The Nevada journal., 1859-05-27
THk Iss0e. How CAN lr BE IoNo

tration and popular sovereignty wings.
Of the Democracy the Union over, is
nothing less than the question Of power
belonging some~ here to legislate upon
= slavery, in Territories. That is the
main point that the factions differ about.
AL other questions are secondary to this
or madeso by politicians. 81
; Douglass the counted chief Of the
= populaf: sovereignty forces, supports the
administration pretty generally, but begs
to differ upon the construction of the
Kansas-Nebraske bill. In different To-
ealities some of the secondary questions
arc made importan, according to the
the sentiments ofthe people. gtlf
The tariff views of Buchanan DO not
meet the appreciation of some, his fill
buster course others, and others still are
indignant at his extravaganza. But
the main thing is the interminable sla-
very problem. Itrises up like ghost
o. before every statesman Of the land and
makes his eyes start from their sockets
and each particular hair to stand on end.
Time after time has the apparition been
laid, it was promised, forever. But it
refuses to be quiet and still wanders, a
gloomy ghost, ON the shores of the polit :
.-sieal Styx. Many Governor Fnote has
hauled.of his jacket and rolled up his
slee.e, and rowed it to the other size of
Jordan-s It's 10 use. The thing has to
be met at every election, and possibly
will be till the end of time or the gov
crnment.
The phase of the question at the pre-
sent time is, what powerk have. the peo-
pie of a Territory to abolish slavery di-
rect!y or indirectly. The administration
men claim that the constitution carries
slavery into Territories. Mr. Buchanan
says SO in his letter to the Connecticut
parsons. Mr.. Douglas has twice acce-
ded to the doctrine The administration
supporters say the Dred Scott decision
SO decides. -sEZ sL
Whether it does or not is matter of
little consequence as from the general
stenor of that document there is little
room to doubt that such an opinion will
be given when necessary or called
for.
MIR. Douglas holds that slaves being
held in Kansas, "unfliendly" legislation
unprotective legislation, by the legis-
lattHe Of the Territory can make the
property precarious and effectually ex-
clude it. The administration Democrats
on the other hand, declare that the con-
stitution carrying slave property into
Kansas, no minor power can interfere to
the injury of said property. And they
demand protection from the general
government for snch property.
The issue is directly, then, upon the
question whether slave property shall
be protected in Territories by legislation
or left 20 the mercy of the people among
whom it is carried This is the issue il,
the Atlantic half of the Union, and, dis
gnise it as we may it is tho real issue
among the Democracy here The lead
ing administration papers of California
strive zealously to effectually blind the
people tv the question, and to raise side
issuesto distract attention from the true
one. In this project they are liable to
succeed te some extent. The success of
the same faction last year in the. same
kindof game tells us that the age ofigno-
rance aad ereduIity is not yet past, and
warns us not to place too implicit reli
ance upon the people.
- But resortto every subterfuge as. the
administration candidates may, we do
not see how they can avoid declaring
their position on the slave code question.
They will be called on by the people at
the hustings to make known their creed
They may twist, and squirm, and dodge
but it wont do. JTa
4 F..
There is an issue, a we'll understood
one by both factions, and the. Democra-
cy of whatever stripe will have to take
sides upon ii scorer or later II is
not honest to ignore the main question
all seat in Congress has been gained
when the mask will be thrown off and
the people betrayed. Every candidate
should be forced to declare himself up
en- the main question and the rscord
should be remembered. We hope to
see every man on the stump rigidly IN
terrogand, and the issue forced upoa
him whether he willis it or not sn9s
We hope 10 see every Douglas candi-
dote made to inform, the peoule what