Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-12-08

of good democracy north and south! If the standard was true one, well might the people of the south exclam, from both northern and southern democracy, good Lord deliver us!" But we unhesitatingy affirm that this Butler theory is rank heresy,-that it is the same odi- ous "suuatter sovereignty" which was begot. ten by the Wilmont Proviso upon the body of aboltionism in 1848,-that it is at war with the constitution, and that every man Tn the Republc who knows the meaning of state rights repudiates it.
 The democratic doctrine in relation to the territories is that Congress exercises control over them as the agent of the several states of the Union--that this agent has no power to discriminate in favor of the people and property of one of its principals and against the people and property of another of its princpals,-that the territorial governments are but the creatures of that agent. vested only with such powers as the agent might righ.fully confer,-and that all attempts by Congress to grant the power to interfere agaust slavery, as well as all efforts of territorial government to interfere aSalnSt slavery, are in violation of the federal compact and absolutely null aud void. This position of the democratic party not only addresses ltseIt to the reason and sense Of jnstlce of it's own members but has time and again extoFted the plaudits of patriotic men of the opposition. It has been repeatedly ndorsed by the people of the coufederacv at the ballot box,-h been elucidsted and maintained by otr leading states nen,--advocated by our most Influential friends, sand made almost " household word' in every locality, and lastly, the seal ot historic renown has been placed on it by the supreme court of the United States, in the Dred Scott decision. enstamping it with the mark of lm- perishabe truth.
 We cannot account for this wide departure of the "True Democrat from the old land- marks. nor is it proper that we should attempt it. We trust . satisfactory explanation and re- traxt will be made, and will take pleasure in repubIishinq what our respected cotemporary may have to say in that behalf, provided the same courtesy be extended to us in the case of this article The "True Democrat' has too long done veoman service to be now, in its old agc set down 8s truant
 Were it not for the disclaimer with which the above article sets out, we might reasonably suppose that the object of the writer was to seek a controversy. In fact, the putting words in our mouths that we never uttered, and rep senting us as holding an imaginary con versation, is mode of warfare that the opposition adopt ed long ago and which seems out of place in a democratic journal that does not desire con troversy.
 So far as the doctrine of souatter sovereignty is concerned, the position of the State Rights Democrat agrees 80 well with our own, that we cannot differ thereon. Our views have been so often and elaborately expressed that we thought they were we'll known
 We have given the article from the State Rights Democrat at full length and must be allowed to expres. our surprise at its tenor.- We deem it our duty to say something more in regard to the disclaimer above noticed. We have avoided and sought to avoid controver. ses until they are forced upon us, not because we fear but for the sake of the harmony and unity of the party. If ever, in the history of the country, it was necessary for the democra- cy to be united-to forget any minor differen- ccs, and to become as one-t is now, on the eve of struggle that will decide the destinies of our country. For this reason, we have avoid ed taking sides in 8 contest where the result let it 90 as it would would end in the election ofa democrat. For this we have endured the jibes and sneers of those who sought to force us to take position calculated to create division in the ranks of our party. It was not "nice strate- gies of politcs'- trimming,-or desire to find which way the current would set Those who know us, know that we never feared or hesitated to take any position that wa be- leved it our duty to take, and as for the strong side, hal we chosen to take that, it rcquisel 10 great degree of astuteness to know which t was. But for the sake of harmony to avoid embittering contest between democrats, ard try to unite all, we wai9ed our rights to tak Q sides and remained neutral For tue same reason we have passed other things which we did not approve aud remained slont, desiring to see the party agreeing in al things. If con. trovers:es shall arise, we are determined that the aggrcssing party shall not be ourselves. If the State Rights Democrat is disposed to do us justice, aud va hope it is it is well; but, if it is disposed to fasteu a quarrel upon us, it must commence the attack We shall pursue what we think to be tho proper course without swerving to the right or to the left and without fear