The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-04

power to Interfere, then or at any time before
10 forcsta control their action. This was the
doctrine Of the democratic party before the bred
Scott decision was rendered; and the decision was
but a confirmation Of the doctrine. What now is
the opinion and position of Judge Douglas upon this
fundamental doctrine Of the party. Judgment of the
Supreme Court, and principle Of the Constitutiona
Mr. Lincoln, hs competitor for the Senate in Illi-
nois in their discussion at Freeport ON Friday the
27tb ultimo, propounded categorcalIy to Judge
Douglas, among other nterrogatores this one
Can tho power OF United States territory in any law
full way against the wish Of any citizen of the United
States, exclude slavery from its limits prior to the for
nation of State constitution T.
The Judge replied at longth in language from
which we extract below The reader will discover
from it TO his surprise, that lis author backs out from
the doctrine of the Nebraska Kansas BILL abandons
the Cincinnati platform and repudiates the bred
Scott decision and that he docs SO by reasserting
the odious sqattsr sovereignty doctrine in its most
radical and obnoxious form. Here are his words
The next question Mr.. Lincoln propoundcd to me is,
Can the people of Territory exclude slavery from
their limits by any fair before it into the
Union Slater emphatically, as M. Lincoln
has heard hundred daes, eo0y stump III
means erclude aarsry before State % o
No matter what may be the decision of the Supreme
Court that abstract question, still the right of the
people to make it slave Territory or free Territory is
perfect and complete under the Nebraska bill. o
In this connexion will notice the charge that he has
renewed against me about the Chase amendment o
% Now the Nebraska bill provided
that the legislative power and authority Of tho said
Territory should extend to all rghtful subjects of
legislation consistent with the organic law and the
constitution of the United States 1t did not make any
exception of slavery but gave all the power that it
possible for Congress to give without violating the
sttuton to the territorial Legislature with exception
the subject of slavery at all Hence that BILL in and
by ITSELF gaze the pesple Of The TERRITORY the full poasr and
Ae U authority the subject Of Slavery nyape and arma-
tue, to iarode exclude far he constitution Of The UNI
ted STATES would permit What more could EIr Chase give
by his amendments His amendment was
this effect that the legislature should have the power
exclude slavery.
Contrast with this doctrine, so broadly laid down
by Judge Douglas the doctrine of the bred Scott de-
cision, as laid down by Judge fancy Having deci-
ded that Congress had power to prohibit slavery
clare:
~ Congress ITSELF cannot do tis is BEYOND the oioeys
conferred he federal government a p Be admitted pre-
spae thai could not authorize territorial government 10 exercise
them. could confer powy any local government eab-
sd BY its authority 70 oiolaic he provisions Of The constitution
And ii the constitution recognises the right of prop
erty of the master in slave and makes distinction
between that description of property and other property
owned by citizen tribunal acting under the authori-
ty of the United States whether lislaie eecue ju-
dicial has right 70 drdw suc distiaaion deny 10 Die
benefit Of the provisions and guarantees ph haze been pfoDdd
for the protection Of proae property against he eaerodcmeats Of
tho government
What will now be said of Judge Douglass adyo-
cacy of the bred Scott decision and Of his soundness
on the doctrine of the Cincinnati platform, rs
frmed by that decision2 He asserts the power of
transient squaters and their Legislature to exclude
slavery from a Territory We do not understand him
to deny the power of Congress to exclude sla-
very from the Territories Logically ho asserts this
power for Congress, though we do not find that he
does it in express words; for he claims the power
for the people and for the legislature of the Territory,
as "given' to them by Congress in the Nebraska
bill; and how can Congress give power which it
does not itself possess?
Thus does Judge Douglas boldly and unblushingly
repudiate the bred Scott decision
We submit these avowals and heresies of Judge
Douglas to the consideration of fantastic cotem-
poraries Of the New Orleans Courier and Delta. II
we were to ask them what they think Of the doc
trines proclaimed at Freeport, the answer, we sup
pose would be, that Judge Douglas, who denounces
themselves as the agents of a fraud and :" swim
dle,D is at least a better democrat than Lincoln.