Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-11-09

Setting political and party predictions
aside, and looking upon the contest between
Judge Douglas and Judge Black. as a mere in.
tellectual combat, in which the only forces
brought into the field are controversial skill
and argumentatiVe ability, we are. constrained
as honest umpires, to tender the palm to Black,
the victor, In one respect the contest is an un
equal one. Senator Douglas, in getting off the
stump and throwing down the gauntlet within
the columns of the press, has committed the
fatal blunder Of the ducllist, who, being left the
choice of arms, unwarily selects the weapon
with which he is least familiar, but of which
his adversary is an accomplished master. He
does not lack courage. No man can call Doug
las coward. He has shown himself ready, at
all times, andin all manners, to defend his prin-
clples, and on this account due share of credit
must be allowed him. But, like many another
heady Sempronius, he does, unquestionabiy,
lack discretion. His venturing into a a0ritten
discussion of his "great principles" shows how
much he is wanting in the important quality We
have Just named. He should have studied his
own powers better, and should have kept strict
ly within the line Of his training. Instead of
this, his mpetuous temper has impelled him to
dash away, unscientiic and unframed, into a
champion battle with regular professor. The
consequence is, he has been taken Of his
guard, and finds himself Knocked tout of time'
at the end of two short rounds.
No one can help having reflections similar to
the above, who has been an impartial reader Of
the controversy gong on between the two dis.
tinguished Democratic politicians above named.
In many respects Douglas is a stronger
than the Attorney General, but in THIS Kind of
contest, the one is like stranger upon foreign
land, whilst the other stands like MacGregor,
with "his foot upon his native heath" But, if
weswere to assign, another and the most salts
factory cause of Dongas' failure in this contro~
versy, it would be the Inherent weakness of the
position 0he ."great principle'D which he uns
dertakcs to establish. Let us take short
glance into'his last reply to Judge Black.
He reiterates what he said at Wooster: 81
have never said or thought that our Territories
were sovereign political communities, or even
limited soyereignties, like the States of the
Union" Here is an express denial, repeated in
distinct and unmistakcaLle terms; let us see if
he is consistent with this denial. In order to
reduce the matter to the comprehension of even
81 OOIuSc Il uIluu Us JuuBS DlaCh lie resorts
to a comparison between the Territories and
the American colonies. The colonies claimed,
possessed and exercised legislative powers in
their respective provincial legislatures over all
rightful subjects oflegislation inrespect to their
domestic concerns and internal polity. ''They
enacted laws" he continues, "for the protection
of life, liberty and property; and in pursuance
of those laws, they deprived men of life. liberty
and property when the same became forfeited
by their crimes. They exercised these high at
tributes of sovereign power during the whole
period of their colonial dependency, &C." $50
with our Territories;''ahe says. Now, We ask
every candid mind, how can-these opinions be
rcconciled with the denial which we have lust
seen Judge Douglas make? Can the Territories
possess all the powers he assigns them and not
be Sovereign political communities" The
protection of life, liberty and property is the
highest duty, and the deprivation Of life, lbcr-
ty and property, the EXTREMIST exercise Of
power, of political sovereignty If these
powers are inherent land if they are not dele.
gated by Congress they mast DO inherenD thUn
there are no other powers belonging to sover-
eighty which the Territories do not possess,
because these being the highest, all minor pre-
negatives are necessarily included within them.
But, if the Territories are sovereign, with re.
spect to these highest subjects Of sovereignty,
then Congress possesses no control or power
over. them, whatsoever Sovereignty, in its
very nature, is exclusive. If it reside in the
Territories, it belongs in no degree to Congress.
Congress can therefore exercise no act of SUI
prernacy over them, for the exercise of one act
of sovereignty by Congress, would be the de-
structon of all sovereignty in the Territories.
Itwould be an absurdity in theory and an im.
practicability in fact, for two distinct bodies
(such as National Congress and a Territorial
Legislature at tho same time to possess the
rights and powers of sooereignty over the same
people or community. The existence of the
one, necessarily excludes the other True, the
sovereignty of an Independent State mag be ai.
vtded, so that part will reside in one and part in
another place, butsthts must always be by vir>
tue Of some express compact. Such is the case
with respect to the States of this Union. The
Constitution strictly defines the powers reserv-
ed, and those delegated to Congress, and it is
only by virtue of this express delegation that
Congress obtains any Sovereignty over the