Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-11-04
History Vindicated.

A letter to the Hon. Stephen A. Doug.
ias.
Mr.. SENAroR:-Your late magazine
article ON Popular Sovereigntf " the
Terri,orie," has already received adc.
qua:e attention. That it has failed to
ccncilia,e opponents. but has rather" i'm
creased their number and confirmed their
resolution. is no. .vident. 1t has lad
this result both at the North and at the
South, and for very i, .eIgib!e rcason
Mes, OF the American People whc have
any purpose whatever. earnestly desire
eit;.er that Slavery should or that il
should not be enabled to GiFuss itself
through the Federal r,rutor es, growing
with the growth and being strengthened
with the strength of the American Re-
public. Very few are inIitierent to
this overshadowing issue; few except
prufessionsl politicians even affect 10 be.
You preach. therefore. the gospel OF in
diff renee. Of he CATION, of iml,ut-nce. to
manly unwilling ears. cannot feel. in
rcad,us your lucubra,,on, III you be.
leve 1t yourself. Think me not un-
charitable, but answer to yourself the
question : Suppose you were officially
apprised that majority of the Squatter
Sovere,gLs OF one IF our territories we
will say Utah. for example-had voted
that the minority should be reduced to
and held in slavery for the benefit and
in the service OF such majority. and had
proceeded to enforce that determination
BY FIRE and sword-would you as Sena-
tor, hesitate to decide aud declare that
this rap ,cious. iniqnitous purpose must
be resisted and defeated by the power
OF the FEDERAL Government l know
you would not. You would. in that
case, inevitably recognize and affirm the
duty of Congress to maintain Justice in
The Territories-to protect eve ~ innocent
man in the peaceful enjoyment ofthe fair
rewards Of his own industry. and in the
possession and enjoymeu. of Libe't ty fam.
ily.and honestly acquired Property. The
matter u $50 plain TOR arsument,too GER
Aa;n for doubt. lf.,hen. you u, hold the right
OF some men to hold Others as slaves in the
Territories, you do it on the assumption
that those ought 70 be masters and these
slaves-that the Slave laws Of Virginia
or Texas have rightiul force and e6ec,
in Kansas or New Mexico-or on some
other ground that the naked assumption
of popular Sovereignty" in the Terri
tories. That. you must allow me to tell
you. is but politicians dodge, devised
in l84S by Gen. Cass. under the spur Of
a pressing danger. an urgent necessity.
and only accepted by those who discern
in il . means of escape from similar
perils-a handy neck-yoke to enable
them 10 carry water On both shoulders.
The sovereignty you defer to is that of a
political necessity, not that Of the people
of ths Territories.
But do not propose to traverse all
the logical sublet;es and hair-splitting
distinctions Of your late elaborate essay.
did, indeed at one tune cherish a strong
desire to reply to it at length through
rages of he magazine which gave it to
the world: but, on in,mating that pur-
pose to its editor, | was denied he ,,ing
in bis columns, though it was graciously
intimated tha, a siMilaE demapd from
ope pi the 'ieoaing Republicans migLt
perhaps he iavorsbly consider ed. VI
ceqse, thai put NE out OF cour'; but
whom does IL let in: / Cannot tell