Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1859-10-29

still he processes to bccome indignant vee" NC
charged with affirming . much. 80 49,.
INC Senator, in defense Of his poeitioa "thaea
territory may exclude slavery" has hbored cuchW
nrovc that what he insists q belonging to the ter
r;,or;es w.s onlv that which our revolutionary th.
crs claimed for the co.onics-"no right upon inc
mart Of Great Britain to interfere With the internal
politv Of the several colonies"
We are surpr;sc,l that gentleman Of his astutc-
ness should have attempted to draw parallel IN the
two esse when in truth, the least rriiecs,on ought
to have convinced him that the only conre'vao'c an
alocy consisted in this that in both instances inc
actrs merr nea, but starting from this pnint there
is a divergence in every view in which they may 'e
considered
The pa,riots Of &c wcnt back to first principles.
and took the position that all men were equal. and
as s,,ch had an inherent right &c. tn lite. liberty.
and tho pursuit of happiness; and that whenever
any form Of government denied this, that they had
a right to institute new form Of government. Thts
was the right az revolution, grounded upon ho'' the
moral As well as the natural rights Of man, and to
attain this, they threw OF all government, all re-
str.,int whatever. and held them "cncmirs in var.
in peace friends"
But not SO with the territories; for when the Sen
ator goes hack to first principles and claims tho cx-
crcise Of right as natural and inherent he ssal;s
the exercise by declaring that every distinct p"t-
lea! community. loyal to tho Consti aiion and the
Un,on is entitled to all the rights privileges and
immunitics of self government.
Here, then, he makes the territorial right not an
inherent one but rs dcpcndcnt upon the loyalty 81
the citizen, and he makes the federal Constitution
as the rule or straiHht.cdRe by which the OIL guilty
(of the ci,xcn i to he asccr,ainc and in the face
Of all this he contends that the two cases arc perfect
~ parallel Oh strange inconsistency, and passing
strange arrogance and presumption.
Does the Senator think that the American citizens
are tools anil incapable If detecting the hllacy OF
such logic a. this, Or does he think what + more
prohablcl that in his present emergency In order to
arrive at the Executive chair II n necessary to trim
his sails and to sail from "poin, to no Pointg u
So We can assure him that he Is csrcgiousy m'sta-
ken.
The truth is, the Senator does not understand, or
If he does wilfullv misrcprrscnts Uor individual as
grandzcment the true theory Of the fsc'al govern
mcnt.
1t is a political anomaly. and in all respects s"i
generis as to sovereignty. AMI ~ TO the moscs and
manner Of its administration.
It il neither federal sovereign, or popular per ~
and vet to some extent II u all
When it acts on the citizens of the several States
and Territories it is popular. hut when Il depends
for its very existence and action upon tho existence
and action Of the States and Territories II becomes
cmncntly FEDERAL but at tho same time retains its
sovereignty to the extent that neither State OF
Territory can set at defiance act Of Congress. 81
a decision of the Supreme Court, or annul trca-
tv. when they arc scvcrally made in pursuance VI
the constitution for the simple and plain that
the States only retain those rights which arr not by
the constitution expressly delegated to the Congress
Of the United Safes
To contend, then that territory. actin. in and
from ITSELF has the right nv any discriminating tax
powers to shape its legislation, ~ to destroy OF
cxpcl slave property openly to resist the decision
Of the Supreme Court, in the Drcd Scott Case, ss
also to DISREGARD that clause Of the federal constu
ton which declares "that neither life liberty OF
property shall he taken without due of Law.
Strange Authorization, ard stranger still that he
| attempts its support by claiming constitutional
right 10 do an unconstitutional thing.
The territories, like the States from whence they
| are pcopled, have certain powers, in which their
acts are uncontrolled and there are certain other
matters and things in which their sovereignty has
only potential existence. that is may tc brought
to bear upon the thing in question. provided Il he
in accordance with the rights and duties delegated
| to the federal government
The tax power lin the main) is sovereign rover.
but before it can be exercised either by State.
territory. by the federal government. tie end
must be legitimate. that * must not conflict either
with the delegated or with the reserved powers /;
but whenever the end is legitimate the extent Of its
exercise depends upon legislative discrrtin n.
II the end Sc legitimate. then appropriate means
he used to attain the end but II the end he not
legitimate, CONSTITUTIONAL that is. IL Il counter
and attempts to annul what superior has establish.
ed las in the bred Scott easel to establish what
superior prohibits unfricndly legislation y
then the exercise Of such right is clearly rrvolu.
tionary, and he who advises such is traitor in the
estimation Of every "law abiding citizen"
| In conclusion, we 10 not think. however. chat
Judge Douglas is abolitoniSt far-vcry Gar frou,
it. but We do think that his ,nordinatc desire to &C
cupy the White House has made him 80 trim his
sails as to catch the abolition breeze He may do
but thing is certain. and about this their i
no mistake. il the Democracy II the South take
him up, it will only jc when they arc convinced
that they have to choose between the Senator and
black Republican, and il will then bc. with dis
tinct protestation Is to his mcnstrous hcrcsy.
| AN OLD FARMER