasts slavery, like other species OF
property, is protected 10y the federal constitution, and
cannot be excluded To establish this, we will make
brief quotations from both documents.
IN his speech at Freeport Mr.. Douglas held the fol-
loving language on this point
Tue next question Mr.. Lincoln propounded to me Is,
Gan the people of Territory exclude slavery from
their limits by any fair before it into the
Union Ms State I, answer emphaticay, as Mr.. Lin
coin has heard me answer hundred times, on every
stump in Illinois, that in opinion the people OF Ter
ritoy can by lawful means exclude slavery before it
comes in as State !" . No matter what may be
The decision of the Supreme Court that abstract dues
tion still the right of the people to make 1t slave Ter
rtory free Terrtly Is perfect and complete under
the Nebraska bill. Q in this connection will
notice the charge that lie has renewed against about
the Chase amendment Now the Ne
basa bill provided that the legislative power and
thory of the said Territory should extend to all rghtfu
subjects Of legislation consistent with the organic law and
The Constitution OF the United stes il did not make
any exception of slavery but gave all the power that 1t
was possible for Congress to give, without violating the
constitution to the territorial Legislature, with excep
ticn the subject of slavery at all Hence that BILL in
and by itself gave TO the people Of the Territory the full
power and the full authority the subject of slavery
negative and affirmative to introduce or exclude, 80 far
US the constitution Of the United States would permit
What more could Mr.. Chase give by his amendment
o. His amendment was to this effect that the teytIA
are should have the power to exclude slavery M
and in the SUPREME Counrs decision the Chief Justice
after celebrating the position that eSes ctpuot pro-
hibit slavery in Territory, proceeds to say
If Congress itself cannot do thsif it is beyond the
powers conferred on the federal govenmcntt will be
admitted we presume, that it could not authorize ter
power any local government established by its
hoty to violate the provisions of the constitution.
And il the constitution Recognises the right Of prop
erty of the master in slave, and makes no distinction
between that description Of property and other property
owned by citizen, hi5,aal acting under the author
ty of the United States, whether Legislative executive
judicial has right to draw such adstinction, de-
ny to it the benefit of the provisions and guarantees
which have been provided for the protection of private
property against the encroachments of the government
We nubmit that here Is clear reputation of the de-
tision by Mr Douglas, and an assertion by him OF d
power cAsc he decision, by which it may be nullifed The
contrast clear that it is unnecessary to pursue it. 1t
is equally unnecessary to dwell upon the Importance of
the point of difference it is clearly the very gst of the
Dred Scott decision We may surely ask, however with
reason, whether, in this particular, Mr. Johnson desires
to be understood endorsing Mr. Douglas The latter
having repudated the Supreme Court Mr.. johnson
sustain him he continue to affirm that all who
oppose his reelection pursuing Of party tyra
ny, Of essential folly, of deception dishonesty, mad
ness SOUTHERN MARYLANDER