Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-10-01

Alexander II. Stephens, of Georgia, and Samuel A.
Smith, of Tennessee In June, 1856, Mr.. Stephens,
in Congress, said:
although my own opinion ia that the people, un-
der the limitations of the Constitution, have not the
rghtful power to exclude slavery so long they
main in territorial condition, yet am willing that
they may determine it for themselves and when they
please. shall never negative any law they may
pass, if it is the result Of fair legislative expression
Of the popular WILL Never! | am willing that thu
Territorial Legislature may act upon the subiac,
when eud how they may think proper"
This is stronger than Douglas. Stephens gives 3
positive opinion. Douglas oon6ues himself to a
statement Of what may be dons outside OF Ia wish,
pro or con.
Mr. Smith, in the House of Representatives on the
gin OF June, 1856, said
II have never regarded the difference OF opinion
between Northern and Southern gentleman upon
'squatter sovereignty as Of any importance. have
held that in Territorial capacity the settlers had not
the right to exclude slavery. Yet msjority of the
! In Territory must lave laws not to establish
bot protect the insti'ution Of slavery and il
Orty of the people OF Territory are opposed 10 the
institution they will retnss TO pass lava for its protsc-
tion and it will not 70 there. IT, on the contrary
they are in favor of it, they will pass laws for its pro
tection and it will 20 there. II will 20 there or NOT
according TO the popular sentiment OF the people OF
the Territory"
II Senator Douglas is for the exclusion of slavery
in the Territories 80 the Southern people repre-
sented by such men Orr, Stephens and Smith. 1t
Douglas language can be tortured into such mean
ing, 80 can the language Of Orr, Stephens and Smith,
for we cannot see any difference OF fact between
them.
II "Yirginius" has correctly characterized Judge
Douglas opinions "higher law free soilism, then
ur Stephens and Smiths, must come under the same
atsgory. But, as we have s!.esdy said, we under.
stand Judge Douglas as merely stating fact now
patent in existing legislation. Itis all narrowed down
10 the fact that il the people want slavery they will
protect it by local legislation and if they do not want
it, it cannot be forced upon them. This ia not the
right to prohibit the introduction of slavery by Terri
toria legislation "Vrgnus" infers, but it is the
right which cannot be taken from Territory. of refs-
sing 10 enact laos for its protection II Territorial
Legislature were to enact law pohibng slavery or
rswarding the abduction of slaves such law would be
unconstitutional. But no power exists to compel
legislature to enact any law necessary to prevent or
punish trsspass upon slave property. Any person
willing to rely upon the fugttpe slave iao for the ap.
preension of his slave 20 to any Territory 1t lie
his right to run tbs risk and legislature can take
it away But it is an empty right. valusess right,
and, without "ocal police regulation" will never be
relied on by the Southern people.
Judge Douglas does not maintain that slavery has
no Constitutional sanction guarantee in Territory;
he merely shows how the Constitutional sanction"
has become vaueless under existing legislation. He
,ba
stitutional sanctions Of practical avail; for
from the sensitive nature slave property, no man
will rely on Constitutional sanctions to return his
runaway negro.
Judge Douglas does not "deny the validity and
efficacy of the decision Of the Supreme Court" on
the contrary he has defenGsd the decision Of the
Court on every stump in Illinois. But be shows that
neither Constitutional sanctions. nor the egs OF
Supreme Court decisions carry slavery into an
, unfriendly Territory, nor prevent its going into
friendly Territory.
To the Editors of the Enqui,1;
Gentlemen Believing that you entirely candid
10 your support Of Judge Douglas, and will receive
kindly and publish, whatever may bs calculated to
place him before the Southern people in his true cha
rsctsr send you the enclosed account Of his Free.
DOR. speech, from the Philadelpha " Press OF the
10Th instant. The "Press, every one knows, is the
friend of Judge Douglas, and would not nisrepresent
| him TO his injury.
meuts to be correct, he repudstes the deciaion OF
| the Supreme Court in the Dred Scott csse and main
ains the doctrine of squaer sovereignty in its broad
| eat and most offensive sense:
l. IL. maintains that the people Of Territory can
by territorial legislation, exclude elavery from the
Ts, ritory prior to the formation Of Constitution.
y. He maintains that slavery has no Constitutional
sanction or guarantee, in Territory, and is depend
| ent upon local legislation for protection.
g. He denies the validity and efficacy OF the decl-
sion of the Supreme Court and insists that It 10 com
peteu to the people Of Territory TO ovsrrue 1t by
| their legislation.
Now let me ask, what opinions more offensive than
,hese can sny man maintain In what do they differ
from the worst free soil opinions except that The
avowed free soer prepared to exercise. what Judge
Douglas claims as bis constitutional right by voting
in the Territory to exclude slavery, and. also. holdr
| that Congress may exclude slavery from the Terrific
ry But in these opinions, does he differ from Judge
| Douglas insist not; because Judge Douglas him
.ef ia oppoaed to slavery, and, citizen OF Ter
ritory, would vote to exclude it, and when be claims
the right for the people Of Territory to exclude It,
he claims for the creature what he denies 10 the crea
tor and places the slave owner upon the worst poss-
BILE ground and when he claims the right 10 do THIS
| ia defiance OF decision Of the Supreme Court,
| he takes broadly 1.-The higher law, and revo.
lutionary ground Of Seward. ls II possible TO hold
such man in my respect, especially when yon re.
collect that these opinions dsectly in violation OF
the Kansas act, of which he 10 the author7 Ought
such man to be returned to the Senate Of the Uni
ted States by the Democratic party1
| In nv opiplon clearly not. Ii is better for the
Democratic party and better for the South, that the
Black Republicans should elect Lincoln, than tha
| the Democrats should elect, or aid in electng Dou
glss. II the Black Republicans elect Lincoln, W.
| shall know him by his caste, and know now 10 mes
him; while the integrity Of the Democratic party
will rsHain intact still united and powerful hops
and behave to preserve rhe Constitution and the
Union. But what will be its condition II It e!ect
| Douglssf II must avoH concurrdncs IN MS opih
IONS or it must repudiate them. II It avsws concur
| rance. II Ia at once destroyed. The South can NJ
longer rely upon or operate with 1t. If It rePudi
ates them, it at onoe svows its prost'tution IN cup
porting a man of the most odIous opinions, whicn u
| condemns What resistance can IL ever make to th'
opinions of Judge Douglas, when they are urged b,
Seward and Hale, after having voted tor Douglas
Will II not be rendered odous and contemplate b,
| the svows that it has supported man, without ~
gard to principle Upon what ground can Demo
crat ever ssssi Seward and Hale after voting fo
II will be, In my humble opinion, far better for h'
| party and the country that the Black Republican,
DonuIas VIRoIEIUs.
From the Philadslphia Press.
IMPORTANT VIEWS OF SENATOR DOUGLAS
The responses of Senator Douglas 10 the interro
oator;es of bs competitor, Mr.. Lincoln, on theHth o
sn0nst AT Freeport, Illinois, will be found below
Tbey possess more than ordinary sgnihcance. Di
rect comprehensive and pointed they e1niot th'
rsllsnt Douglas in still more favorable light to th
American people. We shall, at an early occasion
Give our own thoughts OH these important questions
eoutentinp ourselves with the declaration now, that
while thanking Mr.. Douglas for bile clear and cogen
answers 10 subtle but direct questions, We heartily
concur with bis premises and conclusions.
LINcoLNs 9 QUESTIONS AND DOUGLAs' ANSWERS
AT the Joint discussions between Douglas and Lin
coin. at Freeport August 9th, Mr.. Lincoln PROFOUND
ed the following questions to Mr.. Douglas, which
oueations We have arranged in the order in whicl
lbey were made. and have appended Mr.. Douglas'
answer Immediately after each, of which we ask
careful and candid parusal:
LIscoIs's FRET QUEsrIoH.-Ifthe people OF Kan
sss shall, by means entirely unobiectionable in al
other respects, adopt State Constitution and ssl
admission into the Union under 1t, before they hav
tine requisite number of inhabitants according to III