The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-10-21
Another Disc assion between Douglas and
Lincoln,


On Wednesday last joint discussion took
place between DouoLAs and LINCOLN at
1 Quincy. On Saturday the last debate Of
the canvass, was to have transpired at
I Alton.
| From Judge DoUGLAs' speech at Quincy,
we quote the following, as to the power Of
the people Of the Territories to prohibit
Slavery:
But ] will not be drawn OF into an argu.
ment upon the merits OF the bred Scott Dc
cisioD. II is enough for nc to know that
the Constitution Of the United States crea-
ted the supreme Court for the purpose OF
deciding questions touching the true con-
struction Of that instrument, and when such
decisions are pronounced, they are the law
OF the land, binding on every good citizen.
Mr.. Lincoln has very convenient mode OF
arguing upon the subject. lie holds that
because he is Republican that be is not
bound by the decisions OF the Court, but
that ], being q Democrat, am 30 bound.
daughter and chcers) II may be that the
Republicans do not hold themselves bound
by the laws OF the land and the Constitution
OF the country as expouuded by the courts
It may be an article in the Republican creed
that men who do not like decision have O
right TO rebel against it but when Mr..
Lincoln breaches that doctrine, think he
will find some honest Republican--some
law abiding man in that party--who will
repudiate such INDUSTRIOUS doctrine. The
decision in the bred Scott case is binding
on every American citizen alike; and vet
Mr.. Lincoln argues that the Republicans
are not bound by it, because they are op-
posed TO it, (aughter,) whilst Democrats are
bound by it, because we will not resist it.
Democrat cannot resist the constituted
authorities OF this country. (GOod) A
Democrat is law abiding man, . Democrat
stands by the Constitution and the laws,
and relies upon liberty as protected by law,
and not upon mob or political violence.
l have never yet been able to make Mr..
Lincoln understand, or can make any man
who is determined to support him, right or
wrong, understand how it is that under the
bred Scott decision the people of Terri
tory. as well ~ State, can have slavery or
not, just a. they please. believe that
can explain that proposition to oil constitu.
ton loving, law-abidiDg men in way that
they cannot fail to understand it. Chief
Justice fancy, in hs opinion in the bred
Scott case, said that slaves being property,
the owner Of them has q right to take them
into territory the same ~ be would any
other property, in other words. that slave
property, so far ~ the right to enter q terri
tory is concerned, stands on the same footing
with other property. Suppose we grant
that proposition. Then any man has right
to go to Kansas and take his property with
him, but when he gets there he must rely
upon the local law to protect his property,
whatever it may be. Chats SOY In order
to illustrate this, imagine that three of you
conclude TO go to Kansas Onc takes 3d..
600 worth Of slaves, another $4,000 worth
OF liquors, and the third $4,000 worth Of |
dry goods, When the man who owns the !
dry goods arrives out there and commences
selling them, he finds that he is stopped and |
prohibited from selling until he gets license,
which will destroy all the profits he can
make on his goods to pay for. When the
man with the liquors gets there and tries to
sell he finds Maine liquor law in force
which prevents hun Now, of what use is
his right to 20 there with his property I'm.
less he is protected in the enjoyment Of that
right after he gets tbere' That's it, The
man who goes there with his slaves finds
that there is no law to protect him when he
arrives there. lie has no remedy il his
slaves run away TO another country there
is no slave code or police regulations, and
the absence OF them excludes his slaves from
the territory just as eiiectually and as posi-.
lively rs constitutional prohibition could.
Such was the understanding when the
Kansas and Nebraska bill was pending in
Congress. Read the speech of Speaker
Orr, OF South Carolina, in the House of
Representatives in 1886. on the Kansas
question, and you will find that be takes the
ground that while the owner OF slave has
fright to go into Territory, and carry his
slaves with him. that he cannot hold them
one day or hour unless there is slave code
to protect him. lie tells you that slavery
would not exist day in South Carolina,
or any other State, unless there was friend
ly people and friendly legislation. Read
the speeches Of that giant in intellect, Alex
andcr ii. stephens OF Georgia, and you will
find them to the same effect. Read the
speeches OF Sam Smith, OF Tennessee. and
OF all Southern men, and you will ind that
they all understood this doctrine then a. W.
understand il now Mr.. Lincoln cannot b.
made 10 understand it, however. Down at
Jonesboro, he went on TO argue that if il b.
law that u man has a right to take bis slaves
into territory If the United States under
the constitution. that then member OF
Congress WAS pcrjured il he did not vote
for a slave code. ask him whether the
DECISION OF the supreme Cour, is not bind
ing upon him as we'll as on me: II 80. and
he holds that he would be p,rjursd 1t he did
not vote for slave code under il. ask him
whether, Il elected to Congress. he will so
votes have right to his answer. and |
will tell you why. Tie put that question to
i. -, 4 =, a. E