True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-09-01
The Demand Of the South.

The Southern public has just walked up
to the fact that if the Dred Scott decision
will carry their slaves into new terrific
ries AYE, and into the states Of the union,
that still they need additional legislation
to protect them, when there as they say,
under the protection Of the constitution
hence, they demand that Congress shall
enact laws TO protect the ownership Of
slaves, and a penal code for their punish.
ment. Bravo for squatter sovereigns j.
If this will not keep the discussion of sla.
very out Of Congress then we know moi
what will. 1t will certainly occupy ten
years Of congressional legislation to enac!
a civil and criminal code for slaves under
the Constitution of the United States.--
If then the Charlestown News, Richmond
Enquirer, and all kindred papers insist
upon it, we suppose that this will be the
issue of 1860, 10 wit The Democratic
nominees shall be pledged to the complete
protection of slavery in all the territories
of the United States, and that the Demo.
cratic nominees for Congress shall be
pledged to enact federal civil and crimi-
ma! slave code.
The Richmond Enquirer sets forth its
programme as follows:
The right Of property in slaves, in the
States, is now placed practically, as we'll
as legally, beyond the reach of federal
Legislative encroachmeut. But in terrific
ries the case is different. II is not suffi.
cient that the decision of the Supreme
Court prevents Congress and all its dele
gates from the promotion of slavery in the
Territory. There must be positive lie.
gislative enactment; civil and criminal
code for the protection Of slave property
in the Territories ought to be provided
TO limited extent this is already provi-
ded. In every Territory containing, a
majority of pro slavery men, the power
Of the Territorial Legislature is all sufi.
cent for The purpose. nsuch case of
omission, and under the present state of
federal legislation, much, ifnot all, must
depend on the loyalty and efficiency Of
The President of the United States. He
it is who appoints the Territorial execu-
tive and judiciary. 1t will be The province
Of this judiciary to protect slave property,
as far as possible, under the laws of the
federal code for the protection of property
generally !; and it will be the business of
the Territorial executive to uphold and
enforce the authority ofthe judiciary. 1t
will be the duty of the President to hold
both lunctionaries to jealous perform
ance Of their several Offices. Hence, we
cordially unite with the Day Book in the
assertion that the next Democratic nomi.
nee for the presidency should be pledged
10 the protection of slave property in all
the Territories,
And we 60 further. 1t is very desira.
BILE that Congress pass additional laws fol
the protection of slave property in the
Territories. This would not operate ia
force slavery upon an unwilling people,
1t would simply protect slave property
wherever it was actually found-it would
not prevent the prohibition Of slavery
when people came to form State
Constitution; in short it would secure
every constitutional right, wiIhou, arbi
trarly attempting to contravene climatory
laws, from the halls of the federal legis
lature. The present code Of federal leg
islation is insuficien. for this purpose =
The general provisions Of the civil cod,
afford but an imperfect protection to thi
species Of property, and the criminal cod,
may be described as almos. useless for th,
purpose. I
Remember. all this ten years of Con
gressional Legislation is TO be invoked il
order to remove forever the discussion o
slavery from the halls of Congress.