Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-02-23

travel and no sign-poSt to guide; and you must
get back to the Constitution and tho power must
remain where it was lodged by the Constitution
lin the Congress of the United States-before
matters will get straight again.
This power, Congress has no authority to
transfer; they have no choice but to exercise it
themselves. If the power is given to congress
10 legislate for the territories, they have no
more right to divest themselves of that power
and transfer it to the Territorial Legislatures
than they have to divest themselves OF the war
making power, and transfer it tho State Legis-
1atnres. And il the power is not vested IN Con-
gress where do they derive the power by legis.
lation to transfer the authority to the territory!
This proposition is too plain and simple to en-
barrass the mind of any Statesman. Away,
then, with all new tangled theories and expert
nents of popular and squatter sovereignty I'M
known to the constitution. II IS sheer non
sense and folly; there can be no harmony Of ac'
ton, no peace, no agreement as to the power,
until this wild heresy is abandoned and the Con-
stituton is restored to its original action and to
its true Interpretation. If then, am asked, as
often am, what about Senator Douglas new
theory of sauatter sovereigntY-l answer, ac-
cording to the terms of the kansns-Nebraska
bill, he is all right; but, according 10 the Con-
stituton he is all wrong, essentially and RADICAL
~ wrong: extra judicial political opinions that
have been made to hinge upon the Nebraska
bill, and not upon the Consultation, to the con-
trary notwithstanding.
This ia n nosition that no argument can rcfute
=
and no sophistry evade. 1t is constitutional law,
settled and carried out in practice by better and
wiser men than those OF the present day, and
judieialIy decided and expounded by purerI
upright, and independent judiciary, who had
political objects to accomplish, and no party TO
serve or obey.
To the masses of Democracy cannot and do
not impute any other motives than such as con-
troll US in the Opposition. | believe they are
rs honest in purpose, and patriotc Ill design, as
90 FL, N h.
ern States where alone Democracy remains tri-
umphant, they are misled by demagogues and
shallow leaders who have wormed themselves
into their confidence. They are kept, too, IN a
state of profound ignorance and darkness, by
the fact that nearly the entire South is repre-
scented nv the Dcmocracy-who keep the coun-
try flooded with nothing but Democratic docu-
nents. which never expose Democratic misdeeds.
Fromsiny own State, we have fifteen Democratic
representatives, in the two houses OF Congress,
not one of whom, presume, ever sent an up
position speech or document into the State or
if they did it was sure not to be a member of
the Democratic party-frOm whom all such
precious documents are withheld. say this rs
an apology for the condition of things that ex-
lists in Virginia. But, if they could have the
same opportunity that has been held out to the
North to see for themselves to what condition
Democracy has brought the country, they would
be rs willing to throw off the CALLING yoke as
have been the Democracy Of Maine, New Hamp-
shire, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
and Illinois, all of which they were once proud
to number in their ranks.
am not prepared to admit that the Democ-
racy of Virginia are more benighted and ignor-
ant than the Democracy of tho other States;
nor are they less patriotic, nor are they less in
terestcd in good, wholesome, salutary legisa-
tion, if they were only afforded the same tacill-
tics for forming sound and correct judgment.
Have said too much of the sacrifices this
Democratic party is at all times prepared to
make of principle, or consistency, in obedience
to party spirit and party fealty? Let US see;
and if have, let mo be visited with pub &c
condemnation, us one who has illuminated their
good name and fame.
Will not go back Into those old, luckneyed
questions, such as Internal Improvements by
the General Governnent-nor OF what they
have protessed in their platforms, and Prdetised
in Congress-for all that, discussed in the.
the campaign of 1S56-in what is commonly
known us my African Church speech will
confine myself to issues OF later day.
In 1913 there was not Democrat in the
Southern States who did not especially repudi
ate and cschew the doctrine OF Squatter Sover-
eignty-as set forth in Gen. Cass' famous
Nicholson letter, and who did not strictly deny
its liability to ssch an interpretation In 1854
there was not one Southern Democrat in either
House of Congress that did not vote for this
identical Squatter Sovereignty doctrine, which
constituted the basis of the Ubiquitous Kansas
Nebraska bil;-and now, IN 1893, again they
are as much opposed to that doctrine as they
were in 1S4S.
Does this, or not, establish their claim to
principle or consistency
Again, it was but few short years since,
that the entire South supported the Missouri
Compromise, in Congress and out of it, as
thing too sacred and too holy to be touched
In the Legislature of Virginia it was declared,
by vote Of lit to Is, that any attempt to re.
peal that compromise would be a just cause for
u dissolution of the Union, and THAT it would
be resisted at all hazards, and to the last ex-
tremity." In 1854 every Southern Democrat
in both Houses of Congress, voted, party
measure, to repeal that Compromise, and every
Southern Democratic paper, public speaker, and
voter, without an exception, us far my knowl-
edge extends, supported them TO the very echo
and /, myself was fiercely denounced, as
traitor to the South. for resisting its repeal; and
there were some whose rash and incorporate
zeal SO far outstripped their Democracy and
discretion, as to counsel my expulsion from the
State for my reasonable opposition to the dis
turbance of our peace
Does this, or not, establish their claim to con-
Estency or principle, or does it show their read
mess to yield both to party dictation and party
SUGGEST
In 1854, non-interrention was the universal
cry of Democracy, South now they begin to
i. IA 4 II l..