Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1859-09-21
~IAe.sS Standard.

a.. a ). y Tie Standard. i. !
lssa the washinetuA Cusssitsssoal .
;, ~ 81. f;:5.aa ...d e y OBSERVATIONS Il
o. Snsser DocerAs's rtexsef Pspslar Sbes,s;g.
y, g szpressed II Harfsts Aagasias for SEP
sssse~s 1Sb9. .st,q .;sfsas4ss fssa4,e-
.ani1vsy ens knows that Mr. aDoasias the Senator
from Illinois, has written and printed an elaborate
sssg, comprising thirtyeight columns Of H.sper'e
Magazine, IN which he has undertaken to point out
the "diyeg line between federal and local authori
IT," Very many persons have glanced over It's par.
agaphs 10 catch the leading ideas without loss Of
tina and some fow have probably read it with care
Thoos who dissent from the doctrines Of this ps-
.per owe b il author If not to his arguments. .
most respectful answer. Mr. Douglas Is not the
MN TO be treated with q disdainf1l silence His
ability = fact unquestioned; his public career, in
The. hoe Of many disadvantages. has been uncon,-
1no0ly successful; and be has been for many years
aworking. struggling candidate for the Presidency
He il, moreover, the Corypbeus Of his political
sect-the founder Of . new school his disci-
pies naturally believe in the inallible verify of his
words q . part Of their faith.
The style of the article H. u some respects high
y oommendable. It is entirely free from the vul-
gar clap tap Of the stump; has no vain adornment
Of classical scholarship; it shows no sign If the
eloquent Senator it is even without the logic Of the
great debater. Many portions of it are very Oh
scure It seems to be IN unsuccessful effort at legal
precision; like the writing Of judge, who is try
ing in vain to give good reasons for wrong dec;-
casion on question Of law which be has not quite
With the help Of Nessrs. Seward and Lincoln he
has defined accurately enough the platform Of the
socaled republican party; and he does not attempt
to conceal his conviction that their doctrines are in
the last degrees, dangerous They are, most aasur-
eddy, full Of evil and saturated with mischief The
irresponsible conflict which they speak Of with
somuch pleasure between the Composing and en-
during forces of the northern and southern States
win Be ftal not merely to the peace Of the country,
but to the existence o. the Government ITSELF Mr.
Dougias 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 or op-
pose their hostile march upon the capital He who
divides and weakens the friends of the country at
such . crisis in her fortunes assumes very grave
responsibility.
MI. Douglas separates the democratic party into
three classes, and describes them as follows:
!" First Those who believe that the Constitution
81 the United States neither establishes nor prohib
its slavery in the States or Territories beyond the
power 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, subject
VAAy " uI0 OOuSIlullOu VI Tue OnlleO States.
Sec0nd. Those Who believe that the Constitu-
ton establishes slavery in the Territories and with
holds from Congress and the territorial legislature
the power to control it. and who insist that in the
event the territorial legislature fails to enact the re-
qusite laws for its protection it becomes the i'm.
perstve duty Of Congress to nterpose its authority
and furnish such protection.
1Hird. Those who, while protesting to believe
that the Constitution establishes slavery in the Ter
Yitn8Iea heVOnd tho nf al.
tofA legislature to control it at the same time pro-
test against the duty of Congress to interfere for its
protection; but insist that it is the duty of the judi
c'ary to protect and maintain slavery in the Terri
tories without any law upon the sub ect"
We give NJ: Douglas the full benefit of his own
statement This is his mode of expressing those
differences, which, he says, disturb the harmony,
and threaten the integrity, Of the American democ
racy These passages should, therefore, he most
carefully considered
The first class is the one to which he himself BE-
longs, and to both the others he is equally opposed
He has no right to come between the second and
third class. If the difference which he speaks Of
does exist among bis opponents it Is their business
not bis, to settle it or fight it out We shall there.
1oFe connne ourselves to the dispute between Mr.
Douglas and his followers on the one hand and the
rest OF the democratic party the other, presum-
ing that he will be willing to observe the principle
OF nonntervention in all matters with which he has
no concern. -. -t..
We will invert the order in which he has discuss.
ed the subject and endeavor to show
!: That be has not correctly stated the doctrine
held by his opponents; and,
Q. That his own opinions. rs given nv h;m..,f
are altogether unsound
1. he says that certain portion of the demo-
csue party believe OF profess to believe that tie
Conststutsos estoblses slarery in the Territories
and insist that it is the duty Of the judiciary to
MAINTAIN 1 1t there ssithout any laW on the subject
We DO not charge him with any intention to be un-
mn; out We assert that he has in fact done wrong
u probably, nineteen twcntieths of the partv. bv
attempting to put them on grounds which thew new,
er chose for themselves g..
The Constitution certainly does not estaLl:ah sl.
very IN the Territories. nor anywhere else Nobody
IN this country ever thought or said So But the
regards sacred and invoable all the
rights which citizen may legally acquire in State.
II man acquires property Of any kind in State,
and goes with it into Territory he il not for that
reason to be stripped Of It Our simple .,,d main
proposition Is, that the legal owner Of 4 slave or
otner chattel may 60 with it into Federal Terrific
~ without forfeiting his title.
"ho denies the truth of this. and upon what
ground can It DC controversial The reasons which
support It are very obvious and very conclusive.
la,:st ana statesman, Mr. Douglas ought to
be familiar with them, and there vas . t;r,e -.
he was supposed to understand them verv ~sIi
We VII briefly give him few of them
/ 1t Is an automatic principle Of public law tia.
aFght Of property, private relation, condition g.
ssosxe lawfully existing In one State or country IN
mo- changed BY the mere recoval of the parties r.
another country unless the law of that other conn.
ny oe in direct conflict with it. For instance: A
marriage legally soemnized in France is binding in
hAme!,e.; children born in Germany are legitimate
mere they are legitimate there; and . merchant
~oG buys goods in Now York according to the laws
them there under his contract ;s nrec;ss o -.
WITH the statss Of negro carried from one nat Of
tne United States TO another; the question of hin
Heeoo@ OF ssitade depends on the law Of the Mac
xnere ne came from, AND depends IN that alone r.
uese 90 no conflicting law At the place to which he
- q Y .aken, The Federal Constitution, there-
~ lgp.-es slavery q legal condition WHEREBY
90 ~ 49, governments have chosen to let it stand