The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-11-25
A NEW CHAMPION OF POPULAR SOW
EREIGNTY.

The New York Times has taken position
squarely on the Douglas platform of Popular
Sovereignty, and, singular as the fact may
seem, the editor bases his argument in favor OF
the new dogma upon the bred Scott decision J
All the world had supposed that Mr.. Douglas
had entangled himself in mesh of inconsistent
cy by his unqualified endorsement of bred
Scott at Chicago, and his subsequent return to
his old faith in Popular Sovereignty at Free
port and other places but the neophyte of the
Times has made the lucky discovery that the
squatter right Of Legislation for or against Sla-
very in the Territories is a corollary from the
decision of the Supreme Court, which declares
that neither Congress nor the people of the
Territory can diyest the STAKEHOLDER of his indie
feasible right.
The Times commenced its career some seven
years ago as an Anti-Savery Wing paper, and
was understood TO have particular friendship
for Senator Seward. 1t cordially went into the
Republican organization, and continued in that
connections until the defeat of Fremont, when
it discarded party trammels, and claimed to be
independent" In the late election it sup
ported the Republican ticket. But since the
election, we are sorry to perceive unmistakable
signs of change of front.
The Times now thinks that Slavery has moth
ing to do with Federal politics, and that it
should have no place in party platforms In a
word, the Times has the very spirit and odor
of nationality and would make brilliant
metropolitan organ for Mr. Douglas Its old
favorite, Senator Seward, is repudiated and ell
bowed out of any healthy political organization,
while the Illinois Senator and Gov. Hammond
receive its caresses.
The following brief extracts will indicate the
course which the Times seems to have marked
out for itself:
There is nothing surprising in the informa-
ton that the extreme Southern Press does not
admire Senator HammOnds speech, which we
have already published and reviewed i'm the
Times. That exposition Of a wise, moderate,
and sagaclOus policy is not likely to be less dis
tasteful to the fire-cating SecessiOnists of the
South than to the professional agitators at the
North. 1t is just what either party of fanatics
will esteem dangerous to its own particular
ann, and fatal to the unhealthy agitation which
has so long convulsed the country. Ii suggests
a platform of peace, on which all true friends
OF the Union can meet without any departure
from preconceived views of the policy by which
the Government of the country should be
guided"
The Times, like the Herald and other endors-
ers of Senator Hammond, seems to forget that
that gentleman condemns their favorite policy
of anncXing Cuba and Mexico Are we to I'M
derstand the Times as having lapsed into abso-
lutte conservatism? If So then it will not an
swer the purposes of Mr.. Douglas, who is
thoroughgoing aunexationist
The following is intended for the editors late
friend Mr. Seward:
We regard the assertion that these States
must ultimately be all free or all slave as one
of those 'glittering generalities of eloquence
which, though they are susceptible of being
held up TO mean a very great DEAL mean prac-
tically, just nothing at all. They are senten-
tious nothings, which help to round paragraph,
but which point no principle and inculcate no
useful policy
This Is not more consistent with what imme-
diately follows than the deduction of the right
Of Popular Sovereignty from the bred Scott de-
cision. For the editor proceeds:
But We believe it may safely be asserted, as
the natural result of our republican institu-
hons-of the continually-increasing spread of
education among our people. and of the ineyita-
BILE tendency ofthe public opinion ofthe world
that these States must ultimately be- all free.
There is no feature in the history Of our pro
gressive development as a nation that does not
steadily tend to this result. There is not. in
the minds of our wiseSt statesmen North or
South, national hope or aspiration connected
with the future of the United States that does
not, however remotely, hinge on this consum-
nation. We regard the ultimate csta blishmcnt
OF general Freedom throughout these St2tes as
a settled and determined fact, lchich is IN the
h0adS IF deStiRy, bW which co,nRot l,ossibEg be
anticipated ty tie act Of any Jo,,tituloJ. Daytg
oFtdcf'on IA any section Of the conntry We
believe that general Freedom will ultimately be
developed in the South, step by step, as it has
been in the North
From this we are to infer that the Times re-.
cants all that it has ever said in favor of the
agitation now going on in Missouri "Desti-
ny is to accomplish everything Men can do
nothing, and should fold their arms. Why
should not the same policy be pursued in refer
cnce to the establishment of Tariff policy. of
which the Times has heretofore been an advo-
cate. or of the Pacific Railroad project? Each
OF these measures is obnoxious to the South,
and their agitation Is calculated to disturb the
harmony of the Union Indeed. the Tariff
question came much nearer producing disso-
luton than Slavery agitation has done.
n tho pacitinp Of tho ~. l. -. n
emancipation cannot be FASTENED bv the action
of parties, the hue and cry against the danger,
of agitation, in which that paper has Joined
is the veriest humbug for if agitation can eff
feet nothing, 1t can do no harm, and would sim
ply be idle. But we entertain a very different
opinion. We have seen strong ProSlaver,
feeling grow up in the South, under the foster
lng care OF the Federal Government. We hav,
seen this wicked sentiment take root with tn,
non-slaveholders of the South, under the sam,
and similar influences, although the instinct
and the true interests of that class would natu
rally incline them to the side of Freedom an,
We have seen the same noxious plant springint
up even in the cold, free North, under the vital
! izing Influences of Executive sunshine. Tbes
facts the Times will not controvert And is Free
dom a less hardy plant than Slavery? Is it no
As well adapted to all ATTITUDES q? Who cal
| doubt that Republican President could. with
out the slightest invasion of the constitutions
rights of the South, encourage and stimulat
the sentiment of Freedom, which has alread
taken root in the border States? If Cassius N
Clay has conquered right to speak freely in tn
heart of Kentucky, and if Newport, in the sam
State, can support daily AntSlavery new,