The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1858-08-12

pie of the right of self government, and
endeavoring to establish a Congressional
despotism. No provision in the Consti-
tuition gives Congress power to legislate
for the territories, and the advocates of
such policy are unfit to control the des-
TIMES of our government. Yet they
boast that their policy and their doctrines
have made her glorious as she is--and
going back to look for that policy and
those doctrines, we fnd-what Why,
that prominent in it and of them, from the
inception of the government down to
the commemorate of the present decade,
this doctrine of Congressional sovereign
ty, which they now view with SO much
adherence, was a cardinal principle Of
the party. In the winter of ls48-9, the
Democratic party of Iowa, not having
then become SO thoroughly imbued with
love for the peculiar institution"
through their representatives in the leg
islature, promulgated, in preamble and
resolution, their views in regard to The
question of Congressional sovereignty
in the Territories, and also of the estab-
lishment of Slavery therein. In these
they assert
LIST, The erclasice right of Congress to
legislate over ALL Territories then belong
ing to, or thereafter to be acquired by
the General Government.
Cd, The sovereignty of each State in
the regulation of its own institutions.
Sd, That the institution of Slavery
cannot legitimately exist within any terri
tory of the United States, EXCEPT BY THE
SANCTION OF POSITIVE LAW. And
4th, That they intended actively to OPP
pose the introduction of that institution
to territory then free.
This was Democracy in l849, but that
enlightenment which finds in the Declara-
ton of Independence "string of gilt
tering generalities, and in the assertion
that ALL men are entitled to life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness, an excep
ton against whole race, has also dis
covered that Slavery goes by right into
all our territory, and that Congress pos
sesses no right of Legislation over that
territory Here is an exhibition of Dem
ocratic conservatism--an evidence of how
well the party have preserved their prin-
ciples.
We subioin the Preamble and Resolu-
ton spoken of:
PREAMBLE AND JOINT RESOLUTION,
adopted by tie Democratic Legislature of Io,ca, in
1889.
Preamble and Joint Resolution relative
to the Territories belonging to the Uni
ted States.
Whereas, the General Assembly of the
State of Iowa, recognize in Congress the
EXCLUSIVE RIGHT Of LEGISLA-
TION over ALL Territories nor belong
ing to, or Hereafter to be acquired By tie
General Government;
And whereas, the said General Assem-
bly, fully accord to each State respective
ly a complete sovereignty in the regula
ton of its own institutions, as recognised
by the Constitution of the United States :
And whereas, it is also the sense of this
General Assembly that the Institution Of
Slavery cannot legitimately erist soittin any
Territory belonging to the United States
(unless recognized by the law regulating
such territory at the time of its cession
to the United States EXCEPT BY THE
SANCTION OF POSITIVE LAW:
And whereas, the subject herein re-
ferred to is likely to become one upon
which Congress may feel required to act
Therefore,
Resolved, That WHENEVER Congress
shall be required 10 act upon the question
of SLAVERY in any of the territories NOW
FREE and belonging to the United States,
our Senators be instructed, and our Rep
reSentatives requested to exert their inhu-
ence in favor of law PROHIBITING tie
introduction Of Slavery into any such terri
JOryy