The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-09-30

OF enc 9ilng Legislation Nevertheless, the
Southe friends of Judge Douglas accept this
opinion; as wei grounded, and make it the
founda Jon of another demand, which he will
hereaft i be called upon to comply with. The
Richm, nd Enquirer, which sustains him against
the asa uls of the Union in its issue of the oath
says:
SUI ge Douglas, at Freeport, speaking from
the recFd, pointing out emphaticslly the exist
ing sta of legislation, and showing that with
out fur her legislation the right to carry slaves
into erritory may be barren, worthless, and
useless He did not suggest any remedy for
the evi We presented the point made by Judge
Douglas, and suggested q remedy. We de-
msndes that Congress should interfere to pro-
tect Sk3rery in the Territories. We argued that,
toh0t tle Constitution recognised, Congress
i0dS boe md TO protect and that as SLaUery, If
Left to re legislation Of the Territories, rchiie Il
could Not be excluded, the failure to enact a
penal code for its protection iOOuld be virtual
and practical exclusion; and that Congress
'oas oootad to furnish such protection"
This is the position of the Enquirer; it evil
IDENTITY expects the Judge to initiate such legis-
latiou, and thus give additional proof of his de-
votion to "the constitutional rights of Slavery"
On this point Mr.. Douglas has already been
questioned, and we regret that his answer is
not more explicit. On the 18th at Jonesbo-
rough, Ill, the following interrogaLory was ex-
pounded
"If the slaveholding citizens of United
States Territory should need and demand Con.
gressia1sl legislation for the protection of their
slave property in such Territory, would you, as
mem3er of Congress, vote for or against such
legisla(3o n ?"
The Feply of Mr.. Douglas is thus reported in
the IN ON:
al tOswer him, it is a Fundamental article
in the Democratic creed, that there shall be
non IN. ,rterence, non Intervention 6u CONGRESS
iH GLLNhe States and Territories. ICheers
Mr.. Liocoln could have found an answer to his
questiea in the Cincinnati platform TAp.
plause1 The Democratic party have always
stood kg that great principle of non-interference,
non.in. erventIon by Congress wi h Slavery in
Statessgnd Territories alike. stand ON that
pI0tforpS nO,0."
1t wsuld have been easy to answer, yea or
nay, ard there would then have been no room
for doabt. Why resort to a general statement.
which SECURES interpretation Had the Gin.
cinnsth platform always been understood to
onvesprecisely the same sentiments, had it
not BEEN purposely so framed as to admit of two
opposite constructions, we might have been
satisfied with the answer, indirect "a it is. But,
Non dtervention by Congress with Slavery in
the 81 Etes does not imply, in the opinion of the
Slave Democracy, that Congress shall not leeis-
late t, protect Slavery-for what is the Fugitive
Slave get bat the extreme of such legislation,
and is it not supported by the Slave Democracy
of all sections? So Non Intervention by Con-
gress yith Slavery IN the Territories does not
imply that Congress shall lot legisate to pro-
tect avery in them. This we always charged
upon the Pseudo Democracy, and now it is
openlP admitted. The Richmond (Va) En-
quire,. advocating as it does Congressional leg.
islatiG1 in behalf Of Territorial Slavery, finds
nothisg in the answer of Judge Douglas reuug-
nant 10 its views. 1t does :" not initiate one
iota against them, it says.
"Taat Congress has no power of interference
or interventon with Slavery in the Territories.
ia the doctrine of the Cincinnati platform This,
we caetend, must mean that Congress has no
pO1cer 10 interfere or intervene against .Hlcer1y
becauts achateUer special property the ConStttss,
ton recognises is entitled to protection; and
hence Congress not only has not the po,oer TO
intertre or iHterUene against SLarery, but by
the 81 irn of the Constitution, interference or
intern milton, for protection, is obligatory
Richi tond Enquirer, 24th Sept.
THIS is what the Enquirer understands
Judgt Douglas to mean by Mediterranean
and tie Cincinnati platform. We repeat, there
fore, ne answer of Mr.. Douglas is not satisfac.
tory. Let him be called upon to say whether
the C instruction put upon it by his Southern
sdvo' ate, the Richmond Enquirer, be the true
one. Let him, in a word, answer Mr.. Lincoln's
inter- ogatory, yea or nay, SO that North and
Soutl may exactly understand him.