Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-04-15
The WiIn,ot Proviso Abandoned

four years past has turned upon the
pivot ofslavery in the Territories. No
other question has marked, for any
tenth of time, any distinct division Of
parties. Know-nothingism had a brief
existence; but the other question soon
ovcrrode and obliterated it from the par
ty platforms. Slavery i'll the Territor-
les has been the all-absorting question,
an Aaron's rod swallowing up all others
whatever.
This question of slavery in the Ter
~ritorics has had two sides, and presented
TWO practical alternatives. These were.
whether Congress was empowered to de-
eide the question by the prohibition of
slavery in the Territories, or whether
Congress was prohibited from interfer-
ring, and the people were to be left free
to decide the question in preparing for
the admission into the Union as States.
The first was the doctrine of the Will
mot p%roviso, as advocated by the Black
Republican party; the second was the
doctrine of popular sovereignty, as ad-
by the democracy.
Upon this issue have the contests of
the two parties been conducted for four
years past They have been excited,
bitter and uncompromising in the last
There has been no changing
|of front, no shifting of positions, by
either of the parties during all the long
war they have waged against each other.
But within the last week the question has
suddenly assumed a new aspect. The
Black-Republicans have suddenly drop
|ped and abandoned the Wilmot proyiso.
They have not only forsaken their
own doctrine, but they have adopted the
antagonist doctrine; and now claim d
more perfect and consistent devotion to
popular sovereignty than chat of the
democratic party itself. The unanimous
black republican organization in Con
|gres5 have cast their votes in favor Of IL
bill expressly submitting the slavery
Question to the decision Of the popular
vote in Kansas. The black-republican
press sustain the vote, and make no
IooGcealmeut of their sudden conversion
the Wilmot Proviso principle to
that of popular sovereignty.
The New York Times treats the mat
ter with levity. 1t warns us that "there
is great danger that the opposition may
steal this democratic thunder, and ap-
propriate it solely and exclusively to
their own uses. They have already Sc
cured the author Of 1t, and they are very
likely to adopt the principle itseD:'
The Tribune is less unreseryed. It
exclaims with logged defiance, I'VE
take your Lecompton constitution, eter-
nal slacery and ali, provided the PEG
pie do not see fit to reject it, and form a
new n instead.
And John Wentworth's Chicago Dem
ocrat wants to have a grand jubilee over
conversion of its party to the doc
trine of popular sovereignty: "Let us
have a rousing convention. Let the|
old and the young ONE Let not only
The old liberty men but the recent con-
Tcrts come. Let US give Douglas and
he thousand of other democrats Who'll
ire dissatisfied with Mr.. B~uchanan's ad,
ninistration a cordial welcome into theI
ranks, and let us stand ors
upon the principles of the platform:
IN which John C. Fremont was nomin-E
ted for President
Long Johns ideas are confused, in!
he ecstasy of his JOY. He thinks thes
new converts" from the democracy
ave come over to his principle. Butt
lis party in Washington and his coll
eagues OF the New York Press consider
hat they have gone over to POPULAR
overeignty; and this is evidently thes
rue state of the case We must there
ore correct the Chicago enthusiast toa
ONE extent. While admitting that Mr.I
had deserted to the black rel
iublicans, We cannot but deny that i'll
to have been on the condition.
hat they on their part should desert theh
Proviso. There has been del
ertion on both sides. Which desertion
as been the most fragrant may admit
f doubt. Probably it is more credita-
lie to have deserted the Wilmot Prof.
iso than the Democratic party Union.
K
Ohio State Treasury Law.
The Ohio Senate has passed a bill
.roviding for the better management
safe-keeping of the public moneys,
9th State and County. The Statesman
published the bill as it passed the
enate, remarking it will likely pass the
louise in a similar form. We have
lanced over the bill, and believe it to
c a very good one. 1t requires that
he County Commissioners shall at once
rovide a room or rooms where the pub
il. monou shall he liant sofalv and tbotE