The Nevada Democrat., 1859-04-20
NEVADA DEMOCRAT.
NEVADA, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1859
Senator Douglas, Position.

The Sacramento Standard, in reviewing the
late debate in the Senate, on the subject of Con-
gressonal Intervention in the domestic affairs
of the Territories, attempts to show that the po.
stion of Senator Douglas is inconsistent, and
that he differs widely from other Senators, who
held to the same opinions on the question. In
defining Douglas position, the Standard says
Mr. Douglas admits that the people of Ter
ritory must look to the organic law ofCongress
for the political power they possess; be holds
that there are circumstances under which that
power may be Withdrawn by repeal of the
law creating the Territorial Government but
he asserts that. in the Kansas Nebraska bill, il
was agreed. aud virtually declared, that Con.
gress should not exercise that power on the
subject of slavery, but that that question should
! he left wholly aud solely to the Supreme Court
! that the question has been submitted, and il ha.
! been decided that there is no power in the Ter
rltorial Government TO exclude slavery, and
that the Territories are under moral obliga-
/ tion to conform their action TO this decision
but that there is no authority in Congress, nc.
cordng to the Cincinnati platform. to legislate
directly or indirectly, upon the subject"
We think the above is very unfair deGni-
ton of Douglas position, aud not warranted by
his speeches. He certainly did not admit that
the Supreme Court had decided there was no
power in a Territorial Government to exclude
slavery, nor did he admit that the Territories
were under any moral obligation to protect
slavery. On the contrary, he held that they
had moral right to discriminate in favor Of or
against any species of property. Should a Ter
rtoral Legislature pass an act ex, luding slav-
cry, those who felt agrieved could make up a
case aud take it to the Supreme Court. II that
tribunal should declare the law unconstitution-
al it would become void but such decision
would impose no moral obligation upon the
Territorial Government to pass laws for the en-
couragement or protection of the institution.
1t is true that there is a seeming difference
between Senators Douglas aud Pugh-the for
mer holding that the people of a Territory do
not possess sovereign power, and the latter
holding that they do--but this is a mere differ
ence as to the Specification of the words, "sov-
ereign power" and not difference as TO the
real power possessed. They both admitted that
the Territorial Governments were limited by
the Constitution, and by the organic acts OF
Congress and if they attempted to transcend
thciI authority, the Supreme Court, aud moi
Congress, was the proper tribunal to set then
right. And even if Congress did possess tn,
power to intervene in the domestic affairs o
the Territories. il was the understanding among
Democrats that that authority was not to b.
! exercised.
The Standard also says that Douglas twas
pinned to wall in this debate" Now if the
editor Of that paper had read the debate with
an unprejudiced mind, he would have discov
cred that number of Douglas opponents were
pretty effcctually pinned 10 the walp' during
/ that debate.