The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-07-07
sIrADEAn 1ssuR,

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We notice that some OF our Southern journals,
which are easily aff'ighted at the shadow of
any thing which por,ends di.intceration of tho
present organization of what is termed the Ma.
'io"sl Democratic Party. seen, to regard the
question raised during the last session of Congress
a. to the power of n Territory to exclude slavery
by iA Legislature, fruitless contention, dea
issne. frsught with discord and danger to the
Democratic patty. 1t is, cay they. dis,racting
ISSUE and for the sake Of harmoni izing the purity,
should be avoided: that it il an abstract nothing,
about which there should be no dispute. 1t
may bo a weakness of ours, but we must
confess that we cannot subscribe to this YER
sion Of that discussion. We JeIieve it involves a
priuoiPle-a Constitutional right which is of vi.
tai Importance to the South that it is not sm ab.
straction, but that it practically involves the
right Of the slave holder to be protected with
his negroes in Territory. lit is true. as claim
cd by the followers of DOUGLAS, that Terrific.
rial Legislature. if not directly, may indirectly,
lawfully interdict slavery in Territory. thcn any
number of squatters, under a territorial orgun-
cation. may forbid tho entrance Of slaves and
thus destroy the rights of slaveholders in Ter.
ritory. Is it matter Of no consequence to US
that we are to be forbidden tho occupation OF
that public domain which has been purchased
and paid for with a common fund. and which
according to an universally received theory, at
lsnst a, the South, is held by the genera govern.
msnt in the character Of Trustss for the use
and benefit OF all the States composing this con.
federacy7
Wo have no sympathy for that unwise policy
that would smother truth, and trnmple down sa.
cred and Constitntionsl rights for tho sole pur
poso of maintaining party coherencs. Party
organizations can never be productive of good
except when they stand upon the immutable
foundations of justice and right and whenever
errors, or false doctrines sought to be engrsf-
ted upon tho policy of any party. by apo,tates
from tho true faith it is not only tho right bu, the
duty Of tho true defenders of the faith to stand
opposed 10 such horisies by every legitimate
means within their power. to combat tho errors
and prejudices of oven those who wero once of
the Same fold.
A Territory is nothing more than large tract
Of land belonging TO tho several States, a. joirt
tenants. 1t has no government or legsI exis-
tencs but that granted by the Congress Of the
United States. If Congress. under tie Consti
tuition. has no power to abolish or prohibit sIa-
very in Territory she cannot delegate such
power to her agent the Territorial Legislature.
And Congress wou Id be dreliot in her duty if she
permitted the Territorial Legislature to do either
directly or indirectly what she could 10, const
tutionally do herself. The South does not ask
Congress to enact slave code for the Terrific
rlea We want slavery to stand or fall BY the
Constitution and the decisions of the Supreme
Court The Constitution has given US the right
OF protection to our property in the Territories,
The Supreme Court has decided that we are en-
titled to 1t; and we only complain that this new
tangled notion that the power Of a Territorial
Legislature is superior 10 the Constitution to the
Supreme Court or any other power known TO our
government that this infamous doctrine of
Territorial sovereignty. carries with it The power
to override tho Constitution. Many of our Dem.
ocratic brethren OF tho North feign to believe
that it matters not what may be the Limitations OF
tho Constitution upon the subject Of slavery. nor
what the Supreme Court may have decided ND
on tho subject. it makes no difference what
may be the rights ofthe South under the Constitu.
tIon. that Territorial Legislature is sovereign,
and may by her acts make void the Consti,u-
tional provisions in our favor. 1t is a sell. evi.
dent absurdity to feny tho Constitutional power
of Congress 10 abolish slavery. and admit that
the mere creature or agent-upon VIII Itch Con-
gress could confer no greater power than she
possesses-may be lawfully empowered to do So
We believe that it is a mistaken policy. even in
party organization. to permit baneful dogmas to
spring up, and rankle unrebuked for the purpose
OF maintaining harmony Let Us stand by prin.
ciPle and right, and rebuks error and falshood,
withsrsoever it may come or whatever the form
it may assume.