The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-12

REPUBLICANS AND SUPPORT THEIR POLICY
There certainly seems to be more or less danger
that the democratic organization in this country, like
that of the republicans and Americans, win become
mere piece Of mosaic, "a bit of white stone here
and bit Of black stone there species of hydra
Of many heads, composed of s'many men of many
minds There is an effort ON foot to give the de-
mocracy distinctive northern and southern aspect
to admit in truth in the party what its members
pronounce unconstitutional in the government po-
ltical free sentiment and political slave sentiment
We deny the existence Of either under fair CON
struction Of the federal compact. That instrument
is the organic law ola union composed of free and
slave States, which are equal in every legal and
moral senseequalas propretors Of the Territories,
which, during their territorial life, open to gem
era settlement by the citizens Of all the States who
carry with them and maintain for their government
all the rights Of property which are recognised by
the members of the common Confederation. Great
efforts are now being made to dissolve this political
partnership by interpolating into it a double and
conflicting construction of the law by which the
North claims the option to nulfy the rights Of the
people Of the South to which the latter is asked to
submit from motives of policy. This doctrine is all
very well for the republicans and Americans. They
have advocated it in another way, but SO to Sc
cure the same results They claim the right of Con-
gress to do what some Of democrats insist it is
the right Of the local territorial community to do
to abolish slavery.
Now, we utterly repudiate this new system of tao
tics so far as the democratic party concerned.
The constitution is good enough for the North and
the South. No organization can prevail which seeks
by indirect means to substitute for its provisions the
mere policy Of elections There must be as much in
tegrity in party as in the organic system which is
sought to be enforced. 1t must be guided by the
law and not by the prejudices of sections. "
The democratic organization in this country has
stood firmly throughout the entire history of the
public. We do not claim for its founders that i'm
maculate wisdom which might have been able to
frame chart to guide through all the labyrinths
of the past present and future to see, in advance,
the almost infinite phases of the popular mind, to
measure its prejudices its passions and ambitions.
That is not our theory of American democracy. We
established q complex government based on the
popular win and judgment, by which, within the
scope Of organic system, it is to be maintained
delegated were certain to become subjects of serious
differences Of opinion amongst the people. No Ian
guage or wisdom could be 30 perfect and explicit
as to render future disagreements impossible; no
party could be expected to embody greater sagacty
and purer patriotism than the authors of our State
and federal institutions. The democracy hape sought
10 sondet our public affairs By the chart Of the constitu
ton to give effect to that compact in all the
Germs Of the republic. supreme court was created,
to be composed of the highest intelecs in the coun
try, removed from the influence Of elections, and
constituted as to command and reward the most dis
interested patriotism To the decision of this rbu
nal were committed all questions appertanng to the
powers Of the federal and State governments,
and to the rights Of individuals and of property
within the range of the general system. With
out claiming submission to the judgment of
this court under any specific article of the
democratic creed, we hazard nothing in declar-
ing that the party is, nevertheless, bound by
such judgment, and that no democrat who is worthy
Of the name will be found in opposition thereto.
If the democratic party enjoys any historical dis
tinction it comes from faithful adherence to the
federal constitution, from efforts to maintain that
compact in the spirit, energy, and patriotism of its
origin. We seek to uphold the Union, to bind all
the parts together by the indssoluble ties of friend
ship, mutual advantage, and honorable industry.
We know no section, no division, no superors or
interiors within the common jurisdiction. Main
tanning the just authority Of the States within
their borders and within the public territories, we
are prepared, with equal energy, to uphold tho
constitutional rights Of the federal government under
all circumstances and at all times.
The Supreme Court has recently decided that the
Territories are held as the common property of all
the States Of the Union. Ofcourse, when temporary
governments are organized therein, they represent
the States by virtue of authority conferred upon
them by the Congress Of the States The constit-
ucnt and representative powers are thus defined
and the local legislative authority may be exercised
only in such manner and such interests shall
be in harmony with the systems prevailing in the
several States For instance slavery is recognised
by the laws Of Virginia; the territorial Legislature
then may enact no law to conflict with the rights Of
citizen Of Virginia who shall have gone to the
Territory with his slaves because the local govern
ment was created by the latter State acting in
conjunction with all the others. Virginia, Mary
land, and New York constituents of the Ter
r;torv IN the latter condition all authority ia de-