The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-29
THE CINCINNATI PLATFORM IN NO DANGER


The Richmond Enquirer, in an illnatured reply to
our remarks the other day, in which we showed
that Judge Douglas would not assist in procuring
from Congress legislation for the protection of slave
property in the Territories, says
"We scarcely expected it would have the hartlihood
to attempt to make point against the senator for stand
ing by and predicatng his upon literal and
batm quotation from the Cincinnati platform Judge
Douglass to Lincoln question as reproduced by
the Union, is: answer him it is a Fundamental ar
cle of the democratic creed that there shall non eter-
cnce, notnrpeoa by Congress all The States and Terrific
res o The democratic party have always stood
by that great principal of
ton by Congress with slavery in States and Territories
alike and he says further: Istand that platform no,
The words of the Cincinnati platform are noninterer-
ence of Congress with slavery in the Territories Thus
the Union in its envenomed malice against Judge
Douglas, actually initiates against the Cincinnati plat
form in its warfare on the Illinois senator"
The Enquirer had called upon Congress to enter,
vene for the protection of slavery in the Territories
by new legislation auxiliary to the Nebraska Kansas
bill and had strongly intimated the belief-nay,
had spoken in terms indicating conviction--that
Judge Douglas would be the foremost man in that
body to take part in the movement. 1t so happened
that Judge Douglass competitor in Illinois had Just
propounded to him the inquiry whether he would
do SO; and Judge Douglas had replied point blank,
that he would not, because he stood upon the doc
trne of non-interference, nonntervention by Con-
gress in territorial affairs. We cited this declaration
of Judge Douglas not to complain of it per Sc not to
question its unsoundness, but to show that Judge
Douglas had no intention of responding to the En-
quirer's call upon Congress "to intervene for the
protection of slavery in the Territories"
Judge Douglas had declared that the people of the
Territories had the power under the Nebraska bill,
notwithstanding the bred Scott decision to exclude
slavery The Enquirer had said, on seeing this dec
laraton, that this true and hence the necessi-
ty of new legislation by Congress to protect the in
sttution. We had replied to the Enquirer that
this might be so, but that Judge Douglas would not
give any aid in procuring such legislation. Sure
enough in few days, we produced declaration
from Judge Douglas emphaticay asserting that he
still held to the doctrine Of non-interference non-in
terventon by Congress. Whereupon, the Enquirer,
instead Of complaining of Judge Douglas s doctrine
that the territorial authorities may exclude but Con-
gress may not interfere intervene to protect, got
angry with us for laying before it Judge Douglass
true position
In reviewing this little controversy, we see no
cause to be in a bad hrmor with ourselves in con-
nexion with it, and we shall not vent any lima
ture upon the Enquirer. We have not the slightest
intention to ''militate against the Cincinnati plat
FORM, or disposition to do the like thing against the
Enquirer. Moreover, the g envenomed malice
against Judge Douglas which is charged upon us by
his supporters, has far more existence in their own
figures of speech than in our passions.