Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-09-27
AitbmonS Enquirer,
By RITcHIE DUNNAvANT, TYLER & WISE.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER u, 1859.
IN y. Y. Journal Of Commerce.

tn n. Y. Journal Of Commerce.
We aye very well pleased with the reply
made To our article Of the 10Th inst, by the
New York Journal Of Commerce. In our
opinion, our New York contemporary should
have omitted all special pleading on the effort
To show some difference IL priacip1c between
the paper Of Judge Black and the Sanford
letter Of Gov Wise
We knew that more careful scrutiny
Of Judge BLACK, paper would convince
our contemporary that there was no rcpu-
diation in il of Governor WiSe's doctrine. !"
Eut the Journal ot Commerce will not yet
admit their entire coincidence. 1t says; al
though Judge Black, in the paper alluded to,
doe not Gcitc 20 distinctly Is we had supposed,
..re,uiac ihlS doctrine of "Congrc>sional
interference" yet. lie virtually does so where
he avows himself in favor Of submitting to
the law, as decided by the supreme Court,
which declares, that Territorial legislature
cannot, ohy moJt tia" Cv0gre~, interfere
with the rights of property i'll Terrific
ry." Il that is al that Judge Black
means. il he merck means that the rights
Of property in a Territory are a matter OF
Constitutional law" we might be dis
posed 10 Join issue with the Judge. Consti-
tutional law conlcrs no fright Of PROPERTY in
territory" or anywhere else. 1t recognises
individual right To Il! kinds Uf property, but
ronlcrs the right of property in nothing The
determination of right to property, between
man and man--th.t is, deciding questions OF
property il lilisation--u unquestlonabiy belongs
neither 10 Congress nor TO the Territorial Le'
"i,!atrrc but To the Courts II this IS I'll
judge Blacks essay means, it might AS well
have remained mnw:ittcn. But we are more
charitable than oar Ncw York contemporary.
Judge Black essay has far higher and nobler
end than this confined view Of il conveys. His
lca,onin,: was to prove not the right of property
in slaves. nor the right TO carry slave pro-
pcrty into tcrrit0ry--for Judge Douglas as
~alls neither Of these rights: but his argument,
proving that Territorial Legislature cannot I'M
pair either Of tlcsc rights, cr ntcessi'ate rt',
admit, the rigii, Of protection, when either Is
impaired. or, in Governor W;ScS language,
,ncons,itutionaiiv a,,ai.,l. rhr question
between the journal oi Commerce and our
>e,ycs-no, between judge Black and Governor
Wi>e-is. to whom shall application be made
when these rights arc unconStitutionall!v as
sailed" Shall Congress, or the Courts, re-
dress the wrongs:
The Journal Of Commerce says 10 the
Cour,s'-in which We concur. But laws arc
necessary to bring cise, before the Courts--thc
adjudication Of abstract questions is involved
T.. r.,sls which must arise under ht't", and can
r.nt arise under the Constitution without laws
the Legislature u" Il Territory refusing or falling
.obs;l.nt. To- enact these Laws, raises the 'lucs
ton of "Conglcssional protection In such
condition If affairs. Gov. Wise malutans it tc
he the duty OF Congress to intervene, and pro-
tee, by law those rights which the Constitution
recognizes. Doe, the journal Of Commerce
suppose that judge Black would deny the duty
Of Congress TO intervene in such case: Anc
mot then judge Black unqucstionably endor
>cs Gov Wise.
There is no middle .round" between Judge
Douglas and Gov. Wise The views o! these
two statesmen being danetr;cally opposite, il
is Impossible to orcupy middlc ground. MOI
wi!! silence in the platform effect this object
The candidate must haze an opinion-hc mus
a-rc. with one or tic other. The day wher
silent available was a recommendation Ia:
passed. ard Viii Tc.uru no more. Inc cSpc
ricncc Of both parties, a. matters ol history
attest The colly and wckedncss ol any sucf
coarse. Availability-a term that dlshonor
wortl that ;ncdiocrity may be canonizcd-wil
ncycr again rally the American people
\ id adherence 10 the Constitution car
alone preserve the Democratic party, and al
opcn avowal of all opinions must recommend
its candidate. An appeal from the triinmin:
politicians, who build n non-coinmittal plat
form, and upon !. place silent candidate, vii
be an easy and pleasant duty, and to tha
appeal hearty response will be made by al
outraged AMI Indignant people. The oblolul
and inramv that has been thrown arounC
party organizations by rcgcncics in New York
Virginia and elsewhere, would render the dies
,ruction ni non.conini,tal platform with ut
available candidate. 81 rasy and ple'San
work.
The attempt to smother the questions tina
arc now agitating the country, by crying lin
practical distractions" at the South, Will
Judge Douglas is haranguing immense crowd
at the North upon these same questions rs tn
only living and vital issues Of the day, may Civ
:, faint idea ofa canvass with an available can
didatc" upon non-conmittal platform. Sucl
a candidate and platform arc insults to popuia
intelligence --impairing the fundamental idc
Of popular government, by ilnpeaching popu
lar intelligence Their day has passed; let no
trimming tricks.crs ''ay that lattering junction
10 their souls.
RIGHT VIEWS IN A WRONG POSITION.
We have read with much interest an abb
letter of our old friend. William c. Smcdcs
ESQ, of vicksburg, addressed Ia jollifcato1
'Opposition' celebration at Mcrnphis, 4 shor
time since In his view OF parties, he make
several suggestions, the principal one Of whicl
i "tlia, the friends of the Union, of harmony