Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-01-27

more and more servile and supple, until they
have yielded all the most ultra South Caro-
linian would exact. The Democratic party
as represented by the Administration, con-
cedes that Slavery by virtue of the Constitu-
tion exists, in all the Territories, in spite of
Congressional prohibitions or Territorial
legislative exclusion. Mr. Buchanan de
clares in his Si.liman letter that SIazery
exists in Kansas and Nebraska by virture
OF the Constitution, as firmly as in Georgia
or South Carolina.
Popular Sovereignty. in its application
to the Territories, in mild form, subject to
the decisions of the Supreme Court, is still
feebly maintained by Senator Douglas and
his friends. Even its new champion. The
Nelo York Times, snbordinates it to the
Drsd Scot, decision-or rather to the obiter
dicta of the Chief Justice in that case Mr.
Morris, friend of Mr.. Douglas, but who
stands in advance of his leader, has propos-
ed some radical applications of the doctrine
to the Territories; still he admitted, in his
speech on the occasion, that the doctrine
utterly failed. and would be inappIicabie in
the case of Utah. When catechised BY
Mr. Richie, he was most reluctantly con-
strained to the confession that Utah should
be made an exception to the general rule!
But what sort Of sovereignty is that which.
must be restrained in certain cases by
higher sovereignty! Sovereignty implies
the abolute right Of self government-then.
who shall interpose veto Upon its behestsl
According to Dir. Morris. Popular Sow
ereignty is the indefeasibe right of the
people of the Territories to make their own
laws and institutions to suit themselves,
proriasd they happen to suit majority of
the American people. This is all of il,
and the one exception is fatal to the whole
theory.
We have shown that Popular Sovereign
ty"-which originated with the Democratic
party, and at one time was the accepted
creed of large majority Of the party has
been gradually abandoned and repudiated =,
until it has become heresy almost as hate
full to The orthodox majority as the Wilmot
Proviso itself--that tha heretics themselves
no longer hold it absolutely. and in good
faith, but admit that it is subject TO a de-
cision or opinion of the Supreme Court,
which utterly nullifies i,-that, in a word,
it is iDapplicable in cases where the peo
pie would use it TO establish institutions
which are condemned by the moral sense of
majority Of t e country. The doctrine is
therefore, according to the authority of its
friends, u mi<nomer-it is no sovereignty
at all, but merely an expedient for divest-
ing Congress of responsibility--an explo-
ded humbug, invented Tor temporary use as q
catch-word. .---
Shall the Republican party adopt the ex-
ploded humbug! Shall it, while in minori-
ty, and with no power to accomplish anv
result, take position which will be an
estoppel to its action when it shall attain
the msjorify! Ii our friends vote now 10
take the appointing power osr of the hands
of the Federal Administration, thev will
stand committed to vote in like manner
when tbev constitute the majority in both
Houses. We know not what the future NAV
bring forth. The Administration, during the
next two years, will exert all its power and
influence 70. the acquisition of Mexican
territory. as well as OF Cuba. Is this, then,
the time for abandoning the right to exclude
SlaVeryl We are aware that very thorough
and enthusiastic Republicans. in feeling,
indulge the idea that such is. The energy
and power of the free element in this coun-
try, that Slavery cannot be extended. even
under the most favorable circnmsts noes -
We are prone to indulge such hopes our
selves, but is it worth while to run the risk,
by abandoning the policy of Slavery re-
striction? Will the Admin strarion be
likely to make acquisitions except with a
view TO their Immediate appropriation by
shareholders! The slave oligarchy has al
ways shown Itself fruitful in expedients-
II has had a lesson of sad experience in
Kansas, and it will not be likely to pursue
the same bold ruffian policy which so signal
ly failed in ihnt case. II Will not be apt TO
make large acquisitions of free territory
which could not at once be absorbed and ap
propriated by the Shareholders; but its policy
will be to annex Mexico in detail. and mould
its institutions upon the Southern model,
before transforming the acquired territory
into States Cuba is already what the
Southerners would have it. and they would
be greatly encouraged in their enterprises
for the purchase os that Island, if the Re-
publicans voluntarily pledge themselves in
advance 20 the policy OF sdmi,'ing States
"with or without Slavery" as the people
nav decide for themselves.
Shall we accept the Cincinnati Platform,
What Republican in 1856 would have toler-
ated the idea for a moment! Yet the effect
of adopting the policy which has been re-
commended bv some Of uur friends, would
be practically to place US on the Cincinnati
Platform.
The Republicans have for years battled
for the right OF Congress t. legslate for
the exclusion of Slavery from the Terri
! tories, and have resisted and riiiculei the
dogma of Non n-lnterven,ion. At length.
the Slave Democracy have abandoned Non
! Intervention, md have accepted the Rrpub-
can constitutional position Of Interevenii IN
NOT. indeed, with the object Of excluding
Slavery from the Territories. but in order
to protect it. Wonld il not be strange
spectacle. to PEE the Republicans, in the
day Of their triumph, fall back rron the
exploded and impractlcable idea which ,hrir
opponents have abandoDed--wh,ch amounts
only to protest, and has only negative
va'uel
! The position Of the Republican party is
identical with that OF the framers Of the
/ Constitution. II is the position Of Wash