The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1859-11-09
More About Popular Sovereignty.

MUrt AD0ut fOpuaf S0fCfelgnty.
! A very funny pamphlet, entitled "The
Reviewer Reviewed." is going through the
press in this city, and is intended as an
answer to the "Observations" upon Senator
Douglas, heretofore published in the Con.
sht't,on and other newspapers North ard
South. Most of our readers will recollect
that Tor Two or three weeks past the tele-
graphic dispatches to New York and else
where have, every row and then, been an
nouncing that Senator Douglas had reply
IN preparation, or that an answer to the
"Black pamphlet" would soon be made
ready under his supervision Whether this
be or be not the thing referred to, it s i'm
possible for US to say. We have been favor
cd with the first sixteen pages of it. I, is
to contain, we are told, about forty, and it
IS presumed that the portion we have seen
is tolerably fair specimen of the whole.
The writer refers to Judge Blacks propo.
sition that slaves are property, and as prop
erty they may be taken into Territory and
kept there until local law shall be cons,i.
tutionally established TO divest the owners
right. He writes about it, and about it, and
about it, and piles up quotations of variouS
kinds in great heaps, and after all, does not
tell US whether he regards the proposition
as true or false. If he admits it to be true;
what is he discussing it for? Il he denies
it, then how is his patron, Judge Douglas,
10 look in the face of speech which he
made in the Senate on the 23d of February,
1859, from which we extract the following
passages:
Slaves, according TO that decision, 1.-THE
bred Scott decision,l being property, stand
on an equal footing a0ith all other property
There is just as much obligation on the part
OF the territorial Legislature to protect slaves
and every other species of property, as
there is to protect horses, cattle, dry goods,
liquors, Sc. If they have righ: to digcrim-
mate as 10 the one, they have as to the
other, and whether they have got the pow
er OF discrimination or not, is for the court
10 decide, if any one disputes it.
II there is no power of discrimination on
other species Of property, there is none as TO
SLAVES. If there is power of discrimination
as to other property-and think there is
then 1t applies 10 slave property. In other
words, slaue property is on an equal ytooling
wifh all oMer property"
We think it impossible that Judge Doug.
las could have had any hand in this new
pamphlet He has inconsistencies and con-
tradc,ions enough 10 answer for without
making more. The author is manifestly
one of those imprudent and super servicea-
BILE friends who, with the best Intentions.
is doing his patron the greatest possible
injury.
The balance of the sixteen pages con.
tain some heavy reading on the question
whether the common law extends to the
Territories, and on the right OF the ter
rtoral legislature 10 take away, directly or
indirectly, slave from his owner. OF
course, we are not expected TO understand
so much learning as is here displayed. But
as far as we can see into the mystery of it,
the author seems to think that it would be
very commendable thing in the territorial
Legislatures to acknowledge the right of the
master over his slave as properly, and then
at the same time pass such laws as would
take away all pro eclion from him. In
other words, he is in favor of such territoa
rial laws as will be unfriendly 10 the &C!
knowledged right of property. We speak
of his opinions only as they come TO US
through the misty medium of his own ver-
biage. Ii may be that the conclusion of the
pamphlet will clear off the fog which rest.
uporshe beginning. If it does, we shall
have something more TO say if not, we
have probably said too much already
Constitution.