The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-09-28
oBsuRvAr1ONs
DOUGLAS
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY,
AS EXPRESSED
HARPERs MAGAZINE, FOR SEPT 1859.


Every one knows that Mr.. Douglas, the SEN
ator from Illinois, has written and printed
elaborate essay, comprising thirty-eight col
umns of Harpers' Magazine, in which he has
undertaken to point out the 'dividing line be-
tween federal and local authority" Very
ny persons have glanced over its paragraphs to
catch the leading ideas without loss of time,
and some few lave probably read it with care.
Those who dissent from the doctrines of this
paper, owe to its author, if not to his argu-
ments, a most respectful answer Mr.. Doug
las is not the man to be treated with a disdain-
full silence. His ability is fact unquestioned; /;
his public career, in the face of many disadran-
tages, has been uncommonly successful; and he
has been for many years working, struggling
candidate for the Presidency lie Is, moreo-
yer, the Corypheus of his political sect-the
founder of new school-and his disciples nat
urally believe In the infallible verify of his
words partsof their faith
The style of the article Is, in some respects,
highly commendable. 1t is entirely free from
the vulgar clap-trap of the stump; and has no
vain adornment of classical scholarship; but it
shows no signs of the eloquent Senator; it is
even without the logic of the great debater.-
Many portions of it are very obscure. 1t
seems to be an unsuccessful effort at legal pre-
cision like the writing of judge, who is try
ing to give reasons for wrong decision
question of law which he has not quite mas
tered.
With the help of NIessrs Seward and Lin,
coin, he has defined accurately enough the
platform of the so-eaHed Republican party !;
and he does not attempt to conceal his convic
ton that their doctriacs arc, i'll the last degree,
dangerous They are, most assuredly, full of
evil and saturated with mischief The t'irre-
pressible conflict which they speak of with so
u l.
during forces" of the Northern and Southern
States, will be fatal, not merely to the peace
of the country, but to the existence of the Gov
ernmcnt itself Mr.. Douglas knows this, and
he knows, also, that the Democratic party is
the only power which. is, or can be organized
to resist the Republican forces OF oppose their
hostile march upon the capital. He who di-
vides and weakens the friends of the country
at such a crisis III her fortunes, assumes very
grave responsibility.
Mr.. Douglas separates the Democratic party
into three classes, and describes them as fol
lows;
s.Frst Those who believe that the Constitution of
the United States neither establishes prohibits
slavery in the States or Territories beyond the pow
of the people legally TO control it, but leaves the
people thereof perfectly free to form and regulate
their domestic institutions in their own way, sub
ject only to the Constitution of the United States"
"Second Those who believe that the Constitution
establishes slavery in the Territories, and whholds
from Congress and the Territorial Legislature the
power to control II, and wto insist that, in the
event the Territorial Legislature fails to enact the
requisite laws for its protection, 1t becomes the i'm
perative duty of Congress to intepose its authority
and furnish such protection.
seThiyd Those who, while protesting to believe
that the Constitution establishes slavery in the Ter
rtories beyond the power of Congress or the Terri
oria Legislature to control it, at the same time pro-
against the dny of Congress to interfere for its
protection but insist that it is the duty of the ju-
dietary protect and maintain slavery in the Ter
ritories without any law upon the subject"
We give MIR. Douglas the full benefit of his
own statement. This is his mode of express
ing those differences, which, he says, disturb
the harmony, and threaten the integrity of the
American Democracy. These passages should,
therefore, be most carefully considered.
The first class is the one to which he him.
self belongs, and to both the others he is equal
ly opposed He has no right to come between
the second and third class. If the difference
which he speaks of does exist among his op-
ponents it is their business not his, to settle ii
or fight it out. We shall therefore confne
ourselves to the dispute between Mr.. Douglas
and his followers on the one hand, and the rest
of the Democratic party on the other, presutn-
ing that he will be willing to observe the prin-
ciple of non-intervention in all matters with
which he has no concern.
We will invert the order in which he has
discussed the subject, and endeavor to show
1st that he has not correctly stated the doc
trine held by his opponents; and
3D. That his own opinions, as given by him
self, are altogether unsound.
! l. He says that ce: tain portion OF The