The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-07-16
Political MeanneSS.

democratic journals, about union, harmony,
concession, forgetting minor differences,
DC, among democrats, and indeed, this
SORT of talk has become SO common, that
one would naturally suppose there were
some great and vital points of political doc
trine about which the democrats among
themselves differed. On this assumption
is conceived and written the following ar
ticle, which we cut from the Philadelphia
Pennsylranian:
President PoLKs VIEWS on territorial
popular sovereignty are very plainly eX-
pressed in the following extract from his
last annual message to Congress:
The people of the acquired Terrific
ries. WHEN ASSEMBLED IN CONVENTION TO FORM
STATE CONSTITUTIONS, viii possess the sole
and exclusive power to determine for
themselves whether slavery shall or shall
not exist within their limits. If Congress
shall abstain frori interfering with the
question, the people OF the Territories will
be left free to adjust it, they may think
proper WHEN THEY APPLY FOR ADMISSION AS
STATES INTO THE UNION"
This was sound doctrine then Tin 1913. J
and 1t is still and must ever continue sound
so long as the Constitution remains un-
changed; for it is the only doctrine on
this subject consistent with the Consttu
| ton. 1t Is the doctrine of the compromise
measures of 1890, of the Kansas y ebraska
! act of 1894, of the national conventions oi
- and 30, of President Buchanan's Inau
/ gural Address, Sillimans letter and mes
! sages, and of the national democracy OF
the whole country.
! These views OF President Polk are II
perfect harmony with those of Henry Cha,
and his colleagues in the Senate of 1850. a.
expressed in their report on this subject a:
| follows:
The true principle which ought to re
/ Cuiate the act OF Congress in forming
territorial government for each newlv-ac
CURED domain is to refrain from all legis
lation on the subject OF slavery in the ter
ritory acquired, so long as it retains tn,
territorial form of government leaving i
to the people of such Territory, WHEN TIL
! HAVE ATTAINED TO SUCH A CONDITION WHO
| ENTITIES THEM To ADMISSION AS A STATE, Il
. decide for themselves the question of al
lowance or prohibition Of domestic slavery
From all this, in connection with the
| decisions Of the Supreme Court. substan
/ TALLY covering the same point there is NJ
stitutional national, and democratic doc
/ triuc in relation TO the time ,rhe7, the PEG
+ pie Of Territory can legally and properl,
/ decide the question whether the institutio,
Of slavery shall or shall not exist among
them 1t may not suit hicher-law ant
/ squattersovereign demagogues but il vii
be maintained 10y all who have patriotism
enough TO stand firmly by the Constitution
IN all Its parts as the great sheet-anchor o
: our Union
The fling at squattersovereign dema
gouges' in the above of course mean.
Judge Douglas, and the inference expectee
10 be drawn Is, that those democrats VIII,
do not take the side Of James Buchanan i,
his personal war on Judge D. are support
ing principal in reference 10 slavery il
the territories at variance with the abov,
quotations from President Polk and Henri,
Clay.
greater falsehood was never uttered
Judge D. stands exactly on the abov
ground, and except the few hotspurs AM
fire eaters in the south who advocate
slave code for the territories, no democra
in the country occupies any other grcunt
What inetfable nonsense, or shameless
dishonesty, is 1t not, then, this talk abou
. concessions, &c, for the sake of harmt
: ny in the democratic party, on the a
sumption of difference that every INTEL
gent man hncsvs Goes not exiss Tn
democratic party is thoroughly, entirel.
and cordially harmonious on all question
involving principle. The only point o
which there is any difference is, whethe
? Judge Douglas, against whom Presidei
Buchanan, his cabinet, appointees an
camp followers have conceived a person;
spite, shall be driven from the field an
killed off for the next Presidency A
the concession" asked, then, is, tha
r those who are not such camp follower
! &c. shall consent to this sacrifice of on
OF the truest and ablest men God eve
; raised up to stand in the WAY of fifth rat
political hacks and aspirants VIII Ia
: Democracy ever harmonic on sue
terms?